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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.

Communication is Key for Voice Over Success 

While all businesses rely heavily on communication for success, it’s even more important in the world of voice over. That’s because communication is at the heart of all we do. The main goal of our profession is to effectively communicate a message to the audience, and that can only be achieved if we are effectively communicating with our clients. Understanding this component of your voice over business is key to long-term success.

Good communication brings clarity to every situation, imparts professionalism and builds long-lasting relationships. Here’s how.

Communication for Clarity  

All voice over jobs start with a rundown on what the client wants, and the only way you’re sure to deliver is to ask the right questions. You need to ask relevant questions that give you the information you need to fully understand exactly what they’re going for. Questions here include things like vocal tone, file type, delivery method and all other details associated with a particular project.

It’s then imperative to carefully listen to what they say so you can deliver what they asked for. If things are unclear, clear them up before you begin. You’ll save a lot of time that you’d otherwise have to spend correcting something that was vague or misunderstood.

Communication for Professionalism

How you communicate with clients says a lot about your competence level, whether it’s through a quick phone call or a detailed email. You always want to be respectful and professional, ensuring you use appropriate guidelines for business correspondence. Sending a professional email is not like texting a quick message to your pal in all lower-case letters with two-letter abbreviations.

You want to use proper grammar and salutations, spell check before you send, and include your logo, branding, a professional email address and good tagline. Part of your online communication also includes your website and social media accounts. Every email you send, post you create and image you choose reflects directly on you as a professional.

Impeccable emails and a polished online presence indicate you’re someone who knows what they’re doing. They paint you as someone who is experienced and can be trusted to complete the project to the specs required. 

Communication for Building Relationships

While communication with a new or prospective client is best kept rather formal, you can relax the formalities a bit when you work with repeat clients over an extended period. I find ways to personalize communication, to make it feel more like a friendship when appropriate.

I have many clients with whom I’ve worked for years, so in some instances I know details about their families, their work transitions and their overall lives. When it’s appropriate, I enjoy being chatty and casual. I like to deepen the bond with them, so they see me as not just a voice talent, but a trusted friend and a fellow human being.

I also never under estimate the importance of a thank you. This could be for a referral, a recent job, or just for being a loyal client. I’ve tried many different approaches to this over the years, including sending postcards, personalized notes, birthday cards, gifts, or just reaching out through email or social media.

Posting a review for a client on their LinkedIn page or other platform shows your thoughtfulness and may help them with their marketing. Letting clients know how much they’re appreciated and valued can go a long way, especially when you do it in a way that gives them an extra boost to their own business.

Two More Tidbits on Communication

In a previous blog I wrote about The Biggest Voice Over Customer Service Mistakes, and it’s no surprise that poor communication made the list in two instances. They bear repeating. One was delay in communication, which can give off the vibe that you don’t really care. The other was not really listening or understanding what the client wants, which we also touched on above.

Responding to audition requests or messages to clients as quickly as possible shows you’re a pro who is ready to deliver what’s required. In the case of new clients, being the first to respond is often the move that gets you the job.

Truly listening and understanding what a client wants is another big deal. It’s better to ask tons of questions than make tons of mistakes. Good communication involves good listening skills and really paying attention to what the client is saying.

Keep these communication tips in mind as you move forward in your voice over career, and you may be happy to find your career moves forward with success. You’re apt to be seen as a true professional who can deliver exactly what the client wants while building beneficial relationships that can endure for years.

Why Work Is Not the Be-All and End-All of Life (Not Even Voice-Over Work)

Don’t get me wrong. I absolutely love my job as a voice-over talent. Being able to make a living doing something I enjoy and am skilled at is a fortunate blessing. Yet I have many other blessings outside my job that also bring me joy and a sense of fulfillment.

That’s where many in today’s society have gone wrong. Instead of having passions outside their jobs, they have been told make their jobs their passion. Many become compelled to only take jobs they feel have meaning, purpose and represent their true calling. They refuse to even consider any type of work unless they think it’s going to bring them fulfillment and contentment.

This alarming shift is outlined in an article in The Atlantic, where writer Derek Thompson explores the phenomenon of “workism.” And it’s wreaking havoc on the nation as a whole.

