Business

Why Your Family Practice Needs Videos

Should your family practice office use videos to get the word out? Absolutely! There are so many great reasons to use video in your digital marketing strategy. Video is a dynamic way to connect with your patients and the community that may become patients. It can bring a face and voice to your office marketing strategy and help you engage with your patients.

It’s also a powerful method for developing an environment of peace and serenity, instilling confidence throughout your office. Combined, both online and in the office, your family practice videos can add personality and a unique perspective to your brand.

Online Marketing For Your Family Practice

But first, let’s talk about why online video marketing is a great option for your physician’s office. There are endless statistics about why anyone should be using video in their online marketing strategy. For instance, according to this Forbes article, more than 250 million hours of video are watched on YouTube per day and a person spends 88% longer on a website that has a video embedded in it.

For me though, it’s more than the numbers and the algorithms. Video brings an authenticity to your family practice brand and allows you to connect with viewers in a very real, natural way. This is huge for a family practice office, because patients want to know they can trust their doctor. A recent study out of the Netherlands examined the contagious nature of emotions in YouTube channel creators and their viewers. Viewers can tune in for the content and be emotionally impacted at the same.

Imagine being able to really communicate your bedside manner, before you even meet a patient. Imagine easing anxieties and supporting positive emotions around a visit to a doctor’s office, even before a patient makes an appointment or steps into your office.

What Kind Of Content Should Your Family Practice Create

The content you create really depends on your particular family practice office and the patients you serve. What are their concerns? And what information do you wish they knew or understood better?

Informational Videos

You know all those brochures you have sitting around the office. The ones you hope your patients will pick up and learn from. Or the ones you hand them at the end of the visit. Those are a great place to start with informational videos. Share with your viewers the latest research and any precautions they need to be taking. This is also a good way to address seasonal or headline making diseases that are probably already on your patients’ minds.

Introductory Videos

Tell us more about you and your staff. Talk about your credentials, as well as a few personal details that make you more relatable. Where did you go to school? What kind of dog do you have? What are your hobbies? You can make a long video speaking with everyone in the office – or short videos with each staff member. You can use these on their bio pages on the website as well as social media.

Walk around the office and show new patients what they can expect in your space. What does the waiting room look like? Who should they talk with first when they arrive? And what do the exam rooms look like? These are great for any new patient, but also for children who want to have a mental image of what to expect. These videos can reside on your home page or be linked from social media.

What’s New

Did you just install some new equipment? Is your office undergoing a renovation? Are you doing something new or different? That’s a perfect time to grab a camera and walk around. Keep your patients engaged with what’s happening at your family practice. This is especially useful if your patients normally only come in once a year or so. Engaging with them year round keeps you front of mind.

In-Office Videos

Let’s switch gears and talk about another powerful way that your family practice can use video. Videos throughout your family practice office can add to the environment of calm that you have tried to create. It’s more than just about grabbing some magazines in the waiting room or turning the TV on to a certain channel. Creating in-office videos for your patients is an intentional move to help them have a more fundamentally relaxing experience in your office and to create more positive associations with visiting you. This may help them trust you and visit you more often when they need to, but also to share their experience with their friends and colleagues.

Relaxing With Video

People already flock to YouTube for what is often called ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response) videos. They are looking to these mindful, relaxing videos for their physical and mental sensations. Others enjoy hours of just every day people talking about books or others interests. The research, and anecdotal evidence, is already out there that people relax with videos. So now’s the perfect time to bring that same experience into your family practice office.

Creating An Environment Of Calm In Your Family Practice Office

As you are thinking about creating an entire environment that is peaceful and welcoming to your patients, be intentional about where you can place tv or monitors to play videos that will help your patients relax.

The first place to start is the waiting room. Here you can distract your patients from their concerns and the waiting with uplifting and comforting videos. Don’t forget the exam rooms. Depending on the type of healthcare you provide, you may want a monitor on the wall or a tablet that patients can hold to watch during their appointment. You don’t want the videos to detract from your face-to-face interaction and conversation, but if your patients have to undergo treatments, a relaxing video may ease the process.

