A few weeks ago John Melley posted a discussion in the Marketing For Fun And Profit Group of VoiceoverUniverse.com called “How Scarce Are You?”  It was brilliant.  I highly recommend you read it.

In the post John asked the question, “How can I get them to say ‘That’s the person I want to do all my voice over work?’”

A great question.  And one that I hope will generate some discussion here.

John goes on to say, “You do it with the words you use, the way you treat your clients, how you look after them, how you dress, speak on the phone, how you write your emails, your letterhead, demo packaging, the experience they have with you in the studio. Your “Presentation.”  Those are all great reminders.  Read them again and think about them.

Now, obviously talent and delivery are critical to success with your client.  And you’re not going to get ALL of a clients voice work unless it’s a very small client.  But you can position yourself to make yourself one of your client’s “go to” voices.  So, with that in mind, I’d like to add a few thoughts to that question.

1.  Your client pretty much already has a voice in mind.  It’s your job to figure out what he/she is looking for.  Ask them for ideas and samples.

I learned this lesson from my wife.

Several years ago she decided she wanted a new hair style.  When she went to her hair stylist, she was asked to bring in pictures of what she had in mind.

My wife, Marcia, knew what she was looking for.  The stylist wasn’t offended that she wasn’t leaving it up to her.  It was all about pleasing the client.

A side note: the picture changed several times before she decided on what she wanted.  But that’s for another blog.

2.  Study the copy.

Your client has a unique writing style.  It’s different from every other client.  There are little nuances and inflections that your client has already heard in his/her head.  Find out what the client is expecting. Learn their writing style and how they interpret their copy.

I totally blew this today.

A client sent me the copy for a voiceover - a car spot.  I always do the real hard sell delivery for this client.  So, I recorded it and sent them a couple of takes per his request.

Well, not exactly per his request.

A few minutes later I got a call from the client, who fortunately was laughing, to tell me that Cadillac spots sound better when they are not screamed.

I’m an idiot.

3.  Understand your client’s schedule.

By the time your client gets to the voiceover part of the production, he/she is already in a time crunch.  That’s just the way it is.

If you can move heaven and earth to accommodate their schedule, they will appreciate and remember you.

Will they take advantage of you?  Sure.  But no more than their client takes advantage of them.  It’s just the way the business works.

4.  Tell your client that you welcome their direction.

I make it a point to tell new clients to feel free to tell me what they want, to interrupt me if I’m not doing what they want, to tell me what they like and don’t like, and that I’m not offended or bothered by that.

I have clients that are comfortable interrupting a read.  I like that.  I don’t take it as an insult.  Why should I waste their time and mine doing something that they’re not going to use?  The way I figure it, every time they interrupt me I get a little closer to what they’re looking for.

It’s all about pleasing the customer.

A couple of years ago Marcia and I purchased our second original painting by P. Buckley Moss, one of our favorite artists.  In fact, this painting was essentially commissioned, not that she does that sort of thing, but she offered…and we were thrilled!  When we received the painting - one that represents her unique style - it was missing two things that Marcia really wanted in the painting.  When asked if it was what she wanted, Marcia mentioned the couple of things (Hey, she asked!).  Pat took the painting back and acted pleased…PLEASED…that she would be able to add those two items to the painting.

That blew me away.  An artist of her stature was more interested in pleasing a fan than in her own interpretation of a subject.

That painting is one of the pieces in our collection of which we are most proud.

Believe me, treat your clients that way and you will be one of their favorites!

5.  Become a fan!

Your client is a fan.  You need to be a fan of your client.

I learned the importance of this a couple of years ago when I got a call from a producer inquiring about using me for a project.  He said he got my name and phone number from a mutual friend “who says you’re a good friend of his.”  That referral was from another client that I really do admire.  I really am a fan.  I just didn’t know it showed.

Apparently it does.

So, there you have it.  Make yourself one of your client’s favorites and you’ll have work for life!

Most certainly there are many other things you can do to make yourself one of your client’s favorites.  What do you think?

