Debbie Grattan

Things that Can Get in the Way of Following Your Dreams

Following your dreams takes a lot of faith and courage. But it also requires persistence – the ability to keep on keeping on regardless of the obstacles that may crop up. And there can be many. While you may think obstacles only come from outside forces, the opposite is also true. In fact, the greatest obstacles tend to be those we create for ourselves.

Be sure to also check out part one of this two part series on Following Your Dreams.

Self-Doubt

Even the most successful and seemingly confident people have experienced self-doubt at some time in their lives. It’s a perfectly normal human trait. Those who have followed their dreams to success are the ones who have overcome it. Overcoming self-doubt involves nipping it in the bud. Realize when it’s plaguing you and then make a conscious effort to change your mindset.

Tips to help you conquer self-doubt include:

Surrounding yourself with positive, successful people
Paying attention to the positive feedback you get, not negative comments
Not worrying what other people think. Base your decisions on what you think is right, not what you think other people think is right.
Not comparing yourself to others. You don’t do yourself any favors by gauging your success as it compares to the success of others.
Set a series of smaller goals, in addition to your big goal, so you’re consistently achieving a series of wins.

Frustration, Giving Up Too Early

No one said following your dream would be easy, or that attaining it would be instantaneous. It can take incredibly hard, incredibly tenacious work to make it happen. You have to be in it for the long haul, no matter what. If you give up too early or too easily, it’s not going to happen.

When Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz was trying to raise money from investors to make his coffee shop dreams come true, he hit a major brick wall… More than 200 of them, in fact. He spoke to 242 potential investors during the year he was trying to raise money – and 217 of them said no.

Colonial Sanders is another great example of persistence. He was 65 years old when the restaurant he owned failed and he went to plan B. His plan was to share his special chicken recipe with restaurants for free, in exchange for the restaurants giving him a percentage of the chicken sale profits. He got 1,009 rejections before someone agreed to his plan.

Those are two great examples to keep in mind when you feel frustrated and feel like giving up. Remember their stories, along with the old sales adage that says you’re going to get 20 “No’s” before you get a “Yes.”

Not Pushing Hard Enough

Not only are rejections par for the course, but they can also be an indication that you’re on the right track. If you go out of your way to only get a yes and avoid a no, you’re probably not pushing hard enough, according to author Andrea Waltz. She says this type of behavior “leads to a mediocre life where you’re always in your comfort zone.”

The success of your dreams is not where you are in your comfort zone, but above it. You have to grow and meet it if you want it. A few ways to push harder include:

Imagining yourself getting to your next level. Focus on what that next level is, and what you need to do get there.
Taking on a little bit more than you think you can. Challenge yourself to bigger and better things all the time.
Looking at how other people got where you want to be.
Remaining inspired and motivated. This can come from inspirational quotes, videos, images, meditations and support from someone on your side.

World Events, Such as COVID-19

Once you get past all the self-made barriers stopping you from following your dreams, you may still face forces beyond your control. What’s going on with the coronavirus is a prime example of this. With so many businesses operating on limited hours or, in some cases, not at all, you may think this is the worst time to follow your dreams.

That’s not necessarily true. You can still do the legwork for following your dreams. Perhaps you can enroll in classes or training you were too busy to tackle, or catch up on your industry reading or networking. You can also look for opportunities within the situation, rather than excuses for letting it slow you down.

Look for a need, and then offer to fill it. In my voice over business, for instance, I’ve made sure clients know I’m available for new messaging, commercial spots, retail in-store announces, IVR system recordings and more providing updated information or changing schedules due to COVID-19.

One final tip is to stay positive and optimistic. This is another mindset you can learn to cultivate with repeated efforts over time. As Sam Altman says in his “How to Be Successful” post: “I have never met a very successful pessimistic person.” So don’t let outside circumstances – or your own thinking – take you down and out. Keep moving forward, heading onward and upward instead.