What is Workism?

Workism is the idea that work is more than just a way to earn money. It is instead viewed as the core of a person’s identity and life’s purpose, a way to find contentment and fulfillment. In other words, it’s pretty much the worship of work.

The roots of workism can be traced back to the long-standing American Dream, the idea that you’ll enjoy material riches and success only if you work hard and give it your all. But workism takes it to the next level, promising not only success on the material level, but on the emotional and spiritual levels as well.

Workism, for many, is taking the place of traditional faith, which is on the decline in the U.S. The workism movement has spread across generations, and particularly hits hard with millennials.

It’s become such an obsession that a full 95 percent of teens responding to a Pew Research study ranked “having a job or career that they enjoy” at the top of the list of “extremely or very important” things to have as an adult. The report, by the way, was examining the epidemic of youth anxiety.

Workism Side Effects

It’s no coincidence the Pew study had been investigating youth anxiety, as anxiety is one of the foremost side effects of worshiping work. Others include mass disappointment, disillusionment and inevitable burnout.

Expecting More than You’ll Get

Work was designed as a way to earn money, not as the be-all and end-all to the meaning of life. One of the dangers with trying to make your work be meaningful is that most work is not meaningful. It’s work, and generally something you probably wouldn’t do unless you’re being paid to do it.

When people devote their entire lives to work, worshipping something from which they can actually be fired, they’re setting themselves up for a painful fall if the market doesn’t behave. And its behavior is out of anyone’s control. The concept of workism is falling flat itself, with Gallup reporting nearly 90 percent of workers are not engaged at their jobs. It’s also creating a culture of misery, perhaps explaining why anxiety and depression have increased significantly over the past 40 years.

‘Meaningful’ Jobs Saturated

The jobs that appear somewhat meaningful, or seem that way to the masses, are becoming saturated with people seeking out their life purpose in their work. This creates a big supply of people interested in that type of work – resulting in a low demand and even lower pay. That tends to make “meaningful” work some of the lowest paying around, unless you happen to be the owner of the business or high enough on the totem pole to command a good salary.

The voice-over industry has experienced a massive influx of job seekers over the past few years, as have other industries that appear to have jobs which people think will bring on good feelings and a sense of wholeness. Now is exactly the wrong time to be pursuing so-called meaningful work, since so many young people are doing exactly that. A more strategic tactic would be to pursue a career in something that pays the bills, and then have a meaningful life outside of work.

Most people are actually happiest when they’re spending time pursuing their hobbies or with family and friends – not jammed behind a desk looking for the meaning of life.

Finding Meaning in Anything You Do

Another important thing to remember is that you bring the meaning to your work; it doesn’t bring the meaning to you. No matter what you do for a job, you can always create the meaning you want. While this might seem like a controversial idea to some, if you really examine it, you’ll find it to be true and accurate. More to come on this idea in the near future.

Depending on a person’s mindset, being a plumber or HVAC technician could have more meaning than being a Broadway producer or star. After all, which changes a person’s life more? Seeing a really great Broadway show or getting their furnace repaired so they can have heat during the winter?

Most folks would agree getting the furnace fixed is a more meaningful thing for them, because it impacts them all winter long. You can make a huge difference in peoples’ lives doing very ordinary things. This is the missing piece in today’s way of thinking about work. Millennials especially are failing to realize that THEY create their own meaning in what they do.

So yes, my voice-over work is very meaningful. I enjoy it, am passionate about it, and am extremely grateful to have it. But it’s not my only source of joy, or the only way I find enlightenment in life. And, like any job, it can sometimes be a source of frustration, stress and discomfort. That is the nature of the reality we live in. Nothing is perfect, every job has its drawbacks and downside. The attitude and perspective you have about those areas especially will make or break how much joy you experience in your work.

Are you looking for an experienced and passionate voice-over talent for an upcoming project? Your search is over… Contact Debbie today.

6 Reasons People Trust a Female Voice Over Male Voices

Why People Trust a Female Voice Over Male Voices

The question of hiring a female voice over talent vs. a male voice over talent has pretty much joined the ranks of other age-old debates. The topic has been covered by many, myself included (“Exploring the Decision to Hire Male vs. Female Voice-Over Talent”).

