Lauren McCullough

Female Voiceover Talent

717-281-1991‬

LaurenMcCulloughVO@gmail.com

Business

Tips to write a storytelling ad

Business, Marketing

From the days of ancient humans huddled around their first campfires, sharing stories of the hunt, to the pictures they painted on cave walls, to every book ever written, and every TV show and movie, there is nothing more human than the telling of a story. Advertising has been neighbors with stories for many years also, and recent decades have changed the landscape there as well. What was once hard sells and pushing every inch has had to withdraw and change character.

Most people can spot classic advertising from a mile away and have little interest in direct sales. How does the responsible ad agency or company get their products in the customer’s hands then? Tell your story. Make it about human connection instead of just your product’s features. Show your company or your product solving a problem or helping someone, or just showing something cool you did. The digital age has given society unprecedented connections between people, and a lot less tolerance for things that seem “fake”. 

A storytelling ad will share your company and your product in an emotionally impactful, insightful, and human connecting way. People make many decisions based on emotions-as much as we’d all like to think we’re logical beings-and you’ll be able to tap into these basic human drives by creating a story vehicle for your ad. Plus, we remember stories much more than we remember lists of facts, 22 times more in fact. Add in some human connection and authenticity and you’ll have a winner of an ad in no time. Here are some great tips to create one. 

Unfulfilled Desire

Most of human history has been centered around people wanting to fulfill their various desires. From love to war, from self-examination to self-fulfillment, there are limitless themes and nuances in every story. Your ad should be no different. Hook the viewer with a need or a want that they can see and sink their teeth into right away. Whether it’s the needs of a child or the frustrations of an adult, putting the desire center stage will help anchor your story in the viewer’s mind. 

Don’t sell

This has already been mentioned, but it bears repeating. Traditional selling techniques are at this point an automatic turn off, exit out, or channel change for most people. Besides, classic selling techniques have limitations that stories don’t. With storytelling ads, you can do literally anything as long as you make it human and relatable. If Betty White getting tackled can sell Snickers, there’s no limits on what you can do with your stories. Ads these days are no longer about market saturation in the way they once were, but about standing out and creating meaningful content in a crowded, diverse marketplace. 

Hero

We all like someone to admire and look up to. Heroes have taken journeys in every age, from ancient to modern. Give your viewers someone to identify with, and you have one of the best hooks possible. It doesn’t have to be a strong man type either, a memorable ad from the recent past even featured a baby duck as a hero. Diversity is a common theme these days and choosing someone from a minority community can help customers you normally might not reach be able to identify with your brand. Think outside the box, and choose to center a variety of voices in our interconnected world to tell the stories of. Plus, it helps attach good feelings to your brand and company for showcasing people who don’t always get the spotlight. 

Follow the pattern

Stories always have a pattern of introducing a problem, building up tension, a climax and then a denouement. Although there’s a lot of room for variation within that structure, make sure there is a structure for your story. Getting a little too artistic or creative can confuse people and make it harder for them to get your real message or be interested in your product or company. Being confused or unsure is a pretty good gateway to people changing the channel or clicking away.  

Find what makes you different

Telling your story is a gateway to who you are as a company. Look into your company culture and values and find what makes you stand out in the world. It is a challenge to find differences when you’re selling a product, but who you are as people makes you able to connect with your viewer. Then it is that much easier to connect your product with its potential place and use in their life. Use the opportunity to find what you may have missed about yourself as a company and bring it to the forefront in your ad. 