Be sure to also check out part one of this two part series on Following Your Dreams.

To Follow Your Dreams (or Not) – Confessions of a Working Voice Over Actor

The very phrase “follow your dreams” can fill us with bliss. It’s something society, pop culture and Disney movies reinforce at every turn. While following your dreams may sound like the only course of action you would want to consider taking, is it really the best road to success in our competitive and ever-changing world?

Maybe it is. Maybe it’s not. But you’ll never know until you try it, right? On the other hand, it could entail a big risk without a guarantee of reward. The risk may feel just too great, especially considering the uncertainties we’re now experiencing.

Some may feel the decision boils down to only two options. So what to do?

Pursue the “dream job” that you think will be fulfilling and rewarding on all levels?
Pursue a solid way to make a living that may not be very fulfilling emotionally but will meet your needs financially?

Flipping a coin may not be the best way to decide. I’d like to instead share my thoughts on some of the pros and cons of each scenario, along with my own experience landing on a solution that was fulfilling, rewarding and financially profitable.

Let’s look at the pros and cons first.

The Pros of Following Your Dreams

Since most of us dream big (because we’ve been taught to do that), following our dreams can be a huge risk – but it can also come with huge rewards. It can make us feel excited, alive and fueled with passion. We may expect the work we’ll be doing in our dream job will feel more like joy-filled play than actual work. Enjoying what you do and making money at it – what could be more amazing than that?

Another huge benefit of following our dreams is to live without regrets. Research says 98% of the population dies without fulfilling their dreams, which is a scary thought. Following our dreams ensures we at least gave them a try and won’t have to live with the remorseful thoughts of what could have been.

The Cons of Following Your Dreams

While we won’t have those regrets if we choose to follow our dreams, we may not have an easy road ahead of us, either. Our culture glorifies certain professions as “dream jobs” – such as actors (and yes, even voice talents), athletes, rock stars and celebrity personalities.

We imagine living a life full of fame and glamour, working every day on projects that feel exciting and artistically fulfilling. We likewise envision feeling constantly validated by doting fans, or even just by our own satisfaction that we are truly “living the dream.”

But the harsh truth is that this level of success is reserved for a small percentage of professionals in each field. In the most-pursued dream careers (especially in the arts), only a handful makes it to a level where they can earn enough money to make a living. And only a few from that group ascend to the level of success that fits the profile of what everyone is chasing. The vast majority often find themselves in a perpetual struggle to make ends meet.

We may not make enough to fulfill our financial needs, or we may find that the dream job is a lot more work than we anticipated.

Being a voice talent, for instance, may seem like a glamorous job. Parts of it are. But other parts behind the scenes require extremely hard work and don’t feel very glamorous at all. Voice training, honing your acting skills, learning the mechanics of editing and other software, constantly auditioning for the next job, becoming a great marketer, adapting to the ever-changing market, and the day-to-day operations of running your own business are just a few of those parts.

Cons May be Ongoing

Then there’s the constant rejection. Even as someone who has been a working VO professional for the past 25 years, I am rejected daily, usually multiple times per day. I lose far, far more jobs than I win.

Sometimes a voice talent will snag one of those jobs that is truly fulfilling and provides the sort of validation and fulfillment to inspire them to keep marching on. But most of the time you’re on your own. Being a working artist requires an incredibly thick skin, and unfortunately many find that their dreams are too fragile to persist in the face of the rejection and daily grind that is required.

Yes, work can feel like play at times – but other times it’s undoubtedly work. A dream job is still a job, and sometimes fueling such passions is incredibly exhausting and consuming. This particularly holds true on those days when you feel, despite all of your hard work and joy for the craft, you’re just not getting anywhere.

Once you’ve invested all you have into pursuing your dreams, you may end up disappointed. Reaching that part of the journey can feel both depressing and liberating. Depressing because the dream did not unfold as you envisioned. Liberating because you know you gave it your best shot and you can now move forward in a different direction that may bring more rewards.