Despite the numerous discussions on the topic over the years, I felt there was still one angle that deserved a more intense look: the proven reasons behind the fact that people tend to trust female voices over male voices.

While my past blog touched briefly on the point, I wanted to more deeply explore why female voices tend to instill trust in the audience that can lead to a trust in a company, service or product and, ultimately, the buy. Here’s what I found.

voice-over pitch and inflexion

Pitch and Inflection

To illustrate how quickly people determine if they can trust someone, University of Glasgow psychologist Phil McAleer ran an experiment. He recorded a batch of 64 men and women speaking, then had 320 participants listen to only the word “Hello” from the 64 voices.

The results? Female voices were deemed the most trustworthy for two main reasons.

  • Pitch: The higher pitch of the female voice instilled more confidence in listeners than the lower-pitched male. One super-low-pitched male voice was overwhelming voted the least trustworthy of all.
  • Inflection: Female voices that dropped at the end of a word or phrase indicated a degree of certainty, something that made people automatically trust them.

soothing

Soothing and Comforting Nature

A recent Harris Interactive poll found 46 percent of participants ranked female voices more soothing than male voices. Soothing voices can make people feel comfortable, and when people feel comfortable, they’re more inclined to trust.

clear, more melodic voiceovers

Clearer, More Melodic

The clear, melodic nature of the female voice can also play a role in the trust it instills, as can the fact that female and male voices are processed in different parts of the brain. A University of Sheffield study found female voices are processed in the auditory region of the brain, the same area that processes music. Male voices are processed in the back of the brain in an area known as the “mind’s eye.”

The size and shape of the larynx and vocal cords between women and men make female voices more complex, yet still more easily “decoded” or understood. One interesting tidbit that underscores a female voice’s complexity is the fact that most auditory hallucinations contain a male voice. Study co-author Michael Hunter notes auditory hallucinations are thought to be caused by spontaneous brain activation, and it’s much tougher for the brain to mimic a female voice than a male one.

are brains developed to prefer female voiceovers?

Are Our Brains Developed to Prefer a Female Voice?

Take any group of listeners, and you’ll find it may not be all that difficult to find a female voice that everyone enjoys. Finding a male voice everyone likes, however, can be a real challenge. Stanford University Professor Clifford Nass noted this fact, while pointing out the human brain is actually developed to like female voices.

Studies have found this preference can be traced as far back as the womb, where unborn babies reacted to the sound of their mother’s voice. They didn’t react to other women’s voices, nor did they react to their father’s voice.

female voiceovers perceived as helping, not commanding

Perceived as Helping, Not Commanding

If you haven’t already noticed, most digital assistants and navigation systems incorporate a female voice in their technology. Alexa, Siri, Cortana and the voice of Ooma are four immediate examples that come to mind. While there are several reasons female voices outweigh male voices for technological gadgets, one pointed out by Nass was particularly enlightening.

While people enjoy using technology to help them out, they also still want to feel as if they have some control in the process. Female voices tend to do just that, making the user feel as if the technology is helping them solve their problems.

Male voices, on the other hand, are perceived as commanding them what to do. The same mindset can apply to trusting the female voice to help you select the best product or service, rather than the male voice that simply commands you to buy it.

female voiceovers more trusted

Females Are More Trusted in Person Too

It makes sense people would be more inclined to trust a female voice since they’re more inclined to trust a female in person. A management survey found this applied to CEOs, while business author Vanessa Hall found it to also be true for sales people. People are more inclined to trust, and follow, women CEOs over male CEOs. They are also more inclined to buy from those they trust, and they trust women sales people over their male colleagues.

Here the trust goes beyond just how women sound, but how they tend to act in a business environment. While male CEOs are often out for only the bottom line, women are more inclined to have more balance in their decision-making. They’ll consider the bottom line, sure, but they’ll also consider the impact of decisions on stakeholders, employees and the company as a whole.

Hall also points out that female leaders possess a more intuitive response to trust, along with an openness to change.