Those guys (men and women) who often decide which voice to use…which talent moves ahead in his/her career…who is actually the best voice for their product or project.

And here’s what they want us voice talents to know:  It’s not about us.

Just today I was in a session with an engineer from one of the production houses I work with.  He asked me point blank, “Let me ask you something.  Yesterday I was in a session with a talent…the client was on the line…and the talent just went off on how I was handling the session.  Am I doing something wrong?”

He actually caught me by surprise because I think he’s one of the best I’ve worked with, and I certainly didn’t think the way he ran a session was inappropriate.  But what is even more disconcerting is that the VO talent mouthed off in front of the client.

WHAT???  Shut up already!!!  It’s not about you!

The more I thought about that the more agitated I got.  On the one hand, it just made me look better to the producer and the client, but on the other hand it was an insult to our industry.  No matter what you may think, how you represent yourself represents the rest of us.  When a voice talent leaves a good or bad impression on a producer or client it affects how they think about voice talent in general.

So with that in mind, here are 5 things to consider:

1.  The most important thing in the world at that time to your client is that project.  Not you.  Not what you think about the copy.  Not what you think about the production. And not what you think about the direction.

2.  Piss off the client or the producer and you’ll never work for them again.  Do me a favor would you?  When you decide that the producer or the client is a moron, would you please let me know?  I figure they won’t be hiring you again and I might as well get my name in there.  I could use the work.

3.  The producer and/or the client generally know that they want.  They’ve been working on that project for a long time - much longer than you’ve been a part of the project.  They’ve got the sound they want in their head.  They thought you can deliver it.  It’s your job to figure out what they want, not theirs to convince you.

4.  Along with being a voice talent comes a responsibility for professionalism.  Unfortunately  too many talents have not lived up to that.  There is no union, association, or universal criteria that guarantees that.  It’s no wonder producers and clients are so hesitant and guarded with us.

5.  Voicing your unrequested opinion…or even showing an attitude in a session is not only arrogant but ignorant.  It just proves how out of touch you are with the process.  Shut up already!!!  It’s not about you!

The good news is that the VO talents who violate these principles are few and far between.  To you producers and clients who may read this, know that the vast majority of voice talents get it - we’re just part of the process; one of the tools in your toolbox.

Guaranteed satisfaction.  It’s a creed most of us voice talents live by.  And it can only happen when we really understand how we fit into the scheme of things, and then make sure the people we work for are happy they used us.  It is, after all, about them.

You work hard to get the information out about your business.  You spend a lot of time searching and researching potential clients.  You even throw a bunch of cash into the effort.  And then…

You get busy.

The marketing push pays off.  You get clients out the wazoo (whatever that means). And you find yourself working 10 to 12 hour days to keep up.  You smile all the way to the bank.  And then it happens…

You get un-busy.

Why?  Because you didn’t have time to keep the marketing effort going.

One time when my youngest son, Jordan, was very young, I told him to clean up his room.  And as with most kids, I had to tell him again.  And again.  To the point where I told him to go in his room and not come out until it was cleaned up.

About an hour later I checked in on him.  Nothing.  The room was still a disaster.

Finally, I was so frustrated with him that I sat him down on the bed, looked him in the eye and asked why he hadn’t cleaned up his room?

He looked up at me with that perfect innocent look of a 5 year old and said, “Dad, you made me stay in my room.  I can’t play AND clean up the room at the same time!”

That’s what happens in business also.  A lot of us get so busy working that we don’t take the time to keep the business coming.  It’s a big, costly mistake that too many companies make.  And then when business does slow down, the pressure is on, attitudes change, stress goes up, and revenues go down.  Because some of us don’t know how to play AND clean up the room at the same time.

I’m in the voiceover business.  And while each business is a little different, there are a lot of basics that work for all business.  I have a theory that works for me.  I use the 10-10-10 method.

Once the business is flowing,  I spend 10% of my time each week to generate new business;  I spend 10% of my revenues on marketing strategies;  and I expect my business to grow by at least 10% each year. It works for me.