How to Balance the Two Options to Create a Third

The cons of pursing your dreams may appear to outweigh the pros by a ton. Yet nothing can outweigh the passion in your heart for doing something you truly love. I faced this same dilemma years ago when I began my own career. What I wanted involved a tough road ahead, yet it was something I absolutely knew I had to try.

I made it work by finding a happy medium. This involved:

Having a more general dream job goal
Keeping realistic expectations
Being flexible
Never giving up

General Goal, Realistic Expectations

As a young college graduate, my dream was to be a working actor. I didn’t set out to be a star or to win an Academy Award or even be on Broadway. I just wanted to make my living as an actor.

Fast forward 30 years later and I have been able to achieve my goal in a way that I did not know was possible when I set out on my journey. Having a more general dream job goal actually worked to my advantage. I was able to adapt and evolve over the years all while staying true to my dream.

Flexibility

On the road to becoming a working actor, I was open to working at other jobs until I was able to get a foothold in the business. Perhaps pursuing your dream job as a side gig while working a full-time day job can give you a good taste of what’s possible and what “living the dream” would look like – warts and all.

If you’re a performer, maybe gigging in a local coffeehouse or performing in community theatre is enough to give you what you want. Such a setup could feed that creative desire inside of you while also ensuring you are financially stable enough to pay the rent and put food on the table. With something else to support you, the rejections will not seem as emotionally and financially crushing.

Never Giving Up

Keeping my eye on the prize was another great motivator – and it still is. For me, the rewards consistently exceed the rejections, the risks and the ongoing hard work required to maintain a career as a working actor.

If your heart is truly set on a path you want to take, there are ways you can weave your dream into your life to make it a possibility. Set a general goal with realistic expectations, be flexible enough to adapt your plan as needed, and keep your eye on the prize.

Also keep your eyes open for opportunities. So much of the dream job appears to boil down to luck: being at the right place at the right time, knowing the right person, stumbling into just the right circumstances. With a little luck, a lot of hard work and ongoing perseverance, you never know what might happen.

Please also check out the part two of this series on Following Your Dreams.

How to Stay Positive and Feel Good in a Negatively Focused World

The average person has 46 thoughts per minute, which calculates to about 70,000 thoughts per day. With the current Coronavirus disruption and polarized political upheaval, there’s a good chance that a high percentage of those thoughts may be driven by fear, anxiety, anger, or a slew of other uncomfortable emotions.

When our minds are filled with fear or anger-based thoughts, it can be challenging to work productively, interact kindly or even get a good night’s sleep. When you’re caught up in thoughts that don’t feel good, you also run the risk of lowering your energy levels and even weakening your immune system.

While you can certainly try to chase away those fearful thoughts the minute they arise, it is a losing battle. Fortunately, there is an easier way to get yourself thinking more positive thoughts, and even a way to change the types of thoughts that enter your head in the first place. That’s by paying attention to your state of being.

What is Your State of Being?

Your state of being refers to your overall emotional state at any given time. People generally slip into and out of different emotional states throughout the day without even consciously realizing it. Sometimes we may slide down into a lower emotional state and feel like we are stuck there. It can feel very hard to get out of that kind of rut and everything seems worse when looking at the world from that perspective.

Note that I am using the phrase “state of being” and the word “emotion” interchangeably. Another word you could use is “mood.” All point to basically the same idea for the purposes of this article.

The important thing to understand about the relationship between your state of being and your thoughts is this:

Your state of being will generally dictate the types of thoughts you’re going to have. Your state determines your thinking most of the time. There can always be exceptions to this but for the majority of the time as you go about your day, this is true.

When you’re in a happy, creative, grateful state of being, your thoughts will generally be in sync with the state and it will be easy for you to “think positively.” The same is true when you are in a frustrated, overwhelmed, discouraged emotional state. From that place, it will be virtually impossible to see things positively. You’ll tend to see the glass as half-empty wherever you focus your attention.