Here are a couple great resources about how music and nature can be therapeutic video design components.

Types of In-Office Videos

Plug and Play

If you aren’t sure where to get started or just need to get going quickly, there are many plug and play options that allow you to just purchase videos or streaming and get started. C.A.R.E. Programming comes on a micro media player that you can just plug into your tv monitor through HDMI. UScenes offers streaming or USB options.

Custom Created

Another option is to work with a video production company, or enlist your own talents, to create your own videos and stream them into your waiting room. The downside of this is that you will want to be sure that your videos are high quality and relaxing in tone. However, there are a number of positives. For instance, you can control what is being shown and can update it to address seasonal or other concerns. You can also use it as a way of building your brand recognition and making your staff more visible.

Where A Voice Over Talent Can Come In

Whether you are creating videos for online marketing, to get the word out, or are desiring in-office videos to improve the experience of your patients, a voice over actress could help you create those videos professionally. Find a voice talent who is known for a relaxing or relatable voice and pair that with pictures or videos. As we’ve seen with the popularity of apps like CALM, guided meditations are a wonderful way to put you patients at ease. You can tell stories or educate your patients. Either way, both they and your family practice office will be better off for it.

Adding Video to your Marketing Strategy

Business, Marketing

Are you leaving a chunk of engagement for your brand, sitting on the table unclaimed? You have ads, you have copy, you have logos. What are you missing? Video! Video marketing is the name of the game, and we’re not just talking about commercials featuring your product. The world has not just gone digital, it’s gone mobile.

Numerous studies have shown that video content gains higher engagement on websites and social media streams. That number is only growing, as is the number of people who consume video content on their mobile devices. Whether it’s a phone or a tablet, people are watching their favorite shows and more in their hands. Video ranks well in search engine results, and it’s easy to share and re-share. In addition, the percentage of video content on the internet is only going higher as well.

Brainstorm Ideas

So where do you start? If you’re a brand that has mostly kept their videos to specific advertisements, diversify! People love how-to content. If you’re a hardware store, create videos on how to change a tire, or how to know when to call a repairman for a dishwasher, or whatever you can think of. You’ll get to showcase your products and give potential customers a positive association with your name.

Even brands that may have more esoteric products, like stock trading or financial transactions can give advice on how to pick stocks. Or perhaps on what kind of investments can give good returns. The opportunities are limitless, and you will immediately give the viewer a feel good moment. That makes them more likely to share your content, and spreads your reach further yet. Going viral is never out of reach if you can make people laugh or give them something to think about.

Connect with your audience

But before you begin your diversification, remember that realism is king here. Customers have been saturated with ads their entire lives, and if your how-to is just thinly derived sales pitches, it’ll be a quick turn off. The younger generations in particular have a sharp nose for sales derived language, and not much tolerance for it. Think of this non-sales content as a chance to show your values as a company. No matter whether or not people buy from you or use your services, you’re putting something good out there into the world. That’s the kind of thing people will remember and tell others about. Another excellent application for video is to give potential customers a view into who you are as a company. With our vast interconnection in the world, the personal touch gives your company and your brand a greater depth and connection.

The Internet thrives on video

Have you neglected your social media channels? Take the opportunity to spruce them up with some video content. It’s an easy turn off if someone is trying to find out more about a company and all they can find is a half empty Facebook business page. Make sure that the team member(s) assigned to run these channels have a strong connection with the movers and shakers in your company. The messaging needs to be a strong thread throughout the whole company and not in some forgotten corner. Don’t forget to add video content to your website as well. There are a great many plugins that can feature your social media content on your website also.

And even if it doesn’t seem like it, make sure that the executive level understands the value of social media and what type of content is good to put out. More than one venerable executive has caused missteps with their misunderstanding of the differences between old and new content types. Don’t worry about market saturation and following every social media ‘rule’. Worry about being interesting and engaging. Make it your priority to be a storyteller, someone who promotes connection between people, someone who gives value and transparency with their brand and their product, and someone who cares about people.

