The Voice Over Industry puts the "BOOM!" in "boom mic" this year!

David Ciccarelli posted the Report on the Voice Over Industry: 2009 at Voices.com. Interesting data, that I know for certain my fellow audio workers will be pleased to see.

Of course, I'm sure many of us had a hunch that while other industries have been struggling to keep up with the fluctuating markets and ever-changing business landscape, we've been growing strong. Thanks to the popularity of Web 2.0, gaming, and mobile audio devices, it's become our time to shine...and prosper!

How do you make the most of this boom?

1. Take advantage of close-out prices and liquidation by software and recording equipment dealers and upgrade your studio! I've never met a studio owner who hated buying gear, and by having the latest technology to offer, you're that much more appealing to clients.

2. Build long-term relationships. Odds are, you're going to get a lot of clients in the near future who are going to be watching their budgets, and hiring you for a little here, a little there. Developing "bulk rates" or being a go-to in these tough times will be something they won't forget when the going gets better, thus cutting down on the amount of lead generation work you'll have to put in tomorrow.

3. Go where the business is now. Odds of doing a major car ad right now? Probably pretty slim. Voicing debt consolidation ads? Better.

4. Use any down-time between jobs to better your skills. Take a voice course, do work outside of your comfort zone, or network with other talent and trade tips.

5. Be the best you can be, in performance, delivery, communication, value, and all-around experience. This is ALWAYS the way to go.

It's our year. Let's jump beyond the projections and make this industry the best it can be!

How to Succeed in 2009 - more on the Power of the Plan!

Janet Attard has a great article on how to succeed in 2009 up at Business Know-How, which I think works in perfect sync with my post here the other day on the Power of the Plan: 2009. Keeping "the end in mind" (as my coach likes to say) is a fantastic way to really get goals (and dreams!) accomplished.

As I've said before, I'm a very "visual" worker, and I've got to get all of my senses in alignment or I start to get confused. On my vision board, I actually stuck a little drawing with my overall "end goal" at the top, with the depiction of a road leading from it. Along the road, I've got all of the things sketched that I need to do, or that are aspects of my life that I'm doing now that already lead to the road, to keep me on track. Other things, which I may also be doing (or have done in the past), that lead away from the road, have arrows pointing away, reminding me that they're not good choices if I want to get where I want to be.

The lesson is, you need tools! No good craftsman, either in business, in art, or in life, operates without them. Don't shy away from using as many as you can.

A Meatball Sundae is just what you need.

Marketing genius Seth Godin has once again hit it out of the marketing ballpark with Meatball Sundae: Is Your Marketing Out of Sync?. Colorfully and succinctly, Godin lays out what you might not want to hear: that the "Old Marketing" of television interrupts and mass marketing average products, is losing ground to the "New Marketing" in the Web 2.0 world, and you've got to pick a team.

With fourteen clearly defined considerations of New Marketing in his toolbox, along with enough case studies (from companies you not only already know of, but have probably worked with) to prove his points, Godin makes a great case for not only utilizing these new tools, but also for adapting your entire business structure to work with them.

What could be so compelling that a seasoned company would restructure into a fresh startup just to take advantage? The consumer. In today's online market, the customer is not only king, he's also the boss, the critic, and sounding board from which all new ideas come.

It's never been a better time to be a consumer, an entrepreneur, or a creative. With Meatball Sundae Seth Godin makes us all feel new again!


Check out this book as well as many other great business resources at the Serious Vanity Learning and Productivity Center.

Are you qualifying your leads, or are they qualifying you?

When you generate leads for your business, the logical middle step before converting a sale for the product or service you provide is the 'qualification' stage, ie, finding out if you're a good match for each other! You got their attention, but do they want what you offer?

In the studio business, we each have an 'ideal client' that has the working style we want and need in order to perform to the highest goal-meeting ability. But so many times, especially in businesses that differentiate themselves on price, it's the CLIENT that does the qualifying, not the business.

Let me explain: you tell a prospect what you can provide for them in a proposal. They come back with a completely different idea of what you'll provide in a follow-up (usually based on the cost of your service).