In case you’re wondering how I came to my understanding of this topic, my husband was trained as a personal and business coach with a successful coaching practice for many years. He made some key discoveries about the importance of state of being and how learning to “shift states” can have a dramatic impact on the quality of your life. Simply by changing the quality of the thoughts that you think.

We’ve all heard the mantra “just think positive,” as if that’s an easy thing to do. The most effective way to do this is to focus on your state of being (not your thoughts), and shift that first. This creates the environment for more positive thoughts to flow naturally.

It’s impossible to control all of your thoughts. There are too many of them. But you CAN learn to shift your state of being. Doing this will indirectly allow you to have much better control over the quality of your thoughts.

States of Being Scale

Below is a Scale of States of Being that my husband used in his coaching practice. It gives you a quick rundown on 19 different emotional states, along with where each falls in the overall scale. The words on each line are in resonance with the state of being, so they are examples of a few common emotions or states that are aligned at that level.

Emotions can largely dictate how we act and what we think. Emotional states ranked from one to seven tend to bring on positive thoughts, while those ranked eight to 19 tend to bring on negative thoughts. The way to get your mind to churn out mostly positive thoughts is to keep your state “averaging” in the top seven levels of this scale. Ideally, we personally shoot for averaging around level three.

1. Enlightenment / Peace / Bliss / Euphoria / Excitement
2. Joy / Gratitude / Appreciation / Empowerment
3. Passion / Reason / Love / Freedom / Wealthy / Healthy / Confidence
4. Forgiveness / Compassion / Transcendence / Acceptance
5. Optimism / Willingness / Hopefulness / Enthusiasm / Eagerness / Happiness / Productivity
6. Positive Expectation / Belief / Trust
7. Contentment / Neutrality / Courage / Affirmation

————————————————————————————————–

8. Pessimism / Boredom
9. Frustration / Irritation / Impatience / Dissatisfaction
10. Overwhelm / Confusion / Annoyance
11. Doubt / Skepticism / Procrastination / Indecisiveness
12. Pride / Scorn / Contempt
13. Anger / Hate / Revenge
14. Desire / Craving / Discouragement / Disappointment
15. Fear / Anxiety / Worry
16. Grief / Regret
17. Apathy / Despair / Powerlessness / Hopelessness / Judgmentalism / Ridicule / Embarrassment
18. Guilt / Blame / Resentment / Jealousy / Competitive / Depression / Rage / Racism
19. Shame / Humiliation / Insecurity / Unworthiness / Bitterness

How to Attain and Maintain a Higher State of Being

I believe some people are just more optimistic by nature. For the most part, that has been true for me personally. Yet I can still get drawn into a negative thinking if I spend too much time exposed to or dwelling on things that put me into negative states.

My husband used to be more prone to falling into a pessimistic or even depressed state on an occasional basis. By learning and regularly applying these concepts over time he was able to shift out of that completely and now easily maintains a very positive, light-hearted outlook and demeanor.

My favorite way to get out of the negative and into a positive state of being is by engaging in uplifting activities and cutting out things that tend to bring me down. Here are some of things that have worked over the years and especially lately.