Make people want to share

Engagement is the golden ticket many brands strive for. Customers replying to your posts, sharing your content, and participating in any contests you run can help spread your name far and wide. Video content is a keystone here, as well as making sure that you don’t always recycle the same content. Consider creating a partnership with content creators where you can share your channel with them. Or you could create a partnership with another business, perhaps in an allied field. A hardware store with a paint store. A tire shop with a car wash. Again, the opportunities are limitless.

Keep an eye on the truthfulness and shared values that are part of your content. If you’re saying one thing but your employees are saying another, people will find out about it sooner or later. There are no secrets online. And there is no way to delete content permanently once it’s been posted. This isn’t to scare you off of the video content that can improve your brand image. This is to make sure that you take some care in doing so. Once inconsistencies are noticed, there’s no putting that cat back in the bag.

Think outside the box

Other ideas for video content are website contests. Give your viewers something to do, and you can increase your sharing. People love prizes and the chance to win something fun. Whether it’s the creation of a post of someone using your product, or writing comments on a post and sharing and tagging, this can increase your reach. Also, have your social media employees looking for people mentioning your product.

Recently, a young man was wondering about the origin of the popular Triscuit crackers. Since they’re square, why was the name tri-scuit? To make a long story short, he found a photo of a 100+ year old ad that showed how triscuits were baked by electricity. That gave the company elec-tri-city biscuit, Triscuit. Triscut responded to the young man’s posts, confirming the information he’d found, and sent him a pallet of their product. Now they look good, the young man has an amazing story, and the whole incident is added to the feel-good archives of cool online happenings.

Don’t forget emails!

Videos in your email marketing is another great opportunity to share your content. It can easily take a boring newsletter into something people want to open and share. This is another area to take care, however, as many companies have vastly overused this channel and heavily saturated the market. Don’t sign people up without their consent, and don’t send them constant emails. Make your content something that will make their day better. Give them good info, and don’t center your selling so that they don’t dread seeing your company name in their inbox. Or worse yet, have your email banished to their spam folder so they never see it at all.

Whether you’re a video newbie or you’ve shared some things, there’s always more engagement out there for your and your brand. Advertising is changing, bringing in new methods, scripts, and modes, and you don’t want to get left behind. And the opportunities are truly exciting. You can not only drive sales of your product or services, but can make people laugh, give them good info, and genuinely touch their hearts. You can share stories, and rewrite your company reputation in this new frontier.

What Is Sonic Branding?

Business, Marketing

Sonic branding is a topic that is rather trendy right now in advertising and marketing, with the growing popularity of digital marketing and online videos. But even as those spaces continue to grow, sonic branding isn’t necessarily a new concept. It’s been with us for a while, whether we realize it or not.

So… What Is Sonic Branding?

Well, let’s just get out of the way what it isn’t.

It’s not about branding a certain PlayStation hedgehog from our millennial youth. (Although, hold that thought, we will get back to him.)
It’s not about branding a fast food chain known for brightly colored drinks and drive-in service.
It’s not about loud noises like sonic booms, necessarily.

But let’s get down to the definition. Stated simply, sonic branding is sound branding. It’s creating a type of logo and brand elements, that are built in sound.

The Basics Of Sonic Branding

Still feeling a little confused? Well, let’s think about digital branding and what comes in a branding package. You have a logo. That’s the main element. You have a color palette that is specific to your brand. You have fonts and other features that lend themselves to your brand. And you have assets, which are ways in which all those pieces are put together and used to define your brand. So that when you see those elements, you KNOW it’s that brand.

Okay, now let’s use our imagination and think about sound branding. You can have a logo—a quick tone or little song that, or even a little catch phrase or part of a jingle. It’s small, but distinctive. There are sound elements that go into that piece. Upbeat and happy or low and serious. And there are endless ways you can use that piece to denote your brand. At the end of a commercial for instance.