Relatable

This can be tricky to perfect in our cynical ad saturated culture. There is so much that has been done before or shared in ways that makes our attention skip and our brains turn right off. But authenticity is the watch word here. People don’t want polished actors delivering lines from inside a perfect, spotless home, they want to feel how the story they’re being told connects to them. Emphasize the qualities and stories that we all share culturally and worldwide to make those connections for the viewer. Everyone has fallen in love, or known a kid who had a problem, or been frustrated at work. A recent Budwiser ad featured a dog left at home as his owner went out drinking with friends. The dog doesn’t understand why his owner doesn’t come home, and you’re led to think the worst at first. But then the owner comes back and we discover they made a responsible choice to stay the night with their friends instead of drive drunk. This ad slam dunked relatability through the eyes of a beloved pet, and made you look at the possible consequences of irresponsibility through the eyes of those left behind instead of the person doing the drinking. 

Don’t be afraid to get creative

Whether you’re sitting down with your family watching the Super Bowl, or some other time when they show the best ads, we remember the ones that take new pathways and share new stories. Often, the ones we remember the best are those that connect with us and give us a little surprise in an unexpected connection or outcome. The world is changing so fast and there are many challenges for us all, but there are also always ways to uplift and bring light to the world. Don’t be afraid to look in a new direction or try a new voice for your ad. You might get even better results than you expect. 

The drive for relatable stories isn’t going away any time soon. A wise company will learn how to connect their customers with the human elements that touch us all, and make their ads harmonize with their viewers. Advertising is much more than getting facts and figures in front of your customers, you want to show them how your product can be part of their lives, and connect with them on the level and nature of the problems you can solve for them. Without a story, an ad will be forgettable, and you and your company will just be passed by. 

Tips For Creating The Best On-Hold Messages

Business, Marketing, Voiceover Industry

Tips For Creating The Best On-Hold Messages

Great on-hold messages can be a critical component of both your marketing and sales funnels. On-hold messages keep callers engaged with your brand and more likely to stay on the phone, rather than hanging up before they can speak with someone. An on-hold message can be leveraged to share your latest sales and initiatives, opportunities, and upsells. They can also be used to share your story as a brand, spread the message about what you’re seeking or generally cultivate your company culture. 

Even though we live in an internet age, phone communication is still very financially relevant. In fact, click-to-call is ever increasing, as people use their mobile devices to search and find businesses about which they want to learn more or with which they want to do business. 

Over two-thirds of customers who call a business or company are put on hold at some point in their interaction, according to this Spectrio blog. That’s a lot of business just waiting to be mined – or potentially being lost, if the customer hangs up. This Mitel blog post purports that 60% of callers that are kept on-hold without a message, in just silence, hang up before speaking with someone. An on-hold message can change that. 

A great on-hold message can keep them interested and engaged with your brand, while also reminding them that you are still there and that their call will be answered in due time. An on-hold message can also provide valuable information, such as your hours or location, which may answer your callers questions before they even speak with anyone. 

What Is An On-Hold Message?

An on-hold message is the message that callers listen to when they are put on-hold through your phone system. A truly great on-hold message takes advantage of those audio spots to inform, educate, and potentially upsell your callers. 

You can create a series of on-hold messages that loop through while your customers are waiting to speak with someone. Many of these messages begin with a short musical start and some musical breaks in between each message. According to this Mitel blog post, most messages are 3 to 4 minutes in length total, made up of a series of shorter messages. If you are typing out a script, this tends to be about 300 to 400 words. 

What Are The Best Types of On-Hold Messages?

There is a lot of opportunity in that on-hold message series. Don’t miss out on the variety of chances you have to engage relevantly with your customers. 

  • Facts and Info Often people are calling to get basic information about your business. Go ahead and share the basics on your on-hold message. Don’t forget your website, hours, location, social media pages, and basic product and service information. 

  • Sales and Initiatives Got a great deal going? Now’s the time to share it, especially for new or returning callers who might be interested. Consider seasonal or timely initiatives that your customers may not know about, but may want to add on to their purchase.

  • Brag Time Callers call to find out more about your business. An on-hold message is an ideal time to tell them what you’re all about. Share your story and brag on the achievements or accomplishments you’ve gathered. 

  • Have Fun!

