For Voice Over Clients

Let’s say you’re looking to buy a new book, pair of shoes or computer, or even scoping out hotels near your upcoming vacation destination. If one of the first things you do is check out online reviews, you’re certainly in good company.

Nearly 80 percent of Americans have taken to reading reviews before purchasing any type of product or service, MarketingCharts reported in December 2014, and the power of online reviews has continued to increase ever since.

More recent statistics reported on Invesp.com note that:

• 90% Read online reviews before visiting a business.
• 88% Trust online reviews as much as they trust personal recommendations.
• 72% Will only take action after reading a positive review.
• 86% Will hesitate purchasing anything from a business that has negative reviews online.

Those  purchases can range from small, inexpensive items like books, all the way up to luxury items, such as cars and vacation stays.

And, yes, even voice-over talent reviews and testimonials are a worthy search.

People are reading reviews for various reasons, but generally it’s to increase the odds that they’ll be happy with their product or service purchase.

• 79% Read reviews to ensure they’re getting an awesome product or service.
• 61% Read reviews to make sure the product or service actually works.
• 53% Read reviews to make sure they’re not going to get ripped off.

High Levels of Trust

The most trustworthy reviews are generally found on third-party sites, like TripAdvisor.com, which has no affiliation with the business or hotel being reviewed. In general, third-party reviews seem to have more credibility among potential customers, for obvious reasons.

If we’re talking about voice-over talent reviews, a good example of a third-party site (and the one I’ve used for several years now) is CustomerLobby.com. While I also post reviews on my website, I feel that displaying reviews directly on a third-party reviews collection site automatically makes them more credible, since they are posted independently of the service provider being reviewed. Third-party reviews are also very searchable on the net, which also helps with SEO and brand recognition.

Another voice-over talent reviews example is the P2P site, Voices.com, which helps people find voice-over talent for hire, and gives consumers a chance to review the talent once the job is complete.

Because the goal of the site is for customers to have an excellent experience and keep coming back for more, it’s in the site’s best interest to have many stellar reviews for the most reliable and top performing talent. By weeding out talent with poor reviews, the selection process can be streamlined for the voice talent seeker.

What Can Voice-Over Talent Reviews Tell You?

For anyone looking to hire talent, online voice-over talent reviews can inform on a number of different aspects about a prospective talent that may not be evident from an audition alone.

• Experience levels. True, the talents’ bios may list years of experience, but reviews can showcase how they handled themselves in a real-world situation. Perhaps they aced a difficult script on the first take, brought fresh ideas to the table, or otherwise exhibited a keen professionalism that only comes from 15 or more years in the industry.

• Quality of work. Crisp recordings, high-end studio equipment, fast turnaround times and a seamless delivery are some of the aspects you can look for when gauging a voice-over talent’s quality. Repeat customers often cite quality of work as the reason they keep coming back, which is another strong testament to a job well done and the type of service that can be expected.

• Specific comments that talk about specific strengths of the talent.
  Maybe you’re looking for someone who can easily transition between two or three different voices. Or you’re in dire straits and need a turnaround time of 24 hours or less. Testimonials and reviews can serve up small details that make a big difference when choosing talent best suited for your job.

• What it’s like to work with the talent. Here you can look for terms like “friendly, easy to work with, flexible, sincere and enthusiastic.” While it’s not likely that you’ll find a host of reviews sharing negative traits of a voice-over talent, if there is an absence of solid positive remarks about a talent, that can potentially be a red flag.

No matter what you’re looking for in a voice-over talent (or book, shoes, hotel or whatever) – online reviews have become a dependable place to research them all and increase your odds of a very satisfying purchase that fulfills your needs.

I just found one of my most recently completed healthcare commercial voiceover spots on my client’s Facebook page. This spot is for the Nevada Health Co-op which helps people navigate various healthcare-related insurance decisions.

This is a great example of how to take some relatively bland information and make it very personable and engaging. A clever concept with the line, “you need a Vanessa (or other name)” demonstrates that throughout the process, the customer/patient is dealing with a real person, and they’re not going to be treated like just another number. It certainly takes the sting away from the perceived frustration of how to enroll in a health plan.

Medical & Healthcare Commercial Voiceover is a Favorite VO Niche

Healthcare is one of those topics that is always relevant, especially now with the government becoming so involved in our healthcare coverage choices.

I do a lot of narration and commercial work for healthcare providers, and I’m thankful that these kinds of companies will always be a part of our landscape.

You can view several videos in both categories of health & medical voiceover projects on my website.

Health and Medical Commercial Voice Over samples including commercials for hospitals, drug stores, exercise products, skincare products and plastic surgery.