Here’s another way to think about it. Sonic branding is like an audio tagline or slogan. When you think about your favorite brand’s slogans or taglines, you probably think about it in a certain voice or tone. Maybe with a specific rhythm or even music behind it. That’s the sonic branding. It’s that specific tonal quality that is the same every time and evokes a mood or emotion associated with it.

Examples of Sonic Branding That Have Been Around For A While

Sonic branding isn’t necessarily a new concept, although the digital age has definitely taken it to the next level. This article from the 4A’s mentions that the first audio trademark registered at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office was NBC’s signature three-tone chime sound, in 1929. And it’s still used today.

That’s not the only signature sound that’s been with us for decades. In fact, some of the most iconic brands, that were with us during the heydays of radio and the early years of television, created sonic brands back then that you probably still know.

How about the Jolly Green Giant and his classic Ho-Ho-Ho? (You know what comes next… “Green Giant!”

A little more recent, how about the Intel swoosh sound?

Let’s go back to the examples of what sonic branding isn’t and let’s think about that hedgehog for a moment. PlayStation is actually a great example of sonic branding. Here’s a clip of their little sound. Every time you hear it, you know it is PlayStation.

Why Should A Company Invest In Sonic Branding?

Why invest the time and money into a sonic brand? The same reasons you do for digital marketing assets. Not only do they give your brand distinctive cohesion, they give you something to build around as you create videos, radio spots, clips and more down the road. You won’t have to reinvent the wheel to really leave your audio mark each time. In fact, you shouldn’t.

But why else is sonic branding a good move for a lot of brands? It helps you stand out and correlates certain emotions with your brand. What do you want people remembering you for? And how can a sound help customers, and potential customers, understand what an experience with you feels like? That’s part of the layers of sound you want, in even the simplest sonic branding.

And here’s an interesting fact. In a study conducted by Veritonic in 2016, they found that audio logos that were best remembered had generally been in the market for a while, some even for decades. This makes sense because just like visual logos, it can take a while to become a household name, or sound, so to speak. But that investment of money and time paid off because those sounds stuck.

How Can A Brand Use Sonic Branding?

In a digital space, sonic branding can be used for more than just videos and ads. In fact, there are endless ways to incorporate your unique sound into your brand, through the use of your product and technology. For example, MasterCard recently created its own sound that will be used whenever someone uses the card for a payment. In a growing digital age, there are lots of ways to use your sound during the use of your product or service, either upon initiation or at the close of a session. In this case, it’s about associating an experience with a feeling.

Over the course of time, one of the most common uses for signature sounds was at the end of a commercial. They were a kind of sign off or stamp of approval—like signing your name at the end of a letter.

Creating Your Sonic Branding

So, have I convinced you yet that your brand needs a signature sound? It’s a fun arena to explore, but where do you start? This article from AdAge offers some great advice. They recommend going back to the basics of your brand. Consider your visual brand guide. What are the emotions and affections that drive your visuals? Is it perky and flirty? Is it fun and adventurous? Is it quiet and soulful? The list could go on forever, but remember that inventing a sonic brand isn’t about starting from nowhere. It’s about building a sound that reflects who you already are.

If you aren’t musically inclined, you may want to consider hiring a professional. Why? Because you want to find something truly original and impactful. You may be able to develop it yourself or in-house, but sometimes hiring a musician is the right way to go.

And don’t forget that sometimes the perfect sound requires words. And that’s where a great voice over talent can step in and bring life to your concept. Hiring the right voice matters too, because the sound of the actor’s voice will become the sound of your brand. You need to find one that can not only perform your signature piece with clarity and precision, but also carries the emotion you need.

Business Advice: Requesting Referrals

Business, Marketing, Voiceover Industry

Referral marketing is often thrown into lists of great marketing ideas, but have you taken the time to explore how to set up a referral program for your business?

