In building our new site, I've had the opportunity to revisit a lot of old audio projects and samples we've done over the years. I remember taking that leap into professional voice work around 2003, and how capable I really felt when I landed that first voice client.
Soon after I ended up moving my studio to a much different, bigger location, and I felt like the new environment I created improved the overall quality of what I was producing. At the same time, it was obvious that my performance ability was also growing due to all of the experience I was picking up along the way.
Then I felt like I really hit my sweet spot a few years back. My environment, my production level, and my performance level, were all consistent, and my client base was largely a solid group of return clients that I knew how to please.
But, there is a danger in this kind of thinking. It lies in getting too "comfortable". I can hear it now when I listen to those audios I created at that time. The same performances aren't fresh or relevant now. My experience has lead me to be better now, but what else can I do to make sure I don't turn myself into an audio dinosaur before my time?
Step One: Acceptance. Change is happening all around us, all of the time. As industries grow into different markets and technologies are innovated, we have to keep up as professionals. If we stop learning, we stop growing, which makes us stop being useful to our clients. They will not run the same campaigns, create the same kinds of projects, or have the same audiences forever.
Step Two: Research. Are you keeping up with your clients' industries? Following what ad agencies, publishing companies, or the other creative companies who hire you are following, so you can stay on the cusp of their innovations? It's not just about what they're doing today, though it's great if you're an audiobook artist to be listening to current audiobook productions, or if you're an e-Learning specialist to be keeping up with those current releases. But with an eye to the future, you can help your client develop the kinds of audios that can put them--and you--on the map. It's not just about the voiceover or studio industries when we're working for someone else.
Step Three: Practice. Being a performer or producer of any sort means keeping your chops in top form. If you're waiting until you're in the booth or behind the desk to practice your art, you're relying on conscious competence. This is when you're spending too much 'brain time' coming up with solutions or approaches. What you want to aim for is unconscious competence, which is that gut knowing how something should be done. This comes from keeping your skills sharpened with constant reading, recording, reciting...all of the things you love anyway.
If you don't have a client, give yourself an assignment. And see it through. It doesn't matter if it's getting through a tutorial on a new piece of software you want to learn, going to a seminar, finding a voice coach and keeping up with your exercises, studying how others in your field are creating, or just recording for recording's sake.
Volunteer to read to school children to practice character voicing and narration. Help a neighborhood teenager produce their first demo. Just do something to challenge yourself to not stay in that comfort zone.
So now, I'm working on some new samples and projects that reflect my new skills. I still have most of those clients from a few years ago, and guess what? I can still provide what they need--faster, and better--because I chose to stay on the bleeding edge of my craft. Sometimes it's not cozy, but it's always necessary.
Showing posts with label clients. Show all posts
Showing posts with label clients. Show all posts
Friday, May 15, 2009
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
Recession-Proof Your Mind, Recession-Proof Your Business
“Our worst fear is not that we are inadequate, our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves,’who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God; you playing small doesn’t serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. You were born to make manifest the glory of God within us. It is not just in some of us, it is in everyone and as we let our own light shine we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
--Nelson Mandela
One of the biggest hurdles in the current Western economy is in conquering the doomsday machines. We're besieged with negative speak from the media and our peers every day about how we're all going to spiral downward.
It's hard to argue with: there have been huge drops in the stock market, here in the U.S. we now have a fat cat "rescue" plan in place that will cost us tax payers $700 billion, with little guarantee of effectiveness (Certainly, that money invested back into our education system would guarantee far more long term success! But that's another blog post...). People are losing their jobs, their homes, and their hope.
It all spells difficulty in keeping the end in mind (aka your Clear Vision) when pursuing your business and life goals. How can we say that we're certain of our year-end results, when we don't know what the market's going to do this afternoon? Even if we're not directly effected, if that fear is in the heart of our client, they'll be less likely to want to spend right now--causing the agony to 'trickle down' on us.
So what can we do? Luckily, lots of things!
Every challenge presents us with the opportunity to learn, grow, and dig deep to find those solutions that will not only move us forward individually, but as a collective, too! Just like Nelson Mandela said above, "...As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” So we MUST push onward!
Step One: Revisit that Clear Vision, hone it, and own it!
Without the end in mind, we lose our True North. That internal compass point is going to help us plot our path to what we want our businesses (and our lives) to be!