Stop watching the news: Avoid news as much as possible and do not dwell on it because it is almost always negative. If you want to know what’s going on in the world, use a good-quality news site online, and scan the headlines to get a gist of what is happening. Dig into the details only when necessary. Neutral and non-emotional reporting is best, but it’s harder to find these days. Stay away from sources that are using the news to polarize, politicize and sensationalize the stories.
Don’t watch movies or TV shows that have negative themes: There’s way too much murder and mayhem on TV and in movies these days. Avoid it all and stick to more lighthearted types of entertainment.
Have some kind of daily spiritual connection: Whether you like to meditate, pray, or simply express gratitude daily for everything you have, this type of practice will bring you into a higher state. I try to stay in a overall state of gratitude throughout my day as much as possible. Even saying “Thank you” each time a new VO job request shows up in my email inbox helps keep me in that zone.
Listen to music with positive vibes: Listening to upbeat music, or any music that makes you happy, relaxed or energized is one of the quickest ways to boost your emotional state. Much of the popular music today is aligned with the lower levels of the states of being scale, so be careful what you listen to.
Exercise: Exercise can include traditional workouts, but it can also include anything that gets you up and moving. Play with your kids or your pets. Dance around the house. Take a daily walk or run through your neighborhood or a nearby park. Just get up and do some jumping jacks once in awhile. I got a new hula hoop for Christmas last year and I’ve been using that daily for some fun movement for a few minutes a day. Getting your body moving and energy flowing will naturally raise your state of being.
Get out in nature: Getting into nature is a great way to raise your state of being. Vitamin D and sunshine definitely help lift your spirits. It’s also an ideal place to tap into a spiritual connection.
Laugh more: Laughter has been called the best medicine, and for good reason. It’s been shown to help decrease stress, soothe tension, relieve pain and enhance your immune system.
Get into The Flow: The Flow is a state where you’re fully engrossed in what you’re doing and nothing else seems to matter. You may lose track of time as the outside world melts away. If you have a job you love, getting into the Flow can happen automatically when working on a project. People find getting into the Flow happens when they’re creating art, gardening, playing sports or engaging in any type of activity that truly brings them joy.

Be Especially Aware of What You Consume on Screens

Just as “you are what you eat” refers to what influence good food can have on your physical well-being, “you are what you consume” can also apply to the types of things you read, watch or expose yourself to on a regular basis.

Consuming large quantities of panic-inducing headlines can drag even the most upbeat person into a downtrodden state. So can movies or books filled with violence, hatred and anger.

My family and I have been trying to avoid watching any TV that can drag us down into a negative state. That drastically limits our TV viewing choices, but we’ve been able to find stimulating, positive entertainment. Here are some examples of what we watch now:

HGTV: Almost all of the shows on this network have an overall positive vibe and are about transformation and improvement. Notice how you feel as you watch to help you gauge what kind of impact it is having on you.
Streaming Favorite Sitcoms: There are so many funny, well-written sitcoms that we still love to watch to make us laugh out loud. Favorites include: “Frasier,” “Seinfeld,” “Everybody Loves Raymond,” “The Office” and “Mad About You.” With streaming options, you can find many of your favorites for free or very low cost.
Sports: It’s been amazing to find out that watching great games from the past is still a great way to pass the time. “The Last Dance” documentary has been must-see TV for us every Sunday night for the past few weeks. We’ve also been watching many of the ESPN “30 for 30” episodes which are always fascinating.
Game Shows: Fun to watch and good for your brain in terms of learning and recalling information. Favorites include “Jeopardy,” “Deal or No Deal,” “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” and even “Wheel of Fortune.”
Certain Reality Shows: You have to be careful with this category, but a couple of our favorites are “Shark Tank” and “The Profit” (both on CNBC network). Many reality shows are all about the drama, and that can actually take you into lower states. So look for shows that are interesting and uplifting.

When you create an environment and habits that help you attain and easily maintain a positive state of being, you’ll find your thoughts become more positive automatically. It’s something I’ve found very useful for keeping me happier, healthier and more serene, no matter what’s going on in the outside world.

I understand that many people are suffering greatly right now and experiencing very real challenges, problems and setbacks. The whole world is going through a situation that is completely uncharted territory. Huge uncertainties lie ahead for all of us and it truly seems that life will never be the same.

But, my response to all of that is to roll with it. To focus on what is working and what is good. To improve in the areas where I can make improvement. To look for new opportunities that are showing up.