And there is actually another 10 in there.  I’ve found I spend 10% of my time cleaning up my studio.  Because I can’t play AND clean up my room at the same time.

Buck and I used to talk about a lot of things.  Mostly golf.  But I remember one conversation that really hit home.  It was one of the few times we talked baseball.  I asked him “What’s the main difference between major league players and minor league players?  Is it talent?”

“Oh, no,” he answered.  “There are a lot of players in the minors that have more talent than some of the players in the bigs.”

He went on to explain that certainly experience is a big factor, but the biggest difference, he said, was players that knew what they had and what to do with it.

“For example,” he said, “You take a young pitcher that can throw 98 mph.  If he doesn’t know how to use that talent and when to use that heat, a hitter in the big leagues will take him downtown every time.”

I’ve thought about that conversation many times.  Especially when that 80 year old baseball legend kicked my butt on the golf course.

That principle holds true in any business.  And it certainly holds true in the voiceover business.

Want to succeed in your business?

Know what you’ve got and how to use it.

I’ve been in this business for about 25 years.  I’ve made so many mistakes in business I deserve some sort of award like the “What The Heck Were You Thinking” award, or the “Yup, You’re A Moron” award.  And almost every mistake and bad decision was because I thought I was better or different than what I am.

You are who you are.  Deal with it.

You have the talent you have.  Deal with it.

But here is the good news.  You can make a good living being one of the best at what you do best!

So…you’re in the minors.  You wonder if you will ever make it to the bigs.  And even if you do make it to the bigs, do you have the staying power to make a good life for yourself?

The answer is in the simple question:  “Whatcha got and whatcha you gonna do with it?”

MANAGING THE CLIENT

Help!  The Client Wants A Freebie!

We’ve all had that phone call.  You know, the one where the client, who is probably not even a big client asks you for a favor and wants you to do a job for nothing to near nothing.  And your heart sinks and you have a sudden sense of panic – “What if I say no, will I lose this client?”  “How could he do this to me?  He knows I’m barely keeping my head above water!”  “If I do this, am I setting a precedent?” And suddenly you’re overwhelmed by a sense of losing control.

Unfortunately there are no set rules or formulas for how to handle this situation.  I will tell you though, that in my experience about half of the time the client was really in a jam and needed my help, and in the long run I made a business partner for life.  The other half of the time I lost a client who was on his way out because of his own business issues, or was more of a mooch than a client and I was happy to see him go.  I realize that’s a harsh statement to make, but Uncle Sam doesn’t consider me to be a charitable organization and he expects his cut. Of everything. Even the mere pittance the client offered.

The truth of the matter is you don’t build a good business relationship with your client by working too cheap.

You build good business relationships with your client by giving great service at a fair price.

But what about the client that asks for the freebies?  How do you handle that?

I have a personal policy that I follow on this matter.  It’s not for everyone, but it works for me.  If I have a client that has produced x number of dollars for me over the past year, and I am asked to help him out on a project at a cut rate…or even for no money…I ask myself two questions:

One, is this a pro-bono job that my client believes in and is committed to, and my contribution is of great benefit to the project?  And by the way, whatever cut the client asks me to take,  I ask them if they are taking the same cut.

And two, is this to help my client get more business?  In other words, what’s in it for my client? 

One of the things I’ve discovered over the years is that if my client understands that I’m willing to help him get new business, which of course may get me new business, he will have a greater appreciation for me and consider me more of a partner.

You have a most effective tool to help your client get more business: You - your voice, your experience, your connections, etc.   Your client will appreciate that from you! 

It’s frustrating.  And that frustration leads to more mistakes and more desperation.  It’s a vicious cycle.

It occurs to me that our business is a lot like that.  There are days when nothing we seem to do works.  No matter how hard we try, the auditions don’t work, the sound just isn’t right, and the clients go with someone else.

I had one of those days today.

So, what do you do when that happens?