It may be that we need to approach our visions in a new way. There are many methods in laying one out, not limited to:
If you've laid your Clear Vision out as a story in the past, maybe developing a vision board for it will help you to refocus on what you want. A movie-like script, outlining the story of your dreams may be just the injection of excitement your current mind map needs to get you pumped up again, and take your mind off of all the gloom-and-doom you're hearing on the nightly news.
According to "Creating a Clear, Compelling Vision" by Marilyn Schwader, there are four components your vision should have:
I'll be visiting these all in more detail in the coming weeks. Until then, get on that vision, and start step one in Recession-Proofing Your Mind!
--Nelson Mandela
One of the biggest hurdles in the current Western economy is in conquering the doomsday machines. We're besieged with negative speak from the media and our peers every day about how we're all going to spiral downward.
It's hard to argue with: there have been huge drops in the stock market, here in the U.S. we now have a fat cat "rescue" plan in place that will cost us tax payers $700 billion, with little guarantee of effectiveness (Certainly, that money invested back into our education system would guarantee far more long term success! But that's another blog post...). People are losing their jobs, their homes, and their hope.
It all spells difficulty in keeping the end in mind (aka your Clear Vision) when pursuing your business and life goals. How can we say that we're certain of our year-end results, when we don't know what the market's going to do this afternoon? Even if we're not directly effected, if that fear is in the heart of our client, they'll be less likely to want to spend right now--causing the agony to 'trickle down' on us.
So what can we do? Luckily, lots of things!
Every challenge presents us with the opportunity to learn, grow, and dig deep to find those solutions that will not only move us forward individually, but as a collective, too! Just like Nelson Mandela said above, "...As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” So we MUST push onward!
Step One: Revisit that Clear Vision, hone it, and own it!
Without the end in mind, we lose our True North. That internal compass point is going to help us plot our path to what we want our businesses (and our lives) to be!
It may be that we need to approach our visions in a new way. There are many methods in laying one out, not limited to:
- lists
- storytelling
- scripts
- mind movies
- audio (recorded messages or even song mixes or playlists!)
- vision boards (My mentor, John Assaraf, is actually releasing his new The Complete Vision Board Kit
tomorrow!)
- questionaires or worksheets
If you've laid your Clear Vision out as a story in the past, maybe developing a vision board for it will help you to refocus on what you want. A movie-like script, outlining the story of your dreams may be just the injection of excitement your current mind map needs to get you pumped up again, and take your mind off of all the gloom-and-doom you're hearing on the nightly news.
According to "Creating a Clear, Compelling Vision" by Marilyn Schwader, there are four components your vision should have:
- 1. Your Values
- 2. Your Dream
- 3. Your Purpose
- 4. Your Mission Objectives
I'll be visiting these all in more detail in the coming weeks. Until then, get on that vision, and start step one in Recession-Proofing Your Mind!
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Microphone Feedback!!
Ok--feedback is BAD when you're recording (unless it's guitar feedback, but as a guitarist, I'm biased), but GOOD afterwards. I mean, of course, the kind of feedback provided by a happy client or an enthusiastic audience.
But if you aren't getting feedback? How are you measuring your performances?
We all can think we're doing a great job, chugging along with the same techniques that we've always used. But are we keeping up? What's being innovated around us that we might be missing out on?
The truth is, feedback IS all around us, even when we're not getting it kicked back to us from clients or listeners. How's your response rate to auditions? How many calls are being returned? What do your sales look like or how many people from your mailing list are turning out to your shows after you announce them?
It's important to stay fresh, and keep challenging yourself by setting measurable 'feedback goals'. If your clients aren't giving you what you need, how about a nudge? A site like SurveyMonkey lets you set up a short questionnaire they can answer anonymously at their convenience, giving you the metrics you need. You can also put it on your site or social profile, letting casual listeners give you some hints, too.
And, most importantly, listen to your gut. Do you KNOW it's time to start doing something different? Are you still challenging yourself to learn a new skill or take a risk? Be critical of yourself and your performances and work habits, but also follow your instincts. You know your abilities--put them to the highest use!
But if you aren't getting feedback? How are you measuring your performances?
We all can think we're doing a great job, chugging along with the same techniques that we've always used. But are we keeping up? What's being innovated around us that we might be missing out on?
The truth is, feedback IS all around us, even when we're not getting it kicked back to us from clients or listeners. How's your response rate to auditions? How many calls are being returned? What do your sales look like or how many people from your mailing list are turning out to your shows after you announce them?