I’m sure there will be some who will read this article and conclude that I am avoiding reality or just sticking my head in the sand. That is not the case. I am very much aware of what is going on in the world. But the difference is, I do not dwell on it. I put very minimal attention on the bad news and focus on the positive aspects of my situation. This is a choice and a discipline that I have cultivated over my entire life. It is an intentional way to respond to hardship and adversity and I have found it to be a very successful strategy time and time again. It is arguably one of the key secrets to my success in my profession as well as in relationships and my overall life in general.

I hope this information is useful in some way to you. Please share your comments and questions below.

How Our Voice Over Business is Taking a Positive Approach to COVID-19

Today we are talking about COVID-19, voice over and how your business can deal with the current uncertainty in the world. With all the craziness going on due to the coronavirus, it may be easy to fall into the trap of negative thinking, even for those who usually dwell in a fairly resilient mind set. Our lives are shifting every day and there’s plenty of uncertainty right now. Our hearts go out to all those on the front lines; the doctors, nurses, healthcare workers, first responders, police and fire personnel, bus drivers, truckers, janitors, post office staff, fast food workers, grocery clerks and more who are taking care of those most ill and providing some normalcy for the rest of us by keeping essential services up and running. You are all heros.

We realize that everyone has a different story and situation, so if you are struggling with the current circumstance in ways that we aren’t addressing here, we send our prayers and wishes for the highest and best outcome for all. Faith is a fantastic tool.

With so much uncertainty and fear pervading our world today, my family and I have decided to do what we can to take a positive approach to COVID-19 by consciously focusing on the things for which we are grateful and the help we can provide. We are truly blessed with good health and prosperity, even in challenging times, and have found opportunities to try some new things that may lead to even better situations after we get past this crisis. Here are a few examples.

Home and Family

Our health and safety comes first, as does yours. If you and your family are healthy and safe, you have the top item on the list covered. Having a roof over your head is another positive, as is the ability to take the recommended precautions and remain home as much as possible. We are blessed that our business was already set up to do this, so that is an unexpected bonus.

Since moving from Southern California to Michigan back in 2004, we have enjoyed the opportunities that go along with having a fairly large home in the Midwest. That’s part of the trade from moving from metropolis to Midwest…there’s more social distancing, naturally. We have plenty of living space for practical comfort in home and work life, (since home also includes the family business), and that extra space makes it easy to stay stocked up and prepared for a long quarantine. It also provides enough room to give every family member plenty of personal space – a great blessing when things get a bit stressful. Since we were already home-schooling our youngest (who is now fifteen years old), we didn’t even have to deal with the transition of no public schools in session. So, for our family, this was a pretty seamless transition.

I’m sure for other families and businesses there are different sets of challenges, and everyone has to start from a point where they are, and move forward. My wish is that using a spirit of gratefulness for the things you can be thankful for, will lead in a positive direction, for more good to flow.

The Business End of Things

Working remotely may be a big change for some, but it’s been a part of our routine for the last twenty-five years. So, we’ve been able to take this adjustment in stride and continue working without a hitch. Speaking as someone who is accustomed to working from home, I would encourage anyone new to the concept to focus on the positive aspects (of which there are many). Think of the commuting time you’re saving, lower fuel costs and reduced carbon footprint, home-cooked lunches and the ability to work in your slippers. Of course, there’s also the additional time you get to spend with your family. We’ve been enjoying the extra time we’re getting to spend with our daughter, now home from college for several more weeks due to the closure. That is an added bonus for us, though not what she had hoped for.

Being a business owner comes with a lot of risk, but because of that, in our current situation, we fortunately don’t have to worry about the possibility of being laid off or downsized. Even though some activity may be slowing, many of our clients still have voice-over needs and we’re continuing to provide the high-quality services that we always have. Much of our business is in the telephony and narration genres, so even if there is some slowdown in retail advertising for awhile, there are still plenty of projects in the works. We are thankful for our loyal and long-term clients who continue to send business our way.

I’m assuring my clients, it’s basically business as usual in my home studio, which is equipped with everything I need to do my job. We also have ISDN/Source Connect/phone patch capability, which makes it easy to connect for live, remote session work with clients anywhere in the world. Most of the live TV world is now using the technology we’ve been accustomed to for years.