A study published in Harvard Business Review found women leaders ranked higher than men in 17 out of 19 categories that ranged from taking initiative to building relationships. The only categories where men ranked higher were technical or professional expertise and developing strategic perspective.

The higher-scoring leadership categories may also play a role in people’s readiness to trust a female voice.

All this doesn’t mean, of course, that a female voice-over talent is ALWAYS the ideal pick for your specific message, company or project. But it does mean you have at least six intriguing facts to consider when choosing between a male and female voice.

Whether it be for a radio or tv commercial, corporate narration or simple phone messaging system, you’ll want to give some consideration to these facts and information before deciding on which gender to choose for your project.

And, if you ultimately decide you want a female voice talent for your project, please give me a call or contact me online so we can talk about the details.

You may also enjoy reading these related posts:

“Exploring the Decision Whether to Hire Male vs. Female Voice-Over Talent”

“Benefits of Hiring a Full-Time Female Voice Over Talent”

“How a Female Voice Over Talent Makes Your Job (as Producer) Much Easier”

Are You Getting Remarkable Voice-Over Service?

Are you delivering remarkable voice-over service?

One of the best compliments you can get is fabulous feedback or a glowing testimonial from a customer or client – without even asking for it. Does that mean you’ve delivered remarkable service? Most certainly, according to author and management company founder Mike Mack.

As Mack explains in a podcast interview (start at 7 minute mark), remarkable service is simply service that’s so good your customers remark upon it. While plenty of folks are prone to hit the social media arena remarking on extraordinarily bad service, Mack focuses on key points that can make your service extraordinarily good.

His plan of action is really not that tough – but it does require constant diligence. And here’s what remarkable customer service would look like in the voice-over industry.

Poor customer service can wreck your voice-over business

Process and People

While Mack pointed out that customer service has many moving parts, there are two main areas upon which companies can focus their improvements. One is with the process; the other is with the people.

Process

Process refers to fulfilling orders, delivering goods or otherwise providing the customer with what they were promised and paid for. In the voice-over industry, the process would include things like providing an initial quote, gathering information needed to perform the work, and then delivering the final recording by deadline.

Sounds simple, but a lot can go wrong between the first step and the final recording if the voice-over talent doesn’t have his or her process streamlined for efficiency. I’ve spent years honing my process, making sure I ask all the right questions, know exactly what a client wants, and schedule my jobs with enough wiggle room for unforeseen happenings or last-minute needs.

Not everyone may do that, which can result in any number of hiccups for any number reasons, even those that are not your fault. No matter how noble your intentions, they don’t mean anything if you don’t deliver on them.

People

Dealing with people includes everything from responding to initial inquiries to effectively handling complaints and other interactions that require skillful interactions with others.

When all is well and customers are happy, it’s easy to be on target with your people skills. But when a customer is unhappy with their final product, things can get a bit trickier. There have been times when I’ve delivered a final recording, following the exact parameters a client outlined, but then they ended up wanting a myriad of changes that went above and beyond their initial project specs.

What then?

If I was at fault for the error, it’s a no-brainer for me to correct it as quickly as possible to make things right. But if the error is on the customer’s end, well, I still correct it as quickly as possible to make things right.

This is not to say I may not charge for the revisions or additional work I incur due to client error, but I will always communicate openly, honestly and directly with the client to ensure they are on the same page with the proposed solution. I don’t move forward if they’re not. And I never make assumptions that they will be. I need their confirmation.

I also make sure all communication is done with courtesy, kindness and understanding. It’s imperative clients know I’m not only listening to their input, but truly hearing what they have to say.

Little things mean a lot when it comes to delivering remarkable voice-over service and retaining your clients

Little Things and Loyalty

Another important aspect of customer service is how big the little things can be. Little things refer to the smaller details of any customer interaction, such as making sure a restaurant patron gets a straw with their drink or an extra napkin if they ask for one.

While you may not storm out of a restaurant if you don’t get a straw or extra napkin, failing to pay attention to small details can erode the feel-good vibes customers have about your business.

In the voice-over industry, small things can be as simple as a prompt reply to emails and phone calls, offering a complimentary custom audition for prospective clients, and using a phone patch so clients can provide real-time feedback during the recording session.