At this point, do you renegotiate with their follow-up in mind, setting your goals aside and grasping on to whatever they want you to do as your guide? If so, you've let THEM qualify YOU.

If instead, you either go back to negotiations with your original goals in mind, but taking into account some of their needs in their follow-up, or you just say, "Thank you, but we're not right for each other", then YOU'VE qualified (or disqualified) THEM.

You have to be the captain of your own ship in business, and taking time with clients who aren't your ideal takes time away from generating, qualifying, and converting those that are. Make sure your marketing and communication language always maintains the integrity of your business goals, and you'll spend far less time courting the ones that aren't right for you.

Start learning how to do this (and so much more), by reading The Answer.

Do you have The Answer?

I can't help but share some of the great products and resources I come across (even though I should probably keep them all to myself!). Right now I'm in the middle of The Answer: Grow Any Business, Achieve Financial Freedom, and Live an Extraordinary Life. Now, I'm not shy about endorsing authors John Assaraf and Murray Smith's company OneCoach, which I'm also a member of, but I would highly recommend this book even if I wasn't. This book has been billed as "The Secret for Business", and fans of that book and/or film who want to go to the next level with their businesses will not be disappointed. It's an MBA in hardback form, outlining the right steps to take, in the right order, from "inner work" to action steps in any industry.

I'll be keeping it in the sidebar as well, so you can easily grab yourself a copy!

GREAT book! Plus...site changes!

Well, we're deep into all of our site changes, and I have to thank a great new book for making it all possible! Sites that Soar! is the WordPress customization and instruction book that I'd always been seeking. You don't have to know html, css, or php in order to get a great looking site with WordPress. If you do know a little of any or all of that, it gives you an amazing base from which to build a unique, professional design all your own!

Weird I'm promoting it on Blogger, no? (Actually, I look at the two services as having different purposes, at least in my business, so no flip-flopping on blog services intended!).

Here's the link to get an instant copy:

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!

Check this out, fellow bloggers!

I'm evaluating a multi-media course on blogging from the folks at Simpleology. For a while, they're letting you snag it for free if you post about it on your blog.

It covers:

• The best blogging techniques.
• How to get traffic to your blog.
• How to turn your blog into money.

I'll let you know what I think once I've had a chance to check it out. Meanwhile, go grab yours while it's still free.

Bonus Product Recommendation Podcast!

Bonus 100% Organic Podcast #1!

Our bonus product recommendation is Voices.com's downloadable Internet Marketing Plan for Voice Actors. This guide takes you through every step of developing your marketing plan, from defining your business and skills and honing in on your competitive advantage, to optimizing your website and connecting through online social networks.

With both concise and direct definitions and descriptions, and workbook-styled tables for displaying your own analytics, this eBook can help both seasoned performers and beginners develop their optimum strategies and make the most of their budgets.

I especially liked the in-depth attention to Search Engine Optimization, complete with hotlinks within the text for quick reference while you're reading the book on your computer. The charts and statistics throughout also help give a great overview of the industry. And the entire section on branding pays attention to details other voice over guides would overlook, like the importance of color and unity in your online marketing image.

I would highly recommend the Internet Marketing Plan for Voice Actors from Voices.com.

Once again, here is the direct link: http://www.voices.com/ebook/internet-marketing-plan-for-voice-actors.html

Check it out!

Which social network is right for you?

Our next podcast will not only feature tips on why you should develop a USP, but also on how to find the right social network for you and your business. Can you effectively network on MySpace? What else is out there? We'll show you some alternatives as well as discuss how to make the most of the popular services.

The Color of Your Business

This is really neat! When designing your site, logo, or other branding materials, color plays an important role. Here are some great resources to help pick the colors right for you!

Color Wheel Pro: Color Meaning
Color Use in Merchandising & Advertising
What color is your Business? - Even more resources here!

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). There's always a way to keep your reputation intact and losses to a minimum.

A shout out to our favorite web host

Our new site additions wouldn't be possible without the best web host in the world, Hostbaby! An extra service they provide to their users, Listbaby, is now our email list server as well. You can sign up on our page to receive periodic helpful business tips and other recommendations to help your business succeed. We don't update there as often as we do here, so you won't have to worry about having your inbox overflowing with too many emails from us!