It's important to stay fresh, and keep challenging yourself by setting measurable 'feedback goals'. If your clients aren't giving you what you need, how about a nudge? A site like SurveyMonkey lets you set up a short questionnaire they can answer anonymously at their convenience, giving you the metrics you need. You can also put it on your site or social profile, letting casual listeners give you some hints, too.
And, most importantly, listen to your gut. Do you KNOW it's time to start doing something different? Are you still challenging yourself to learn a new skill or take a risk? Be critical of yourself and your performances and work habits, but also follow your instincts. You know your abilities--put them to the highest use!
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
mmmtow mailing list and how to protect yourself!
Dana here from SVM! I usually don't like to pass along anything with a seemingly negative vibe, but in this case, I think there's enough that can be learned from my experience to make it worth sharing with my fellow business operators!
I belong to a great mailing list by author and studio owner Jeffrey P. Fisher. You've probably seen some of his books like Cash Tracks or Ruthless Self-Promotion in the Music Industry (these and several others are currently in my own studio library!). His list is a great one to join if you want some quick tips from an experienced guy!
I just shot him off an email about something I read in his newsletter this morning. I've pasted it below, too, and hope it stands as an example of how to turn a negative business situation into a positive.
>>* There were quite a few responses to the last few tips. My words
seem to resonate with readers. Here's a particularly interesting
observation from Kent Mulkey: "In April, I did a favor for an
acquaintance and videotaped a BellyDance Recital and made DVDs of the
event. The carrot was a certain amount of money after the DVD orders
were collected. The bad part is that they didn't like the DVD after I
delivered 30 copies. They had given me a check after delivery of the
30, and I deposited it. Now, they want all the money back and will
not return the DVDs. The supplies for this were above one hundred
dollars and the time spent was way too much. I am disappointed they
didn't like my work but I thought it was okay especially taking into
account the lighting conditions and some other uncontrollable
handicaps. Not to mention that it was a favor because they couldn't
find a real video jock to film the show. I didn't pursue them at all.
Now I have to decide if I will return all the money or minus
expenses. They will not ever be a client. The good thing is that I
learned how important a contract is, even for a favor. Any time money
is involved or even not a contract can save much anxiety about what
the right thing to do is. All customers should pay for a job done in
good faith."<<
I definitely think we SHOULD be paid, but, as in any business, we have to prepare a plan for those times when we get the less-than-desirable clients.
I sometimes acquire clients through third-party job sites, that handle both the leads and proposals, as well as payment. One thing you have to keep in mind with these places (which I learned the hard way) is that, though they themselves are reputable, finding a client via them doesn't mean the client is reputable.
I was hired for a :60 radio jingle, and did a great job for a great price. We handled all script writing and voice auditioning in-house, had great communication with the client, and received 50% of our total fee upfront. It was a fun job, and everything was going great!
Then, contact became sporadic. I wasn't getting the feedback I needed to get the job wrapped up to meet their broadcast schedule. Finally, I heard back and all seemed to be going great again. They wanted to deliver final payment, even before we were done, since it was a lag on their end.
I invoiced, and that was the last I'd heard until I got notice from the job site that they'd been paying all of us (they'd hired several other professionals for other jobs at the same time) with a fraudulent credit card. This resulted in a chargeback to me for what I'd already been paid, plus a lot of time and work down the drain for myself and the voice artist I'd ultimately hired and paid.
I did a little research, and it turns out the client (who had several different names he was working under) wasn't even really working for who he'd said, so I had no legal course of action with them. The 'client' himself was overseas and, after I'd done some research, wanted on several warrants for more of the same (though with much bigger monies involved than little ol' me!).
I knew I would be taking a loss on this situation, if I chose to. But I wanted to take my lemon and make a lemon martini!
Since I never relinquished ownership of anything, I have a great piece of work which is now not only a great spec piece I can show other clients, but one that is ready to license to the next company who needs a slick :60 ad with quick turnaround (with the quick addition of a new voice over). I also built some great relationships with overseas voice talent that I know will be revisited with future projects. And the job service chargeback isn't something that's a ton of stress, since I was more than cooperative with sharing the information I had on the fraud, in order to keep him off of the site in the future.
My advice to share? If you work with a third party job site that handles any part of the payment process for you, utilize their "Escrow" service, instead of "Invoicing" or using an outside payment method! If I had insisted on "Escrow", I would have been more protected under their ToS, and could have even used their legal service to fight for me at no extra charge. They're in the same boat as we are when things like this happen, and have just as much to gain by going after these frauds. Don't be afraid to lose a few clients who are turned off by the "Escrow" requirement in order to protect yourself in the long run!