Referrals are one of the best ways to market yourself. Let’s be honest, people trust recommendations from people they know. When you’re trying to get the word out about what you are selling, sharing real recommendations from those who are happy with your product or service can help you build rapport and make sales a little faster or with more consistency.

What Are The Benefits Of Referrals?

Before we dive into some hows, let’s look at the whys behind referrals. Why should you look into gathering and showcasing referrals? Why are they worth your time?

Referrals Are Powerful

Referrals are about trust. When potential customers hear about you from those they trust, some of that trust rubs off on your brand, so to speak. Referrals carry the weight of the relationship between the one sharing and the one receiving. Because they trust each other’s recommendations, your brand is seen in a more positive or trustworthy light, than it would without that referral.

And that’s why they are so powerful. With a referral, you instantly get a leg up on the competition with that loyalty and authenticity behind it.

Referrals Are Personal

Here’s the thing about referrals, whether they are for a pizza or pediatrician, they are deeply personal. Often built out of at least some level of relationship, referrals can develop out of a very custom need for your brand. People don’t tell others about brands they don’t think the other will care about. Instead, they tell them about things they know they need or want.

And that recommendation often comes with a why. “I think you’d love this pizza because they overdo it on the cheese.” or “I know you need a pediatrician who understands gluten-free diets and other restrictions. Definitely check out ours.” That personalization is part of what makes them so powerful as we discussed above

Referrals Are Easy

Let’s skip trying to think of the next great marketing scheme or a compelling new campaign. Referrals are a simple step to build up your reputation and get the word out about what you do, without reaching for a lot of creativity.

Too often when we try to get snazzy, we lose a sense of authenticity and forget the people behind why we do what we do. Referrals keep us grounded and remind us of why our clients come to us in the first place, and even more so, why they stick around.

Who Should You Get Referrals From?

Do I have you convinced that you should start referral marketing? Unsure where to start? You need to know who to ask for referrals. That’s the first step.

Everyone

This is the most basic answer, but the reality is that the power of referrals is multiplied by the numbers of clients who are willing to share your brand with others who may be interested. Setting up a system to automatically ask or taking the time to personally reach out to all your clients can help you reach those numbers faster.

Your Most Loyal Clients

With the obvious answer aside, let’s talk about your loyal clients and customers. You know the ones. They always provide raving feedback. They are eager to purchase from you or work with you again. They are the ones to spend your time with. They may be eager to refer your brand already. They are likely to be excited to help you get the word out.

Your Target Clients

Another angle to consider when narrowing down your referral request list is your target audience. This can probably be informed by your loyal clients and customers, but may be slightly different. Your target clients reflect the demographics that you are trying to reach with your brand. Referrals from this group can be very useful because the way your brand helps them and the way they talk about your brand can be very persuasive to more members of your target audience, helping your brand to reach an audience you are trying to connect with.

Influencer Endorsements

We don’t need to spend a lot of time with this one, but it’s worth mentioning. It’s often alluring to reach out to influencers or online celebrities who will talk up your brand, but try to remember everything we talked about above. Real effectiveness of referral marketing comes with authenticity and genuine connections.

Helping Referrers Refer

Now that you know who you want to ask for referrals, how do you go about getting those referrals? The key is in helping them make those referrals. Taking the guesswork out and helping them refer you to their family and friends.

How you help your customers or clients depends on your own business. Try to get inside their minds. When are they likely to tell others about your brand? How would they want to do it? Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Marketing Collateral

Sometimes good old fashioned print marketing can help. Anything from brochures or one-page documents to postcards and stickers can give your loyal followers something to tangibly share with others. This is especially great if you have detailed services you provide or are a visual artist and can show off your skills.

Shareable Online Content

When you are creating online content, such as educational videos or blogs, make sure they are easily shareable. And create content your target market loves. It gives them something to share with their friends when they refer your brand to others.

A Referral Program

We’ve all used them. Referral codes from brands we love that give others a little discount, and us too, when they use them. It’s a great way to incentivize people to get the word out, but keep in mind that these kickbacks can sometimes take out a bit of the authenticity.