Now’s your chance to get a little silly or have a little fun. Humor goes a long way in easing the pain of sitting and waiting on hold. Take a note from these Southwest Airlines on-hold messages from the past. Offer some tips, some trivia and some jokes to keep your customers smiling while they wait to talk with you. 

What Technology Can Be Used To Create On-Hold Messages?

There are really two main options for creating on-hold messagings.

  • Legacy or Traditional Phone Systems This is the way you always remember phone systems of days gone by, with a boxes and recording equipment and technicians who need to set the whole system up throughout the office. There are a number of reasons to abandon this way of doing things. Here is a great list of reasons from Intermedia. 

  • Cloud Based Phone Systems This is the way of the future and definitely the way to go if you are setting up your on-hold system or just want to upgrade. Here’s a list from TechRadar with some of the best options out there, according to their writers. The advantages of cloud are endless, but as a voice over actress, my favorite parts are the ease of updating and creating new messages. You can keep your on-hold messages relevant and up to date much easier with a cloud system. 

Who Should Record An On-Hold Message?

When you are deciding who to employ to record your on-hold message, remember who your audience is. Your listeners are your customer base. Where do they turn for advice? What kind of social media influencers do they follow? That’s the kind of voice you want for those messages. 

Don’t forget to consider the tone of the on-hold messages. Should they be serious? Upbeat? Fun? Inspiring? Make sure that you employ a voice that conveys the emotion and spirit that align with your brand. 

For these reasons, we would recommend checking out the services of a voice over talent. A voice actor can provide consistent sound and messaging throughout your on-hold system. They also bring a level of professionalism, with the ability to maintain a certain tone, upbeat nature even after a number of recordings. An amateaur recorder’s voice may start to tire or drop off with each recording, which may not keep your callers engaged throughout their on-hold time. 

Interactive Voice Response Messages

Overall, in this article, we have spoken about the 30-second commercial or informational “spots” that can play, in loop, while your customers are on-hold. These can be informative, and real value adds, for your callers, and can even upsell them. However, if you use an Interactive Voice Response (or IVR) system, you don’t want to neglect the action messages that will be required throughout the process. Things like “To speak with Bob, please press 3” or “To learn more, please hold” or “To access your accounts, please say ‘accounts’.”

If you choose to hire a voice actor, or use one of your own team for your on-hold messages, you will want to also use a similar or same voice for your IVR message system and your on-hold messages. Working with a voice over talent means that your on-hold messages will be clear, crisp, audible, and engaging to keep those customers on hold even longer – until you can talk to them and make your sales.  

Does Professional Voiceover Help Sell Products?

Business, Marketing

Does Professional Voiceover Help Sell Products?

In business, the bottom line is always on everyone’s mind. Cost and trying to get the next thing out the door are a constant battle. When you’re presenting your product to the world, you want a smart, catchy presentation that puts both your company and your product in the very best light. The marketplace grows more and more crowded and noisy by year, and the changes in advertising that have come with the digital age make it so that every person in sales needs to consider where they put their dollars. 

7 REASONS TO HIRE A PRO

Whether it’s an explainer video, a television commercial, a radio ad or what have you, a great voiceover is a natural part of the bargain. But there’s some important things to keep in mind about the voice you choose, and why paying a professional rate is an important part of the process. There are a number of ways to get a cheap voiceover rate these days, and cutting costs might seem like a great idea. But below I have seven reasons why it’s worth paying a professional rate rather than $5.