New Opportunities – Coronavirus, COVID-19 and Voice Over

In addition to the usual types of projects that come in, we’re also seeing opportunities to help businesses and organizations deal with COVID-19. A couple recent examples include:

Company Phone messages regarding COVID-19, which are urgently needed by many businesses and organizations
Revised messaging about changing schedules, for hotels, showrooms and other large venues
Advertising messages and PSAs including the “we’re all in this together” common assurance to customers
Science and Medical VO regarding PPE and Clinical Trial work

Our daughter (and teen VO talent), Natalie, is now home from college for the rest of the semester. That makes her more available than she was when living on campus. This has actually simplified our work flow quite a bit, so it’s a welcome change.

Make This a Positive Change

Even if your own work has taken a downturn, you may find new opportunities to customize your services, products or offerings to help fill a need that didn’t exist before. Creative thinking can go a long way toward finding solutions, new streams of income and innovative ideas that otherwise may have never been born.

Many great discoveries and innovations happened by accident or when someone “took a detour” or “got off the beaten path.” That is exactly where we find ourselves right now. Outside of our comfort zone, outside the box and off of our usual path. Take time to look around and notice what you may never have noticed if this situation hadn’t happened. You may find something that is life-changing or transforms your business.

Once you get into the groove of thinking positive and counting your blessings, the days are suddenly lighter and brighter than they were before. We can and will get through these trying times, and a positive attitude will make it that much easier. Here’s hoping you get into that positive mindset – and that you and your family stay safe. Let’s all get to the other side of this thing as soon as possible so life can begin to get back to normal, even if it is a new normal.

Please also check out my followup post to this one, “How to Feel Good and Stay Positive in a Negatively Focused World.”

Contact me if you need any messaging or other voice-over work related to COVID-19 or any other projects you have brewing. I’m open to meeting tight deadlines and always happy to help.

Set the Video Foundation

The first step in any effective e-learning video is to set the foundation. That means writing a script and creating a storyboard. Storyboards let you map out each scene’s audio and video to ensure they work together as a whole. Having the entire video outlined on a storyboard saves you tons of time and makes production much easier.

Tell a Story

People love stories. They’re intriguing and memorable, which makes them ideal format for learning. Telling a story with an e-learning video can involve creating different characters to carry out the action, but it doesn’t have to. The main goal is to use the traditional story arc formula to attain and then retain the viewers’ attention. The formula can be condensed into three parts:

Exposition, or story beginning
Conflict, or climax
Conflict resolution

In an e-learning video that explains a product, for example, the story could break down into something like:

Introducing the product
Introducing a common problem that nothing seems to resolve
Resolving that problem by using the product

Choose the Optimum Video Length

While 60 to 90-second videos may work for quick explainer videos, the optimum video length for more extended e-learning content is seven minutes. A University of Rochester study provides strong evidence for this as well. The study looked at the average time students spent viewing video for their online courses. It found students watched the greatest amount of video content when the video length was nine minutes or less.

Students watched less of the video content when videos were more than 11 minutes long. Once videos hit an even longer length of 15 to 40 minutes, students ended up watching no more than three minutes of the video.

Make the Most of the Visuals

E-learning videos tend to most effective when they showcase what’s being explained. Static images can be a waste of valuable video space that could instead be used to demonstrate how to use or do something. This could be how to use a product or service, how to treat customers in difficult situations, or how to successfully complete a project or a task that’s part of the e-learning curriculum.

Use Videos Strategically

You can certainly use a longer video to cover an entire lesson on a specific topic. But you can also use videos in a variety of other ways throughout the e-learning experience. You can use shorter videos to break up text documents and emphasize a point. Or use a short video at the beginning of a lesson to grab attention, another in the middle to demonstrate a specific task, and a third at the end to sum up the points made throughout the lesson.