Just Asking

Let’s just keep it simple. Sometimes the best way to get a referral is just to ask. Just real conversation. It seems so novel in our overly digitized, constantly automatized world, but a simple ask can be as effective as any gimmick you try to employ. It brings the humanity back to the system.

Just Asking For Referrals

How do you ask? Just ask. Ask your longest or most loyal clients. Ask them upfront “Would you be willing to share my name?”

A great way to start is with a real conversation.

Ask about them and their family. Be real.
Ask how you can help them.
Tell them what you’re looking for, such as a type of customer or industry. Would they be willing to share your name?

People like to help other people they like. You may be surprised with the results.

You can also create automated messages with your invoice or after a sale, asking people to share your name, if they are happy with your work.

Referrals can seem difficult or intimating, but at the end of the day, they are about relationships. The relationships you have with your clients and customers and the relationships they have with others.

And the key to referral marketing is nurturing those relationships. Asking for help in spreading the word and making it easy for your friends to do it. And don’t forget to ask how you can help them too.

Setting Boundaries when working from home

Business, Health

2020 was a year that put millions of people on their couches. Lots of people lost their jobs, but many others found themselves working from home. Settling into new work routines was incredibly challenging for lots of people. Kids were home when they wouldn’t usually be, childcare was either unavailable or closed, and many of the usual resources of home and family life were not around. Parents often, in addition to whatever regular jobs they had, also had to supervise school for their children.

Now, many folks are back in their original offices. But some companies are taking another look at allowing people to work from home. There’s tons of articles on every aspect of office life, but there’s a strong element that often gets left out of working-from-home tips. Boundaries.

When you travel to an office location and leave at the end of your work day, there is a very clear line between ‘work’ and ‘home’. Even if you take calls or answer emails when you’re away from your job, most of your attention is still on the ‘home’ side of the ledger. Working from home can make you feel very unsettled. Your concentration isn’t as good for your job, and your kids and spouse feel like they’re not getting the normal amount of attention. Before the arguments and hurt feelings come into play, set some boundaries to make everyone as happy as can be. Plus, once you set your boundaries, you’re giving your family a clear exchange. If they give you this time, and this space, the rest of the time you’ll be available.

Lean into routine

Make sure you allow yourself adjustment time as you move into a home work space. Human beings are very much creatures of routine, and no matter how careful you are in creating your new environment, it’s not what you had in the past. Allow yourself to settle in, take a look at what you’re doing and see if it’s working for you. Maybe you need to rearrange things. That can mean everything from an order of tasks to the set up of your workstation. Anything and everything can be the key to making you more comfortable and setting up right. Your family and pets may need some adjustment time as well. If they’re not used to having you in reach, they may take some time to understand that they need to give you space during your working hours.

Designated Work Space

Whatever this looks like for you, during work hours this is your space. It’s tempting to work from a couch or other sort of comfy furniture, but this can be a trap. Your mind and body associate the couch with relaxation, so the confused signals can make it very difficult for you to work at a good pace. There’s nothing wrong with being comfortable, but don’t let it throw you off. Try to find a table or other space that isn’t paired in your mind with Netflix binges. A kitchen table or counter, or perhaps a basement space, or other area that you don’t spend most of your home time in. Don’t go too far the other way either. If you’re not comfortable wherever you’re working, things will be harder as well. Make sure that you have good lighting and ventilation, an internet connection if you need one all the time. If you don’t have a good space all the time at home, you can also work mobile if needed. Many popular restaurants have wifi these days, and stepping outside the house can be a nice break if you’re feeling a little cabin fever. Remember that there are no real limitations on the way you can work, as long as you’re getting everything done and not harming yourself.