And of course, never see a job as a complete loss. With the prior posted DVD problem, use it as a sample, if you're still proud of it, or find a way to maybe re-edit it to satisfy the client (then maybe place it online for downloading/burning to DVD at their convenience).
I belong to a great mailing list by author and studio owner Jeffrey P. Fisher. You've probably seen some of his books like Cash Tracks or Ruthless Self-Promotion in the Music Industry (these and several others are currently in my own studio library!). His list is a great one to join if you want some quick tips from an experienced guy!
I just shot him off an email about something I read in his newsletter this morning. I've pasted it below, too, and hope it stands as an example of how to turn a negative business situation into a positive.
>>* There were quite a few responses to the last few tips. My words
seem to resonate with readers. Here's a particularly interesting
observation from Kent Mulkey: "In April, I did a favor for an
acquaintance and videotaped a BellyDance Recital and made DVDs of the
event. The carrot was a certain amount of money after the DVD orders
were collected. The bad part is that they didn't like the DVD after I
delivered 30 copies. They had given me a check after delivery of the
30, and I deposited it. Now, they want all the money back and will
not return the DVDs. The supplies for this were above one hundred
dollars and the time spent was way too much. I am disappointed they
didn't like my work but I thought it was okay especially taking into
account the lighting conditions and some other uncontrollable
handicaps. Not to mention that it was a favor because they couldn't
find a real video jock to film the show. I didn't pursue them at all.
Now I have to decide if I will return all the money or minus
expenses. They will not ever be a client. The good thing is that I
learned how important a contract is, even for a favor. Any time money
is involved or even not a contract can save much anxiety about what
the right thing to do is. All customers should pay for a job done in
good faith."<<
I definitely think we SHOULD be paid, but, as in any business, we have to prepare a plan for those times when we get the less-than-desirable clients.
I sometimes acquire clients through third-party job sites, that handle both the leads and proposals, as well as payment. One thing you have to keep in mind with these places (which I learned the hard way) is that, though they themselves are reputable, finding a client via them doesn't mean the client is reputable.
I was hired for a :60 radio jingle, and did a great job for a great price. We handled all script writing and voice auditioning in-house, had great communication with the client, and received 50% of our total fee upfront. It was a fun job, and everything was going great!
Then, contact became sporadic. I wasn't getting the feedback I needed to get the job wrapped up to meet their broadcast schedule. Finally, I heard back and all seemed to be going great again. They wanted to deliver final payment, even before we were done, since it was a lag on their end.
I invoiced, and that was the last I'd heard until I got notice from the job site that they'd been paying all of us (they'd hired several other professionals for other jobs at the same time) with a fraudulent credit card. This resulted in a chargeback to me for what I'd already been paid, plus a lot of time and work down the drain for myself and the voice artist I'd ultimately hired and paid.
I did a little research, and it turns out the client (who had several different names he was working under) wasn't even really working for who he'd said, so I had no legal course of action with them. The 'client' himself was overseas and, after I'd done some research, wanted on several warrants for more of the same (though with much bigger monies involved than little ol' me!).
I knew I would be taking a loss on this situation, if I chose to. But I wanted to take my lemon and make a lemon martini!
Since I never relinquished ownership of anything, I have a great piece of work which is now not only a great spec piece I can show other clients, but one that is ready to license to the next company who needs a slick :60 ad with quick turnaround (with the quick addition of a new voice over). I also built some great relationships with overseas voice talent that I know will be revisited with future projects. And the job service chargeback isn't something that's a ton of stress, since I was more than cooperative with sharing the information I had on the fraud, in order to keep him off of the site in the future.
My advice to share? If you work with a third party job site that handles any part of the payment process for you, utilize their "Escrow" service, instead of "Invoicing" or using an outside payment method! If I had insisted on "Escrow", I would have been more protected under their ToS, and could have even used their legal service to fight for me at no extra charge. They're in the same boat as we are when things like this happen, and have just as much to gain by going after these frauds. Don't be afraid to lose a few clients who are turned off by the "Escrow" requirement in order to protect yourself in the long run!
And of course, never see a job as a complete loss. With the prior posted DVD problem, use it as a sample, if you're still proud of it, or find a way to maybe re-edit it to satisfy the client (then maybe place it online for downloading/burning to DVD at their convenience).
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