  1. Natural sound: like your customer. (Not like someone reading something.) – Relatability is the name of the game these days. The announcer sound has seen it’s sunset and we’re into the kind of ads that say more than just what you have on sale. High technology has connected us more than ever, but the real currency people want in their advertising is a feeling of human connection. A pro voiceover will know how to shape their words and tone to both your product and to sound like someone your customer could have just next door. 
  2. Creates emotional connection— without the ability to connect emotionally to the script, no one is going to buy into the pitch. Natural sound leads to emotional connection, which makes your potential customer more likely to remember your product and want to buy it whenever they might need it. 
  3. Positive and lasting impression of your company. Making sure that you have the best sound and presentation shows your customer that you are a solid, professional company that cares about your presentation as well as your product.
  4. Saves time. You don’t have to worry about someone who is new to their equipment. You avoid having to redo your ad if there’s an issue with the performance, recording space or the post-production. 
  5. Consistency. Hiring the same voice helps build your brand in the mind & ears of your customers. This is an easy tool to use alongside all your other branding and marketing efforts and create a feeling of reliability for your consumer that you’re a company they are familiar with. 
  6. Long term ROI. Creating and building a consistent, professional image for your company and your products helps ensure that you will succeed not just with your current offerings, but with anything that you do in the future. 
  7. Helps build trust– Although we might not know their names, the history of every brand has trusted voices in the media that people feel comfortable with and this is true with your company also. People will learn the kind of values your company stands for and the things that your product makes them feel with the right voice, and this will help build the trust consumers have with your company.

HOW TO FIND THE RIGHT VOICE

So you want to grab that pro voiceover! There are lots of ways to get in touch with pro talent, from individual websites, to agents, and some of the casting sites available with an aggregate of talent. The online casting sites have both their advantages and their cautions. Are you and your team available and prepared for potentially hundreds of auditions? That can be a lot to process, especially if you have a quick turn around. Yes it’s nice to have lots of choices, but the choices can cause you a lot more work. Plus, with the aggregate sites, there’s less personal selection of the voice talent that might fit your specific product the best. Most of those sites use algorithms to select who auditions for you. That being said, here’s four things you need to consider when you’re getting started finding your talent. 

  1. Language- if you’re operating in foreign markets to wherever you are, make sure that you take good care of the language you use. Google translate is not good enough for ad copy, since it misses the fluency of a real speaker, and can easily lack idioms or other cultural markers that will help bring your vision and company mindset across.
  2. Accent- Not all accents within the same languages are created equal. With many languages, there are various regional dialects and sounds depending on where you are or what country you’re in. Although you can make a splash using an accent different from the one people are used to hearing (British voices in the United States, for example.) this should be done carefully to make sure that you don’t make the wrong choice. Another example would be the Spanish spoken in Spain, and the Spanish spoken in Mexico. There are differences in pronunciation and word usage from country to country and you need to take care to get the right voice for the job. 
  3. Script- It can be hard to find a good writer, but the words are a huge part of the game, and the better script you write, the better your voice talent will be able to help create your image and product lineup. Make sure that you focus on showing, not telling with your writing, so that the script is more than a list of product descriptions, and evokes a response in your viewer. The goal is to connect with their imagination and feelings, to sound less like a salesperson, and more like someone they know giving them good info on your product.
  4. Gender- there’s lots of products that typically are counted as being for one or the other gender. The choice of voice for that one is probably easy enough. But what about when your product is something that fits neither? Women’s voices are considered by most people to sound more trustworthy. That’s an important characteristic to tap into. But gender doesn’t have to rule your casting, if you want to take something in an unusual direction.

Why is a pro voiceover still important when more people are watching videos with the sound off? This is a newer phenomenon with the rise of smartphones and crowded public environments. No one wants to be the jerk who blasts the whole bus or car with a high speed auto ad. (Or at least most folks don’t.) It is wise to add subtitles to your video to make sure that this segment of the population can still get the full impact of your advertisement. But it may seem silly, if so many people don’t use sound, why include the pro voiceover? Because there are always times and places for sound, when people will listen as well as watch, and there are people who do prefer sound still, especially older folks. No matter how your viewer chooses to take in your message, choosing a professional voiceover will make sure your presentation is as professional and diverse as possible. 