Set Work hours

This may seem like a pretty silly thing for you to worry about, but it’s important. We’ve all had that one project that’s taken longer than we expected, or a client ask you want to be sure and get back to them as soon as possible. It’s a completely understandable desire, and you should of course do your best for them. But, it’s also completely possible for your job to consume your life and burn you out. One work hour one day, leads to two hours the next day, and so on. That’s less time away from the job and with your family or friends. Without this critical boundary, it’s very easy to find yourself right back to the arguments I mentioned earlier. Your mental and emotional health are a critical part of doing well at your job. The more ‘job creep’ you experience, the easier it is to get far out of balance, and make yourself very unhappy. If you’re used to long hours in a regular office, remember that working from home gives you the opportunity to start anew and make healthier choices that will make you better at your job. And better for your loved ones and personal life as well.

Quitting Time and Weekends Off

Depending on your industry, this can sound like a very foreign idea. Sometimes people want you to be on call 24/7, and that’s neither healthy nor necessary. Or maybe you’re just used to being always available. Quitting time dovetails with the idea of having business hours above, but it’s most important for you, rather than the people you work with. When projects stretch long, or it’s been a day with distractions, it’s very easy to keep working on into the night. Many people will feel that they have to finish a project completely before they can stop. Or they have to reach a certain point, or perhaps even that they “might as well’. Well, don’t! Stick to your quitting time even if you don’t want to. Forcing yourself to have a defined end to your day is better for you and your home life, as well as making sure that you can go back to work tomorrow in a better head space. And when it comes to weekends off, this is doubly true. Many people these days don’t have much time or energy for cleaning or chores on the weekday. It’s totally understandable the rise in meal kits and food delivery has paralleled these trends. Make sure you cordon off your weekends for time full of whatever you need to do away from work. You can create exceptions if you want to for these situations, but make sure that you do it cautiously.

Self Care is essential

Working from home is both a blessing and a challenge. In addition to the above boundary ideas, make sure that you also give yourself a little time away from the desk. Walk around the block every so often, or at the very least give yourself a good stretch and shake out your limbs. Sitting down for too long isn’t very good for your body, and a little shake up will keep you alert and working for longer. Stay hydrated, and don’t be afraid to think outside the box when coming up with your perfect work space. Discipline is at the heart of any good work, and creating boundaries for your work life are a great exercise that can make your whole life better.

5 things every voiceover website needs

Business, Marketing, Voiceover Industry

The website is a staple of most online professionals, and voiceover pros in particular. Your website is your business card and central info depot for the digital age, and the best place to give people a good first impression. Your potential clients may not recall your face, but your name and website are your opportunity to cement your voice and persona in their mind.

Readability

The single biggest thing you need to make sure to center in your website building is readability. Fonts and fun colors are awesome, but many people find certain color combinations or font choices difficult to read. Sometimes these choices are even headache inducing, especially for older folks. People who have vision correction can also find funky colors and fonts a challenge also. Be sure that you source people on different computers, using different browsers, on mobile and whatever other types you can think of to make sure that everything displays correctly and is easy to follow.

Professional Design

Speaking of mobile-mobile browsing, it’s a trend that only continues to grow. Make sure that your site not only has a mobile version, but also displays correctly on all devices. It’s better to avoid sites with inexpensive designers, since they may not have enough experience to follow all the way through on your project, or to be able to handle everything in a timely manner.

A great way to find a good designer for your site is to look for sites that you admire, and ask for their designer’s name. Fellow talent are a great way to get recommendations. One good reason to ask fellow talent for ideas is because whomever they’ve gotten a site from will have direct experience putting together the types of things a talent needs–like making sure that demos display correctly, or creating a video sample page. Avoiding the inexperienced designer can save you time, money and headaches.

Value the Time of the Viewer

More important than the fancy branding and ‘standing out from the crowd’ is making sure that your reader can find the essentials on you as a talent quickly and easily. Unless you have a particular need to do so, avoid impersonal elements like contact forms for your site. The easier you are to reach, the more naturally the connection will follow. Here are 5 essentials that you want to make sure your website viewer can get to and get through as quickly as possible.