Let me make a few suggestions:

1.  Listen to your coach.

Who’s your coach?  Do you have someone that is your coach, or are you your own coach?  In any case, listen to your coach, whether it be your inner or outer coach - someone who sees the bigger picture;  someone who knows your strengths and weaknesses;   someone who can refocus you on what you do best.

2.  Don’t panic.

Nobody ever makes the right decision when they panic.  Those kind of decisions are made by fear, not by wisdom, confidence, and experience.

3.  Go to your aces.

In a close game you always go to your big players.  It’s no different in business.  When the pressure is on, call on your main clients.  They’re the ones that believe in you and know how they can use you.  Your chances of changing the momentum are better with them than with trying to land a new client.

4.  Take your best shot.

Do what you’re good at.  When things don’t seem to be coming together, trying something new and different is usually not the way to go.  You’ve probably worked hard at establishing yourself with a particular vocal style and delivery.  Capitalize on that.

5.   Remember what doesn’t work.

The old saying goes “Those who ignore history are destined to repeat it.”  The principle applies to our business also.  If you don’t remember what doesn’t work, it will have a way of coming back to remind you again and again.

I just don’t have that “imaging” voice - you know, that voice that the big rock stations use.  That voice that you can feel in your chest.  I hate those guys.  They have it easy.  All they have to do is open their mouths and people throw money at them.  But I digress.

Every once in awhile I get a call from some station that would like me to do some imaging for them.  And suddenly I think “Hey, maybe I can do that.”  Bad idea.  I’m just not that voice.  And when I try to be that voice…FAIL.

So, it’s a lesson to learn.  At best you are only going to score on 10% of your auditions, and probably more like 5%.  Be what you’re good at.  Know who you are…and who you are not.

Oh, by the way, game over.  And the good news…my team pulled it out!

MANAGING THE CLIENT

What’s Going On In The Client’s Head?

A friend in the voiceover business called me the other day with a dilemma about one of his clients.  He was frustrated because his client was making demands that didn’t make sense to him.  Specifically, his client wanted to drop the retainer agreement they had, and pay per job, which in effect made more money for him, but didn’t seem to be a prudent move for the client.  My friend was concerned because he didn’t think the client was being transparent enough, and he was afraid the client wanted to bail on him.

With that in mind, I’d like to offer a few things to think about as you build client relationships:

1.    Your client is out to make a living also and needs to make a profit.

Think about this:  Does your client make as much per hour as you do? 

I’ve had a number of clients that have made less on a job than I have.  I don’t mind telling you that bothers me. That tells me that a client either really needs the work,  really bid the job wrong,  or really is struggling.  I owe it to my client to help him/her produce the absolute best job possible so that they will gain a reputation for excellence.  They deserve that. 

2.    Your client does not resent you (he/she did, after all, come to you with a job).

Boy, if you have that sense or attitude, there’s a problem.  Usually if the client is short or difficult it’s because of the circumstances beyond your control.  Make sure you don’t contribute to that problem!

If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem.

3.    Your client is accountable to someone for your work.

Years ago, I went to work for the Boasberg PR Company here in Kansas City.  My direct supervisor was the late, great John Gilbert.  My first week on the job was rather overwhelming, and I went to his office one day and said, “John, is there a detailed job description for me?  I’m not sure what I’m supposed to be doing.”

He looked up from his desk, leaned back in his chair and said, “Your job is to make me look good.”

Your client has a boss.  It may be a supervisor or it may be a customer, but your client is accountable to someone for your work.  Therefore, the expectations your client has about you are colored in the light of that accountability. 

It’s your job to make your client look good.

4.    Your client hopes to use you again.

Many of us tend to be negative creatures.  I don’t know why, but it happens.  And if we have in our minds that this will probably be the only…or the last job we do for a client, we may by attitude enforce that.

The reality is that your client is hoping that this project will open the doors to new opportunities.  You can bet that if your client has a good experience with you that you will be top of mind the next time he/she needs a talent similar to yours.

5.    Your client needs more from you than just what he’s paying for.

I realize that’s an odd statement, but think about it.  Your client doesn’t really expect more from you than he’s paying for, but he needs more. 

