Achieving Voice Over Success: How To Get Unstuck

Achieving Voice Over Success: How To Get Unstuck
By Susan Berkley

Wanna’ know a big success lesson that only took me…’duh…like 25 years to learn?

Here it is.

Eye popping, jaw-dropping success in voice-over does not come from methodical, “step one, step two, step three” type of activity. It comes from an all out assault; massive action on various fronts at the same time.

I’ll explain.

Many people approach their voice-over careers, (and their lives, for that matter), as if they are following a diagram, an operating manual, a set of A to Z instructions. Their thinking is two dimensional and linear and their results are molasses-slow. Once they get trained and do their demo, they get some home recording equipment. Then they set up a website and try to do a little marketing.

They approach voice-over cautiously, dipping a toe in the water and then pulling back sharply whenever the feedback is less than encouraging.

You’ll never enjoy success with that kind of plodding approach!

Instead, get your tools together (training, demo and home recording equipment) and then move boldly and throw the whole box of spaghetti against the wall.

Here is a checklist of some of the many things you can do to jump start your voice-over career.

Contact virtual talent agents. Visit their website and send them your demo with a nice personalized cover letter that indicates you’ve done your research about their company.
Hint: You can get the names of voice over agents at www.voicebank.net. On my Inner Circle Guest Expert Calls I try to introduce you to great agents whenever I can. Not a member? Go here for a special trial offer www.greatvoice.com/advanced-voice-over-training

Join a pay to play casting service and audition every day. If you can’t afford it, skip the Starbucks for awhile and you’ll soon have the cash.

Put together a short list of local production studios and recording studios and embark on a campaign to get to know the key players with phone calls, mailings, visits. Use Google or Mandy.com to find them.

Take some acting or improv classes, or participate in community theatre. This will help you improve your audition and voice acting skills.

Start reading for the blind. You’ll become a more fluid reader and feel more confident behind the mic.

Buy every book on voiceover and read it. Everyone should have a voice over success library.

Spend at least 15 minutes a day listening to talent demos on voicebank.net for inspiration. Practice by transcribing the spots and imitating the best.

Tweak your home studio so the quality is as good as you can get it and your auditions sound top-notch. I’m still hearing a lot of sub-standard audio from members on the Inner Circle samples you send for my monthly critique. Need help? Check out my home recording course at www.homestudiohowto.com

But most important: do as many of these activities as you can within as short a period of time as possible-some of each every day. If you do, I can almost guarantee you’ll create major momentum and generate some big results.

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Susan Berkley is a top voice over artist and founder of The Great Voice Company, a company devoted to teaching great voices around the world how to become successful voice over actors. The Great Voice Company is an international leader in voice over training and in providing top quality voice over recordings in all languages to discerning businesses and marketers. For additional information visit www.greatvoice.com

Achieving Voice Over Success: How To Get Unstuck

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