1. Demos

Most talent have several different demos relating to the various genres of voiceover that they pursue. There are lots of options for players that can integrate with your site to allow the viewing of several of these demos at once. Ranking should be based on what your most hired genre is, or the one that you want to pursue the most. You should also make sure that the highest ranked ones are the professionally produced cuts. Sometimes if you know what you’re doing, you can get away with making a demo for elearning or audiobooks, since those genres are dryer and don’t need music. But you want to make sure your best foot is forward.

2. Video Samples

The single best way to show your voice in action.

Demos are very important, but aren’t always as evocative as a project video. Examples of your skills in action will show off your range, and more importantly, give it the context to inspire someone who might want to hire you for a similar voicing or parallel venture. Just make sure you get permission from your client before you display these! Many talents have lost both gigs and reputation due to rushing ahead and not checking with their client first. We don’t always have the whole picture on legal wrangles, NDA’s, product launches and other wrinkles. It’s better to take the extra time and make sure and take care of your relationship with your client. But a well timed ask can be beneficial for both you and your client, giving your voice a showcase, and them another link back to them and their products.

3. Contact Information

You’d think this would be a given, but there are sites out there where it’s nearly impossible to find out how to contact a particular talent. Don’t hide your contact info at the bottom of the page in faint text, get that info out there loud and proud! If you’re not comfortable with your home or cell number being visible online, there are many services like Google Voice that allow you to create an easy free forwarding number. And it’s no challenge these days to create a forwarding email if you want to give yourself a step removed from any spam you might get. Contact info for your agents can be useful here too if you typically book work through them. Avoid contact forms unless you have a particular need for them, since they seem really impersonal, and you are making your potential client jump through another hoop to reach you.

4. Studio Specs

So what have you got in your little padded room?

Make sure to give your prospective clients a good run down of all your equipment and available connections. Letting your client know that you have professional level equipment shows them that not only have you put the time and money into becoming professional, they’re also going to have to worry less about fixing you in post. Do you have Source Connect? IPDTL? ISDN bridge? If you don’t have one of those personally, do you have access to an outside studio where you could take advantage of it if needed? Your clients then know what their options are, and that makes things faster and easier for everyone.

5. Client List and Testimonials

To round off the context you’re giving your website reader and prospective clients, testimonials and a client list are a great method. As much as it might seem tempting, don’t embellish here. In the modern age, it’s very easy to figure out if you really are the voice for this or that product, particularly for a larger brand or campaign. Not only will you look fake if you do this, you’ll also damage your reputation, and make people less likely to hire you. People don’t forget this kind of thing, in the voiceover community. And if there’s one thing clients want to avoid these days it’s liability. If you’re lying on your website, what other false information might you share and to whom? The best way to get a good client list and testimonials is to do the best job you can with every job you do. Be kind, prompt, gracious, and you will stand out all on your own. Many of your client contacts will be happy to give you testimonials, especially if you have a good relationship you’ve already built by your actions.

How to Ask for a Testimonial

If you feel intimidated by asking for a testimonial, here is an effective way that I’ve used in the past:

Give before you ask for something in return. Write one for your client first!

Dear Client,

I wanted to take it upon myself to write you a testimonial that you can use where ever you like:

<<INSERT SHORT 3-5 LINE TESTIMONIAL OF YOUR CLIENT HERE>>

Then ask:

If you don’t mind, I’d love to feature you on my website/on my LinkedIn Profile/on Google reviews and get your feedback on my work in a testimonial. Would you mind writing a short 2-3 sentence review for me?

Feeling a little stuck on what to write? Here are some questions you can answer!

What made you pick me over someone else?

How did I positively add to the project?

What’s one thing did I do that made the end client super-happy?

Or what does it feel like working with me?

There are many things to consider when you’re putting together your voiceover website, but it, like many things in life, can be a case of keeping it simple. Worry first and foremost about keeping these essentials front and center and you will be ahead of the game. Combine that with a solid work ethic and quality work, and you’ll be at the head of the class in no time.

Lauren McCullough

Female Voiceover Talent

717-281-1991‬

LaurenMcCulloughVO@gmail.com