Could voice-over clients live without these things? Sure, the same way most people could live without a straw or extra napkin. But I don’t just want to get the job done. I want to ensure my clients have, as Mack would say, remarkable service.

When done right and done consistently, the little things are what really add up to that remarkable service. And remarkable service, in turn, adds up to customer loyalty.

Mack’s book “Remarkable Service” goes into greater detail on the importance and nuances of customer service, which serves of the foundation of any business designed to thrive.

Remarkable Voice-Over Service

As you may know, my business tagline is “More than just lip service,” so providing remarkable customer service to my voice-over clients has been on the top of my list for many years. In a time now when there are so many voice-over talents out there, I find that service is what can often most powerfully differentiate me from the competition.

To read about the nuts and bolts of what I provide as part of my remarkable voice-over service, please check out my Top Ten Reasons to Hire Debbie list. Then contact me for a free quote or custom audition and give me a chance to be remarkable!

My Accidental Niche – Voice Overs for Children’s Toys

It never really gets old. As a voice over professional, when you hear your voice on a commercial spot, or a promo, or some animated project on TV or radio, it is always a bit of a treat.

It’s not quite like being a pop star and hearing your song played on the radio, but it’s still pretty cool.

These days, most of my commercial voice overs are for regional and local markets, so my clients are often in locations that are well outside of my viewing/listening range. Unless I ask for a final copy, I may never actually get to see or hear the finished spot.

Fortunately, there is one big exception.

A few years ago, I was lucky to “accidentally” fall into a niche in the TV market for children’s toys. The success of one particular toy was unprecedented, as far as “sold on TV” products go. It actually became the number one selling children’s toy for infomercials and direct response ads, selling over eight million units in just one month in 2010.

The Pillow Pets is likely my most widely known commercial. I suppose if I took a survey of holiday shoppers at any mall in America, nearly everyone I ask would probably say they’ve heard of the Pillow Pets, and many people would probably say they have bought at least one in the past few years.

Voice Overs for Children's Toys Infomercials and Direct Response AdsA couple of months ago, I was doing some birthday shopping for my son at the local ToysRUs Store. While we were standing near the checkout counter, I noticed an end cap with a variety of kids’ toys that had formerly only been sold on TV, but were now making their way into the retail market.

I looked closer, and realized that every toy on the shelf was a product that I had done a voiceover for! What a hoot! I had my daughter snap a photo with her cell phone, just so that I could document the event. Toys pictured include: Flashlight Friends, My Spy Birdhouse, Dream Lites and Pillow Pets.

Later that same day, we were in Walmart, and in one of the aisles near the checkout section, I spotted a cart full of kids’ toys being readied to go out into the store.

Again, I see an entirely different set of infomercial type products from the ToysRUs group which also share the commonality of my voice on all of their direct response TV campaigns!

Let Your Voice Over Niche Find You

I never set out to be the voice of children’s toys. It just kind of happened. I think that is often how we discover our unique areas of specialty in voice over.

Sometimes the thing we think we’re best at isn’t what others think we’re best at. Sometimes it’s just plain luck and being in the right place at the right time.

It’s pretty amazing where that one children’s toy gig has led me. I’ll admit it’s a far cry from the Shakespeare and Greek Tragedies I acted in as a college drama major!

I am extremely grateful for the opportunities that have come my way with these products, and especially to the select group of clients who have hired me over the years for all of the infomercial and direct response marketing projects. Without your trust, opportunities and support, I would have never discovered this unique area of specialty. Thank you!!

Check out this playlist below showing many of my other infomercial and direct response voice overs for children’s toys. Have you purchased any of these for your children or relatives?

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNZTQSGbM154HDj4TULjZ1PzYAyUqmdJJ

What is Your Accidental Voice Over Niche?

If you make your living as a voiceover professional, do you find that you have one particular niche in which you are regarded as the pinnacle voice choice? Did you intentionally set out to do that or did it just kinda happen?

Or if you are someone who hires VO talent, do you pay attention to how well-known a particular voice might be in any particular market niche, and does that have any bearing on which voice over talent you ultimately choose to hire when you create something that falls within the same niche?

Please share your thoughts and comments below!