Health and Medical Narration videos which include a lot of technical medical narration as well as more nurturing sounding narration for baby products and peace of mind.

For many retailers in today’s competitive market, Veterans Day is another opportunity for an advertised sale, along with special discounts for anyone who has served in the military. As voice over professionals, we often record commercial spots to sell furniture or cars, or hardware supplies for one-day holidays like Memorial Day, President’s Day and Veterans Day.

So, it’s nice to get a chance to be a part of something that is a sincere tribute to the men and women who sacrifice in service of our country.

I was lucky enough to be asked to do a TV commercial spot vo for a local supermarket chain that honors our Veterans in a very simple and sincere way.  Thanks to Villing & Company and Martin’s Supermarkets for the creative vision behind this short spot. I have enjoyed seeing it run in our local market for the last few days, and it has been played annually since it was produced in 2010.

As I scroll through Facebook today, I see that many people have posted photos of their parents or grandparents or sons or daughters who have been in service to keep the people of our country safe.  It’s very gratifying to know that their service is not in vain and is never forgotten.

We all get a chance to pay some form of tribute to the members of our military today, whether just by way of a social media message, seeing and thanking a Veteran in person, witnessing a school program, or maybe even by taking some flowers and prayers to a cemetery.

I’ll be on the lookout for anyone in military uniform as I’m out of the house today, and I hope to get an opportunity to express my gratitude and appreciation for what they have done. Thank you to all Veterans who have served.  We salute you today and every day!

This post is the fourth and final installment in this series written for people and businesses who have the need to hire voice talent. In this series, I have discussed the contrast between what services and qualities a full-time voice talent can offer versus a part-time VO talent. I suggest you read these articles in order, starting with Part 1: “Benefits of Hiring a Full-Time Voice Talent,” Part 2: “Why Hire a Full-Time Voice Talent For Your Next Project?” and Part 3:”How a Female Voice Talent Becomes a Key Part of Client Teams”

Full-Time Voice Talent Experience = A Valuable Resource for Clients

The phrase “been there, done that” is so cliché. But I can’t think of a better way to sum up the extensive array of interesting and valuable experiences I’ve had during my 20+ years working as a full-time voice talent. It’s rare that I encounter a situation or challenge that I haven’t been through before. Whatever the problem, at this point in my career, I can figure out how to solve it so that my client gets what they need to complete their project.

Such valuable experience turns a VO professional into a very valuable resource. Experienced full-time voice talent can quickly and accurately answer any questions clients may have. And if we don’t have an immediate answer, we have connections at our fingertips that let us quickly research to find the best answer.

The same holds true for referrals. Those who have worked long and hard in their field typically have many important relationships established. Clients often come to me and ask, “Hey, do you know anybody who does XYZ?” Most of the time I can say yes, referring them to the best production service, editor, translator, etc.

They may ask for child voice-over talent, a male voice, or someone experienced in a foreign language, and I can easily draw a reference. I love knowing that my clients trust me to recommend someone. And knowing that the connections I have established over the years allow me to send them to someone who will get the job done right. Of course, I make a point to only refer other professionals who I know will deliver the goods and make my client happy.

The Niche and the Voice of the Brand

A seasoned full-time voice talent is also likely to have developed expertise in a specific niche. I’ve found an unexpected home in areas of specialty that include infomercials, direct response, corporate narration, phone messages, and similar projects.

Being acutely aware of what’s needed for each type of project has helped me develop a unique voice for each client. I understand what’s necessary and can tailor my voice accordingly to their target audience, which increases the probability of reaching the client’s goal.

A prime example is the VO work I’ve done for Pillow Pets, the No. 1 children’s direct response product. I’ve been with this project from the very beginning when it first launched, and it’s led me into a world of other children’s products sold on TV. Other infomercial work has involved kitchen gadgets, exercise devices, and health and beauty items.

I’ve enjoyed recording for a very loyal contingent of phone marketing clients who rely on my voice branding for retail stores and financial institutions. My niche in this genre has become a particularly friendly, non-threatening, real, and believable voice that can elicit a positive response from a shopper or caller.

Those voices are not all identical. Experience has taught me there are many ways to get the desired response. Different vocal styles work for different audiences, and seasoned pros come to know what works. The voice may work so well that it actually becomes part of a company’s branding identity.

Consumers come to connect my voice with that company, making it imperative for clients to seek a full-time voice talent they know will be there for the long-term, indefinite future. I have some clients for whom I’ve been the “branding voice” for over ten years. Savvy business owners and managers know that their customers will often judge their company by the voice they hear in their marketing messages. Choosing a consistent, professional VO talent not only lends an air of professional quality and raises your company’s value, it also allows you to build your structure and campaign around that consistency of a recognizable voice.