Why a Woman May Be Best for Your Brand Voice

Business, Marketing

So, your product is up for a refresher. You’ve got ads, and marketing, and you’re looking for that needed brand voice. Traditionally, many companies have chosen men for these roles to produce a strong, authoritative voice for products, but ask any Mom… women know how to use a strong, authoritative voice when needed. So while breaking from traditional casting of men in those roles may feel counter intuitive, it’s possible a woman’s voice will give your product or sales new life. 

Why should you choose a woman instead of a man? Well, change ups can be very valuable, especially since you may have kept your brand voice the same for a long time. Moving into a new voice will catch your potential customer’s attention. It’ll bring new engagement to your product right off the bat. 

If a man’s voice has always ‘sounded right’ to you, perhaps try inviting other people to voice auditions to get new perspectives on the available options. It’s a lot easier to just audition voices so you can try on a different casting direction before committing to a brand voice change.

Women are being selected for brand voices more and more often as the market shifts. There’s a wider variety of products that can fit with women’s voices than has been used before. Roles for women in society have always been multifaceted, and are only growing more so over time. There are a diverse array of reasons that a woman’s voice is good for you to consider.

 Diversity is not just a hashtag these days, it’s becoming an important principle by which to judge a company. Building trust with customers is essential for sales. Choosing a woman for your brand voice can open doors you might not otherwise have access to. 

  1. Women buy more stuff-they don’t only buy for themselves, but they purchase for households and others. Many times, even if a woman lives with friends, she will buy more ‘household’ stuff than men in the household will. And of course families and children come into big play here. 2020 drove record profits for many companies, because women had to shop from home more than ever. 
  2. Women enjoy listening to and sharing with other women, much like they do with friends. Women’s communication styles tend to revolve around sharing tips and information. A comfortable, friendly voice for your brand can help a woman feel like she’s sharing with a friend about a good deal or a good idea. This is especially true with a more conversational read. This is where your voice talent is just chatting with the potential customer, instead of being more traditional sales like. 
  3. Many positive characteristics are associated with women’s voices, trustworthy, soothing, relatable, melodic, intelligent without being domineering. Men’s voices transmit authority, control, and strength. For decades, research has said that people prefer men’s voices for many products. But women’s buying power has been growing, and their voices are finding a home in more places. Yes there are products that would sound better than a man, but would your brand benefit with a different sound? If you’re doubting, try some focus groups or studies. The results may surprise you. 
  4. Female voices are versatile in that they appeal to women and men-but men’s voices don’t resonate with women talking about women’s products. There are a lot of products that can be related to women. It’s not just clothes, shoes and household goods. Women are creating their own businesses, and many of them have had to step up in educating and entertaining their children. Movies, streaming services, parks, real estate, special events, there’s really very little that strictly has to be voiced by a male. 
  5. Increasing market share-millennial moms are being included in more purchasing decisions than moms across generations. The millennial generation is far more egalitarian in their buying choices. Dad isn’t the only one deciding for those major purchases in many cases. You have the opportunity to speak to this wider audience, and to catch more attention by doing so. And it’s unlikely this trend will reverse, so you’re not just buying into current market share, but the future as well with the upcoming Generation Z. 
  6. Business is booming- millennial moms are starting new businesses and creating new ways to earn money for their families. Partnering with this desire can help any brand drive sales. Many moms had to make tough choices in 2020. Some households could not maintain 2 incomes, and it was usually the mom that stopped working. But these moms aren’t idle. Many of them are looking to create influencer blogs, social media presences, and an endless array of ways to earn money. They can monetize their experiences, create interesting crafts, and anything else their minds come up with. Helping moms make their lives easier, and helping them bring in those extra dollars is a great way to build brand connection. And Moms love hearing from other moms!
  7. Women want to see their bosses and jobs taking the lead on social issues. They are consuming more news, and discussing it throughout their lives. Women in particular want to see gender equity and equal pay as priorities for brands. But keep things real in your company. More than one company out there has tried to tout diversity or inclusion and badly failed. It’s very easy to find from internal leaks or social media whether or not you’re actually doing what you say you are. It’s not just employees that want transparency and trust, investors are now looking at the impact of scandals on their dollars. Women love to see change being made in companies, showing that brands lineup with their values too. 
  8. Being online means that companies can get called on negative behaviors very quickly.  Social Media keeps brands honest-but fake news and false promises are a significant eroder of trust. Keep this in mind if you’re not quite ready to be public about your desire for diversity. There have been many years of brands and other institutions promising what they can’t deliver. These days people are very aware of who is doing what they say they will, and who is falling short. Honesty and transparency, not longevity are big trust builders. Venerable companies are all well and good, but there are significant opportunities for new ones that are willing to show more and be more. Women want to see companies that are aware of their impact in the world, and their impact in the workplace. Showing your values by having diverse hires is a great way to build this trust. And a brand voice is one of the most visible ways that you can do that. 

