Creating an Online Presence

How to be Visible on the Web

Visibility is the most significant dynamic for any business, particularly in a field where professionals compete directly with each other. You can achieve visibility by investing in your own website or by subscribing to a online marketplace that gives you your own web page, where you can include your voice over information.

Building Your Own Website

We covered this area quite extensively in the previous chapter, but here's a brief recap. If you are considering building your own site, you will first need to register a domain name. You can check to see if the domain name is available by visiting http://www.networksolutions.com or http://www.register.com. If your preferred domain name and extension is available, for example, www.yourname.com you can purchase the domain name and move ahead with selecting a hosting company to host your site.

Technology can be imposing, so if you would like someone else to build and manage your website, you will find no shortage of people who can provide these services for you. Be aware that webmasters will have their own set of fees in addition to the fees that you will be responsible for including hosting, domain name renewals, enhancements to your hosting package, and any technical support that you may require.

Participating at an Online Marketplace

As mentioned earlier, there are some great job websites that will help you find voice-over work. These sites are referred to as an "online marketplace" - where clients and voice talents can connect to complete a project.

What to Look For in a Marketplace

• Active marketing campaigns on your behalf.

• A professionals website where you will feel proud to be featured.

• The website is easy to navigate.

• A good number of projects that you can audition for every week.

• A consistent track record of voice-over jobs.

• Easy to use auditioning system.

• Opportunities for voice talent to be found in multiple ways.

• Great customer service and support, both online and offline.

• Acknowledgment in the press.

• A wide variety of testimonials from both voice talents and clients

• Accountability.

• Integrity.

• Membership fee can range between $199 and $299 per year.

Importance of Creating a Stunning Web Page

Building a Profile will give clients a better of idea of who you are and the kinds of services that you can provide. An online presence is very important. If you don't have your own website, you will need to invest in a membership to a site such as an online marketplace that will provide one for you. If you want to try one of these sites without making a financial commitment first, Voices.com offers a Guest membership that gives you visibility, hosting, and a place to run your voice-over business online.

Include Your Vocal Description

As mentioned in the personal branding section, your vocal description will be your first impression for the majority of clients that encounter your site or web page.

Showcase Your Logo or Visual Image

An alternative to the traditional headshot is a graphical representation of you or your services. The most common image selected by voice-over talent is a microphone, simple and to the point. To stand out from the crowd, you may want to consider a more unique offering. Consider hiring a graphic designer or experiment with font types using your name, colors, and slogan.

Mention Your Credits

Be sure to recognize the major companies and organizations that you have completed work for. You can include a "partial client list" or include all that apply. Keep this list up to date to show that your services are sought-after and that you continue to be active within the industry.

Highlight Your Languages and Accents

The global marketplace has brought together people from all walks of life and broken down physical boundaries in addition to language barriers. Voice talents that are able to speak fluently in multiple languages have a distinct advantage over their peers and can charge a premium for translation and performance services.

Suggest The Styles and Ages that You Can Perform

Often times, clients will seek a specific age of voice talent to connect with their audience. You may be capable of performing voice ages younger or older than your actual age, all of which should be documented and recorded as samples for clients to review. Clients also search by accents, for example, the British accent or Southern Belle, USA. Including the timbre of your voice (your vocal range), i.e. bass, baritone, alto, soprano is also helpful for clients looking for specific voice types.

Describe Your Recording Studio

Every client wants to hear that you can get the job done, but they also want to know how you will do it. Although most clients will never ask for technical information, it's good to have it handy. Including a description of your high-quality studio equipment, which is also a costly investment, may help justify your fee structure.

Here are the main studio details that you should include:

• Microphone

• Recording software

• Mixing board

• Other special equipment (compressors, reverbs, delays, etc.)

• Methods of delivery (MP3, CD, FTP access, phone patch, ISDN, etc.)

• Royalty-free music and sound effects library

• Turnaround time (i.e. 24 hours).

Provide Your Rates

Voice-over is a competitive marketplace, and you will need to decide how you will be quoting for your services. Will it be by word, per spot, per hour, per package, per project, per market, or per page? These are all items that you should consider before you put together your rate card. For more information regarding rates for quoting, see "Online Auditions". Once you have compiled your rate card, you will need to decide whether you will disclose your rate card openly to clients or if you would rather leave the arena open for negotiation on a per project basis.

Offer Your Methods of Delivery

Know ahead of time what methods of delivery you can provide. Include FedEX, UPS overnight shipping of a CD, MP3 via email or FTP file upload.

Consider a Headshot

Many voice talents opt not to reveal their visual identity, however talent with an acting background or on-camera experience are more comfortable with marketing their personal image as a representation of their corporate voice over image.

Summary

In this chapter, we looked at how to further brand yourself as a voice-over talent, your online presence, how to create a Profile for clients to view, the kinds of information that clients seek when hiring a voice talent, and services that you could add to your voice-over business offerings.

Next: Promoting Your Voice