He/she needs an advocate that believes in his/her ability to get the job done - and that’s one of the reasons they hired you.  Your client needs someone who is watching out for them, to make sure they get the absolute best product from you possible;  someone who believes their client deserves more than what they’re paying for. 

One of the things that makes a great voice talent is the ability to hear and recreate the little vocal nuances that evoke the emotion the client is looking for.  Not mimicry, but rather the discovery and application of those expressions and energy that breathe a unique life into the copy.

Where does one find these?

In real conversations.

It’s become sort of a hobby for me - listening to people’s voices (not that I’m a great voice talent - I’m still in the discovery stage).  I listen for voices that capture me.  Then I listen for what it is that caught my attention.  For example,  I have a friend that has a most incredible laugh.  But I’ve discovered that what is so attractive is what leads up to that laugh.  It’s a sort of a building joy that lets you know he’s about to explode into a laugh.  And I’ve noticed that many times when he’s speaking, people around him are already smiling and laughing even before he lets go one of his seismic belly laughs.  Even people who don’t know him!

Applying that little nuance to some of my reads can give me an edge of anticipation that my client is looking for.

I have a relative who is the biggest cynic that ever lived.  But what is so great about her cynicism is that she is so sarcastic.  That edgy resignation is priceless when my client is looking for brash and sarcastic.

See my point?  Your client most likely has an attitude in mind for the copy. I’ve never had a client say “Gimme something new; something I’ve never heard before.”

Find out what they’re looking for even before your first read.  And listen to the words the client uses.  Often they don’t know how to explain what they want so they throw out several words.  Words like warm, friendly, powerful but laid back.  Or like the instructions I got the other day, “I’m looking for Christmasy”.

Today I had a client who told me he wanted whimsical with a sarcastic edge.  Huh?

I took that whacky Aunt of mine and an old farmer neighbor who has the most gentle, charming older voice you’ve ever heard, and put them together.  The client took the first take.

We are Voice Actors.  We use our voice to create feelings.  Feelings are based on experience.  It’s those little vocal qualities that remind our listeners of that experience.  Our job is to recreate that experience in our listeners.

You are only as good as the experience you create for your listeners. And that means you must find those little vocal techniques that recreate the experience your client is looking for.

Good Listening!

There’s good work, and so far plenty of it.  But around the middle of December it usually drops off dramatically.

I guess that’s a good thing.  Sorta.

It’s nice to have a break in the action, especially during the holidays.  But at the same time, for those of us in business for ourselves, you’re only employed if you’ve got work!

So, here’s my checklist during the Winter lull:

Clean up the studio.  I mean really clean it up!

Clean up my client database.

Start getting all the paperwork together for the taxman.

Take a long hard look at my marketing strategy for 2010.  I can already tell you that I’m dropping several of the pay-2-play sites.  Most of them have been absolutely worthless!

Test out my equipment.

Redo some demos.

Rerun some cables.

Upgrade my computer and software.

Organize the supply closet.

…and then the next day, I don’t know what I’ll do.

Maybe go sit on Santa’s lap.

Over the past few months I’ve heard from a number of voice talents that are considering getting out of the business (particularly full-time),  or at least taking on another job to make ends meet.  Hey, you gotta do what you gotta do.  But I just wanted to take a moment and drop a couple of thoughts on you.

I gotta tell you, I don’t blame you.  The business is tough right now.  Very tough.  And while it seems there may be a little light at the end of the tunnel, some folks are really struggling.

The business that we love and enjoy so much has caught the eye of a whole lot of people who think that what we do is so easy they should grab a piece of the pie.  Well, that’s your fault.  If you weren’t so good at what you do nobody else would want a part of it. That’s just the way it is.  When the economy goes south, people start looking for new and innovative ways to make money.