So, as you can see, although a woman’s voice isn’t the right decision for every brand and product, there are many positive elements going with that choice. Diversity and inclusion are the way the world is moving, and brands putting a woman’s voice out front have a head start to go along with it. And time will show that the sales come right along. 

When to outsource editing as a VO

Business, Voiceover Industry

So the first thing I need to recommend about when to outsource your editing is a mindset change. It’s understandable that when beginning a voiceover business, money can be at a premium. Between classes, equipment, coaching, and marketing, there’s a hefty dollar cost before the money comes flowing in. Any additional expenses can feel dangerous or maybe unneeded. Jobs you get at first may not have ideal rates or client relationships. In fact, there is some benefit early on in your career as a voice actor to editing your own work because it’s a crash course in audio production.

However, at some point, there’s an important fact about what you’re doing that you need to think of. Business takes investment. In order to grow, you need to put money back into your business, and one of the best ways to do that is concentrate the most on what you do the best.

Talk. Your voice is one thing in your business that only you can do. Your voice is the centerpiece of your ability to make money in general. And the more you focus on what you do best, the more of it you can do. Obviously there are limitations with needing breaks to rest your voice, but outsourcing your editing also gives you more time for marketing, invoicing, or any of the other business elements you may need to catch up on. 

As an added bonus, you’ll also have more time for family or personal needs, which is easy to lose in the entrepreneurial mindset. So although it can seem like an unnecessary expense to hire an outside editor or proofer, it’s a worthwhile investment to help make your business more effective and sustainable for you. And cost isn’t the only mindset worry that you need to change–some people enjoy the process of editing and figure that why shouldn’t they just take care of it themselves? As an established talent, this can also hold you back because like it or not, you could have a better or more efficient use of your time. Give yourself the ability to have a greater flexibility in your day. It might be a scary jump to make, but it is worth it to make your business run like a business. You don’t have to-and shouldn’t-wear all the hats yourself.

Here are a few things to consider that will help you decide whether it’s time to outsource your audio. It’s important to make sure that not only are you ready, but that you’re ready to put forward effort on your part to make sure that hiring out not only is but stays effective as a business choice. 