Videos likewise work well when paired with hands-on training exercises. Your video could be explaining a task while your viewers are actually attempting the same task in real life.

Invest in Quality Audio

Quality audio refers to several things. One is the actual quality of the recording, which needs to be crisp, clear and free of background noise. It also involves the voice over artist you hire to narrate the e-learning video. Because e-learning requires careful listening, you want a voice that is likable, pleasant and trustworthy.

Steer clear of voices with too much breathiness or other distracting qualities that could possibly detract from the learning process. You can find additional qualities to look for in e-learning voice over narration in a past blog post.

Keep these video tips in mind, and you’ll be well on your way to creating an e-learning video that’s engaging, intriguing and highly effective at meeting your goal. Check out samples of my e-learning, instructional and tutorial videos for a look at effective videos in action. Also feel free to reach out for a custom quote or audition if you need narration for your next e-learning project.

What to Look for on a Voice Over Talent’s Website Before Hiring

When you’re searching online for a voice over artist, your first impression is likely to come from their website. A polished and professional site gives you a sense of a polished and professional voice actor. But the decision to hire shouldn’t stop there. There are several elements every serious voice over actor’s website needs to truly make the cut.

A Clear Message

When you land on a site, you want it to get right to the point. You should quickly be able to ascertain the type of voice over work this person does, how long they’ve been doing it, and a sense of if they align with your project or not. It should also be clear that the person is, in fact, a voice over artist. Believe it or not, it’s still possible to land on certain websites that are highly advanced and look amazing – yet give visitors no clue about what the business actually does.

Bio Section

While you may get a bit of information about the voice actor on the homepage, a strong site includes an About section with a more comprehensive biography. A detailed bio provides a fuller picture of the voice over talent’s background, experience, training, past and current clients, and other pertinent information that lets you know if it’s a good fit.

You may also be treated to additional info, such as their location, hobbies, family life and passions, which can be helpful for building rapport and a working relationship.

Testimonials

Testimonials are powerful proof that the voice over talent knows what they’re doing and can deliver the same level of service for you. Because they’re unbiased opinions from actual clients, they go a long way toward establishing trust. In fact, a single testimonial from a satisfied client can be far more persuasive than a whole page of information from the voice over artists themselves.

Audio Samples

Audio samples of a voice over actor’s work are crucial. Look for voice over demos as well as a portfolio of recordings from actual projects. Demos may sound terrific, but they always sound terrific. That’s because they can be edited to perfection. Recordings from actual projects provide a better sense of what the voice actor can achieve without the benefit of endless editing. Both types of audio samples are essential for giving you an overall idea of a voice over actor’s range and capabilities.

Responsive, Professional Website Design

If the voice actor’s website appears neglected, outdated, or doesn’t have a responsive design that allows it to be viewed on any device, it could be a red flag. Neglected or outdated sites may be a sign of someone who is not on top of their game. Sites that don’t have the latest advancements, such as responsive design, could indicate the person’s recording equipment or tech skills required for editing and recording may be just as far behind.

Fast Loading Speed

Slow websites can color your judgement of a voice over actor before you even read or listen to a single word on the site. One study found that more than 50% of Americans were prone to feeling “much more negative” about a business if they have a slow-loading site. The negativity was strong enough to cause 73% of visitors to move on to a rival website if the rival site was faster.

Because voice over websites contains multiple audio and even video samples, loading speeds can be extremely slow if sites are run on inferior web hosting platforms. But find a site that’s run on a high-performance web hosting platform like Pantheon, and you’ll find speed as well as reliability. If the voice actor is smart enough to invest in a top-notch hosting platform, they’re likely to be just as savvy when it comes to high-end recording equipment.

Now that you have an overview of the most important elements on a voice actor’s website, making your hiring decision can be a lot easier. The process of elimination is likely to narrow down the options greatly, leaving you with experienced, professional voice over talent that delivers a final recording as polished as their website.

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