“Voice coaches” and “voice job sites” have made it seem as though anyone can do this job.  I don’t totally blame them.  They’re just capitalizing on people’s dreams just as some modeling agencies and talent agents do.  Now, please understand I don’t believe all coaches and voice job sites should be defined that way.  There are some outstanding vocal coaches!  And there are some very good voice job sites.  I’m a member of some of those sites, and I get work from some of them.  I have a couple of agents  and I’m listed with a couple of Production Companies, and I get work from them.  They’re not all suspect.  But let’s face it, any voice job site that has thousands of paying members but much fewer legitimate job opportunities is taking advantage of voice talents (or wanna be voice talents), no matter how they defend their actions, not to mention “agencies” that play slight-of-hand with rates (surely you’ve noticed that some agencies promote the same jobs all at different rates!).  And about those “voice coaches” who sell and sell and sell their seminars:  Buyer beware. There is a reason they have to promote so much!

But if you think voice talents are the only ones suffering in the industry, think again.  The ad agencies, producers, and editors I’ve been talking to are saying the same thing about their industries.  It seems anyone with a mic and some editing software fancies themselves a creative genius.  And here’s the scary part:  businesses are paying them to produce their work (sometimes greed isn’t about making money…it’s about saving money).

In spite of all of that, I say “Hang in there!  Don’t give up!”  It’s your dream.  Don’t let someone steal it from you.  And there are three things I would recommend you do.

First, go back to the basics.

Go back to what you are really good at.  You don’t have to spread yourself thin to make it.

I used to box when I was in high-school.  My coach always told me, a fight is no time to try something new.  His point was that I needed to stick to my strengths,  where I knew I was good,  where my competition had reason to fear me.

The same principle is true now.  What are you really good at?  Now, go find someone that really needs that.

Secondly, remember who you are.

One of the key things I told each of my boys as they went off to college was “Remember who you are.  You are not what someone else wants you to be.  You are better than your failures, and your successes are the result of who you really are.”

Quit trying to be the voice talent you are not.  I gave up a long time ago trying to be Don LaFontaine.  I had to.  I have too much hair.  Oh, and there’s that other little thing about not having his voice.  And I gave up trying to sound like Sam Elliot.  And I quit trying to be a cartoon character.

And I must say, it’s worked out better for me that way.

And thirdly, trim your sails.

Sailing isn’t about how much wind there is and how fast you can go.  It’s about controlling your boat to take advantage of the wind that is available.  And on the sails there are telltales (pieces of cloth that catch the wind) to help you determine how to adjust your sail.  The secret to taking advantage of the available wind is to watch the telltales.

The same is true with your business.  If there’s not that much business out there right now, you need to adjust to the situation by reading the telltales - those little things that tell you how to take advantage of the available resources.

For example,  I have a VO friend who makes most of his living doing car spots.  His clients have taken a beating in this economy.  He was about to lose one of his biggest clients and I suggested he try a new tact: convince his client that instead of using the media to go out and tell potential customers about his specials, why not have the customers come to him?

My friend looked at me like I was crazy.  But I suggested that his client use his current resources - a big marquee sign on the highway and his phone line - and put on the sign that he would have some sort of unique special every day, but that customers would have to call for a recorded message to take advantage of the special.  So, every day he ran a ridiculous special, but you had to call to find out what it was.  That way he could control his loss leader.  He offered oil change specials for $10, free windshield washer fluid, a couple of times he offered to replace trailer hitch balls on trucks, a few times he sold a car at some ridiculously low price, and on and on.  Well, guess who got to record those specials for him?  And he actually made about the same amount from him during the recession as when the economy was doing ok.  And the best part?  His client got great publicity and managed to outsell his competitors all because of his outstanding customer contact.

He trimmed his sails.  The telltales revealed what customers would be willing to do and how they would be willing to spend their money and my friend and his client found a way to take advantage of the economy.  It’s not about how much work is out there - it’s about adjusting your business to take advantage of the situation.

So, before you completely give up, how about going out and taking a walk in the woods.  Figure out what your basics are and what you need to do to get back to them.  Take some time to remember who you are - not what someone else thinks you should be.

And then…go sailing.