Value is always the bottom line. The skills and business sense that a full-time voice talent develops over many years of working are all very beneficial in saving clients time and money. That is my most sacred goal; to deliver the best possible performance and customer service to my client — and stay within the budget. That kind of mindset typically comes from a VO talent who’s been in the game for many years and continues to thrive full-time.

If you haven’t read Part 1 of this four-part series, check it out too at Benefits of Hiring a Full-Time Voice Talent.

Debbie Grattan has been working as a full-time voice talent since the late 90′s. She has collaborated on thousands of projects and teamed up with hundreds of production companies, marketing and advertising firms, commercial voice-over recording studios, and corporate/business clients around the United States and throughout the world. Listen to her Voice Talent Demos and request a Custom VO Audition for your upcoming project on her website.

This post is the third installment in this series written for people and businesses who have the need to hire female VO talent. This series discusses the contrast between what services and qualities a full-time female VO talent can offer versus a part-time voice talent. You can read Part 1 of this series, “Benefits of Hiring a Full-Time Voiceover Talent“ and part 2, “Why Hire a Full-Time Voiceover Talent For Your Next Project?“

A Member of Many Teams

In addition to my personal support and marketing team (see previous installment), there is a second team that I’d like to address. As a full-time female VO talent, I think of myself as being a valued member of all of my client’s teams. In production, a team can consist of the account executive, the video editor, the copywriter, the concept creatives, the project director, the producer, and of course, the end client.

The daily repetition and continual flow of voiceover projects through my studio (including everything from female commercial voiceovers, narration voiceovers, direct response, IVR, etc.) result in a very high level of expertise in the voiceover department for me personally. I can step in and take on my role, leaving the producer/director to focus on the big picture and other team members to focus on their individual roles and responsibilities.

My years of experience and daily practice as a full-time female VO talent have made it second nature for me to automatically produce the most effective timing, pacing, and delivery. “We need to shave off 2 seconds”… No problem! “We need to re-write the copy…” Gotcha covered!

I enjoy helping with the script if needed, suggesting copy edits or verbiage that may sound more fluid in the vocal delivery. Solid experience in various VO niches has taught me what works best in specific genres, and I can tailor my voiceover delivery accordingly.

This level of experience can be extremely valuable during a real-time session, when there may be the client listening in, along with the producer/director/editor, and time is of the essence.

My client is often an agency or production company who wants to complete the project while also looking good in front of his/her end client. The choice to work with a VO professional who produces fast, accurate results, can take direction well, knows where the edit points are within the copy for quick pick-ups, and makes it all look and sound easy, is a real advantage for my client and ultimately for the outcome of their project.

Part-time talent who lacks on-the-job experience may make more mistakes and take a lot longer to deliver quality results. This can actually make the producer/director look bad in front of their end clients.

Inexperienced VO talent can quickly feel “in over their head” in the middle of a session. And unfortunately, most producers/directors don’t give second chances, especially if the talent’s performance reflects negatively on them in front of their end clients.

Hiring An Expert Female VO Talent Saves You Time and Money

In addition to the quality product, voice over studio equipment and set up, and professional attitude, an extra bonus with full-time female VO talent is having speedy communication and a quick turnaround if needed. Personally, I love those last-minute requests, and my clients have come to depend on me to be available in a pinch.

Hiring an experienced full-time female VO talent makes sense for any business with voiceover talent needs. When your car needs expert service, don’t you prefer to go to an experienced full-time auto mechanic who spends all day under the hood, has dealt with a wide range of issues and problems, AND knows exactly how to fix them?

Likewise, it makes sense to hire an experienced female VO talent who spends all day in the studio, honing and improving her skills and abilities. Many a client realizes after the first or second try at hiring less experienced talent that they may end up spending MORE money in the long run. When the final project isn’t of the caliber needed, and they’re forced to go find another voice talent to redo the audio tracks, they learn to make a better casting choice in the first place.

Having a full-time focus on anything will improve the end product.  When you’re dealing with something as nuanced as voiceover, especially for marketing and branding situations, it is imperative as a producer, to work with a high-quality VO pro who is versatile, quick on their feet, and has plenty of depth in talent, and ability to tap into during live sessions.

The VO talent you choose to hire should deliver not only a top-notch audio product but also be a valuable member of the team you employ to consistently provide quality work to your end clients and, ultimately, make your job and life much easier!