  1. Length of audio. Are you working on shorter or longer audio in general? With shorter pieces (like less than 10 minutes) you may have a better ROI by doing the editing yourself, if you’ve got enough experience to make it work smoothly. It’s not that you can’t outsource shorter work, but by the time you send it out and wait for the audio to come back, you could have probably just had it done yourself. Many people do a good variety of work, and some much longer than that, but your auditions and short pieces are probably worth it to take care of in house. ***Though if you are in the position to hire an in-person assistant, audio editing for short narrations is a great task for them to handle. See number 5 & 6 on this list
  2. Finances ROI/income. I would never advise someone to take bread out of their families’ mouths, but it’s important to think about as you build your business that for some time after you start you may need either savings or a second income to help cover start up costs. Long term, editing will emphatically pay for itself, especially with longer work. Not only does it involve cost savings to focus on what you do best, it also offers benefits in terms of workflow smoothness, and the psychological benefit of having one less thing to worry about. But in the beginning when you’re still paying out more than you bring in, outsourcing may not be a good fit. When you are the sole person responsible for your business it’s easy to fall into an individual mindset, but shifting to a collabrative/team mindset can open up a lot of freedom for you. Lots of people come into voiceover from creative industries, where that kind of thought can be hard to set down for yourself. But it’s a necessary part of being successful, and sustainable. 
  3. Expectations. You should know what you’re looking for in an editor. What kind of turn around do you want? Keep in mind that what you do in your own life is not necessarily how someone else is going to think or operate. It helps to think carefully about your needs, and write them all out so that you can speak clearly about them and make sure that you get what you’re looking for. But also, particularly, if you have an acting or non-techie mindset, it can be a good thing to be willing to listen if your editor has experience that can help you learn what is reasonable from their end of the business. A good editor will be a strong support and aid in your work. 
  4. Friends in the business. One of the best ways to find a good editor is through word of mouth. Experienced talent often have an editor or two as a go to person, especially in the audiobook world. Sometimes end clients do the editing on their own, but even in such cases, talents will often hire a proofer to help make sure their narration is as polished as possible before they turn it in. And when you have a variety of clients, having an editor will help you be ready no matter what end client you’re working with. (Or whether or not they need editing.) 
  5. In person or at a distance. Another good question to ask yourself is whether you’d want to be physically near someone who is working for you. Some people would rather be able to see and talk to their employees face to face, and some don’t mind if the communication is all online. It’s a good idea to figure this out before you start looking so that you don’t end up in a situation you’re uncomfortable with. 
  6. Training. If you’re an experienced talent who knows the ins and outs of audio, sometimes you can get a little bit of a bargain by training someone-a friend, relative, child, or intern-and work with them. That can have upsides and downsides though, since the person doesn’t have your years of experience and getting good with audio takes a lot of time. Hiring a freelance pro means working with someone who already has the experience and knowledge you need-although you should make sure that they have recommendations or experience like you would with any contractor. 

At the end of the day, handing off your long form narration editing can free you up to tackle things in your business that otherwise would be pushed to the wayside. It can be scary to give up control, but prioritizing the things that need your direct attention is an important step in growing, and thriving in your business. Investing in a reliable, skilled editor can do wonders for your career if you give it a chance.

3 Places to find FREE voiceover resources

Business

There’s an old saying in business, “you have to spend money to make money.” This is very true in voiceover, where the tools of your trade and the training to back it up  cost a great deal before you’re at a ‘pro’ level. Your voice and the sound put out of your studio is your product, and in order to make it sound the best, you’ve got to polish and fine tune even the best set of pipes. 

But what about free stuff? Is there anything you can look at that doesn’t require you to drop bank? Of course, and if you play your cards right, you can find colleagues and networking opportunities aplenty. Voice talents are giving, sharing people, and have spent countless hours over the last few decades creating a great deal of informative content that can help you in your career. 

Before we get into that, let’s go over some quick etiquette when approaching these groups and individuals for help and advice. 

  • Treat the VO as a respected expert.

Unfortunately in recent years, there’s been quite a few articles that label voiceover or audiobook narration an ‘easy career you can do from home’. It’s a career you can do from home but it sure isn’t easy! Anyone who is making a living from doing voiceover jobs has invested time and money into their craft, and is doing far more than “just talking”. Think of whatever type of person you would consider a respected professional, and treat the voice talent the same. The VO doesn’t “have it easy” any more than you do at your current job. 

  • Remember they don’t OWE you anything. 

This blog is about free resources, but if you talk to individuals looking for further advice, sometimes people will need or want compensation for their time. Or they may be unable or uninterested in helping you. Before you get upset, remember that these are industry professionals who are taking time out of their day to help you. Accept that something is out of reach at this point in time if it is, and move on. Also, never forget that voice talents, coaches, post production professionals all talk to each other. If you make a public stink, it can easily brand you in the community forevermore, and you’ll have roundly shot yourself in the foot before you start the race. 

  • Listen to what you might not want to hear. 

This can be a really hard one. Not every voice is well suited to every genre. You also have to be ready to start a business and every challenge that goes with that. Maybe a friend gave you advice, and it turns out they were mistaken so you need to change something in your setup. (Example: Music post production and voiceover post production are not the same thing. Many skills do not cross over, so advice from that direction could be mistaken.) Perhaps you’ve worked really hard on something, and people tear it apart in a critique. Be sure and stay open to more than just praise–voiceover requires talent AND skill, which comes with time, training, and practice. 

So let’s get down to business!

1. Facebook– The grand blue monolith of social media has a great many groups related to voiceover. Unfortunately, some of them are not worth your time. If you see groups with little to no activity, or they are dominated by ads, you should probably move on. Here’s a curated list of a few valuable places to start. If you’re interested in audiobooks Indie (ACX And Others) Audiobook Narrators and Producers, and Audiobook Crowd are full of pros and a group history full of useful questions and answers. If you’re already on the path with some booked jobs to your credit, Voiceover Pros will give you a good crowd. Voiceover Mamas is pretty self explanatory. It’s a serious challenge to juggle a career in voiceover and kids! VOPreneur, and Voiceover Camp are both groups aimed towards people starting out in our business, and if you’re looking for basic business information, they’ll get you started. 

2. Blogs– Since blogging has been around nearly since the internet began, there is a truly vast amount of information available. People have been writing their thoughts and experiences in voiceover for decades. Before we discuss the blogs themselves, voice actor’s websites contain useful information in other ways as well. First of all, the sites themselves can give you some thoughts on design for your own website. Second, you’ll get a useful idea how it’s most commonly done to present yourself to potential clients. Third, for people who are solid pros you might want to emulate, you’ll be able to hear their standard of work in their demos. There are not a lot of hard no’s in design, but do not fake anything-like who you’ve worked for, or personal details. You will get found out eventually and look very bad. 

Here’s a list of informational blogs to start with-

  • Nethervoice– Dutch American voice actor Paul Strikwerda who delivers great viewpoints with a sprinkle of snark and sass 
  • Tom Dheere– VO Business guru and NY based voice actor.
  • Karen Commins– Narrator blog, and if you’re interested in audiobooks, her Narrators Roadmap are chock full of good information. 
  • Kim Handysides– Montreal, Canada based coach and VO talent with tons of useful tips
  • Voice Actor Websites– A great bunch of people to get a website built from, and a fantastic blog.

3. Podcasts–  

If you’d rather listen and learn than read and learn, podcasts are for you. Just like the blogs there is an amazing amount of information available on every aspect of the business. Many specialize in various areas and genres of the industry, so you can look for information that’s as general or as specific as you want. Plus, the diverse array of guests is a great way to get a ‘taster’ for a coach or demo producer that you might be interested in. You’ll have the opportunity to listen to them and get a feel for them without spending anything. Then there’s the advice and experience of everyone from the up and coming to the decades long veteran. It’s a bonus to get to listen to as many “regular” talent hosts and guests. Hearing people who are not all that far from where you are is very encouraging.

4. Bonus Items! VOBS on youtube has every tech question you could possibly ask and then some. Speechless: Real Life in VO is a behind the scenes look at voiceover life from two lady talents!

One Last Golden Nugget

Remember that there’s no one path to success in voiceover. Every talent I’ve ever met has had a different journey to get where they are, and if yours doesn’t look like theirs, don’t be too hard on yourself. The important thing is to always be open to learning more, and to educate yourself to understand what the professional standard sounds like. Also, do not compare yourself to other people’s work! You don’t know what their life looks like, and the shiny part we see online never shows how much struggle may be in the background. Don’t make yourself unhappy when you could be doing something to better your own career.