Wondering what you need to do for people to notice your voice? If you’re great at auditioning but not nearly as savvy with describing and promoting your abilities, this article is for you!
In today’s Vox Daily, get the inside scoop on three things you can do to help people better understand your gifts and how they can put them to use.
In this article
- Surfacing Your Voice
- 1 – Prepare to be Discovered
- 2 – Highlight Things that Interest People
- 3 – Build Trust in Your Abilities
- How About You?
Surfacing Your Voice
One of my favorite things to do at Voices is discover talent on the site and learn about what they can do. What sort of things make a talent notable, you might ask?
Here’s what you can do now to lead others to your profile and discover your unique voice.
Ready to go? Here’s what you can do.
1 – Prepare to be Discovered
How complete is your profile? I know, this seems a tired question but honestly, what you put in your profile matters a great deal.
Search engines are better at interpreting text than imagery or audio, so be sure to populate all fields with relevant, text-based information. The more complete your profile (and the more aspects of your business that you share), the greater your ability to be found. Also, the more demos you have uploaded to your profile, the better of an idea listeners will have of your versatility and areas where you shine. Remember that your profile gives you the opportunity to tell your story and make a brand connection, so complete it as best you can.
2 – Highlight Things that Interest People
Do you speak a language or dialect that not many other voice talent do? Is your background in structural engineering? Maybe it’s a unique vocal characteristic that sets you apart.
Whatever your skills, make sure that you include them. Just as on-camera actors tend to include information about talents they have like the ability to ride a horse, American Sign Language or mad bowling skills, mentioning neat facts about yourself can help a client looking for something very specific in locating your profile. If you have a voice-over superpower, like offering 12-hour turnaround time or being a One Take Wonder, make sure people know!
3 – Build Trust in Your Abilities
As the old saying goes, the proof is in the pudding. So, you say you can do a Dublin accent? Be able to prove it!
You’d be surprised how many talent state they can do something but don’t actually back up their claims. Having voice-over demos in each language that you speak is a huge trust builder; that, and it gets you more real estate on the website as each demo has its own dedicated webpage. Demonstrate that your profile has substance and more people will take interest. Including testimonials from satisfied clients also goes a long way. If you’ve worked with a client on Voices already, you know the value of having a feedback rating and review and the increased credibility it lends you on the site.
Once you’re happy with it, share your profile via your social channels to get the ball rolling!
How About You?
What does it take to get noticed as a voice artist? One way to get noticed right now is to comment with a link to your Voices talent profile. I’d love to visit it!
Looking forward to hearing from you!
Stephanie
Comments
Thanks for your tips, in particular, #1 stands out for me…Prepare to be Discovered. From the beginning, I wanted to audition for every posting and I wanted to book them all too. Over time, I realised that my voice is not fitting for all and I had to sift through the postings to select the right ones. Then I finally got noticed and panicked, as I did not know how to handle the ‘attention’. I have calmed down now and treat all responses equally. I either fit the bill or I do not. Also, I have not been true to myself as I ought to add more about skills in order to stand out. So thanks for your reminder.
Irene
My profile is at 100% according to the website, but I know it can always use improvement. I’m always thinking of new words and phrases I can use to get noticed. Thanks so much for this article as it opened my mind up to new ideas. I’d be happy to hear from you as well and let me know what you think of my official demos! In the meantime, it’s back to work!
Hi Stephanie,
I am responding upon your invitation to share another point of view on getting noticed 🙂
I seem to be a popular choice for success stories! First with Voices.com, now with Authentic voice coach Laura Handke and further with my training company who also wants to run a story at Voices For All.
As always, I build my business by getting and keeping customers. I respond to all referrals in deepest appreciation. I appreciate your support and that of your stellar casting company!
Well, we Brits are not shrinking violets or even stiff-upper-lipped, not any more, but we’re not quite so forward or strategic as our American and Canadian friends when it comes to broadcasting our abilities. I wanted to write ‘talent’ there – but modesty forbade. See what I mean?
Seven years ago, Voices dotcom got me launched and noticed, and the client testimony bolstered my self confidence when it was most needed. I still get a buzz from the orange stars! A well organised and up to date set of demos is something you’ve dinned into us all from time to time, and it’s a tip I pass on as it obviously attracts the client, as well as making us (incomparable, unique talent!!) focus on our real strengths.
However, reading your blog, I can see there’s more to be done…
#3 is, in my opinion, most important. I still haven’t gotten to this point yet but practice makes perfect, right? Also, I would say building connections and networking are also very valuable. That’s another thing I have been trying to do to become a bigger name.
HI Stephanie,
Well, Thank you for listening!!! I just joined premium 2 days ago! So, I will be reading up on all of your suggestions! Thanks! I’m hoping to get lots of gigs!! Yes, yes!!!!!!!!!
wishing everyone success!
RACHELLE
Well Stephanie (and Howard Ellison!), self-promotion is probably the last remaining significant ingredient in my voiceover success formula…as it has been in other areas of life.
You, Stephanie, are also a classically trained singer, I believe I heard? So you know the fun of trying to show off what you can do with a few bars of one song!
And maybe it’s my time spent in England as a military brat, Howard, but I relate to the understated demeanor to which you refer!
Regardless, when I saw your invitation to comment and get noticed, Stephanie, I figured a comment on feeling awkward to comment was better than no comment at all!!!
Anyway, on to the self-promotion: I have absorbed many subtleties of accent, having grown up as a US military brat with French Canadians extended family, traveling throughout the US and spending 5 years in Europe, and later earning two degrees in vocal performance, where a deep knowledge of diction sets one apart from one’s competition!
Check out my profile to hear quite the sampling of accents, to which the reaction of most listeners I’ve shown has been, “Those sound like totally different people! They can’t all have been you!”
Thanks so much Stephanie! And I invite your criticism if you have advice on anyway to proceed, beyond the helpful information in these articles and the videos!
Happy voicing everyone!!!
I have been on voices.Com for 2 months and still haven’t popped a gig. I know I have a voice that can work, but perhaps I need some coaching on recording. I’m still waiting to be discovered!
Hi Frank,
Thank you for reaching out! I am glad you shared about your experience so far.
Ashley in our customer service department took a look at your profile and mentioned that your profile is in great shape! You have a high number of demos in multiple categories which showcase your abilities very well. Your Testimonials speak volumes and your experience backs them up.
She also reviewed a number of your recent auditions and demos (please remember that we’re not professional voice coaches or sound engineers). It might be beneficial for you to get a professional opinion to ensure everything is top notch.
If anyone reading this comment finds themselves in a similar situation, going to a voice coach you trust who is versed in online casting sites is a great step toward understanding what works about what you’re doing and where you can take steps to improve.
Thank you again Frank for adding your voice to the conversation! I hope you start to experience greater success on the site.
Warm regards,
Stephanie
I have been told I have a great voice all my life and decided to act on it 1 year ago. I signed up with voices.com and acquired a blue mike and soundproofing hardware. I also learned to use the record and edit Audacity. I have since recorded 2,300 + auditions and landed only 5 jobs. Only 1 English and another (out of 30) in my native language Romanian. I am told I have an accent in English. Is that a disadvantage? I have paid for coaching and accent lessons and still no improvement in landing gigs. I renewed my subscription for an extra year but not feeling positive about it. I have rarely put in so much effort with so little payback. Any advice?
It’s been over a month for me. Loving auditioning and seeing improvement. I always think of the next gig or audition and believe being an optimist is absolutely necessary in order to succeed in voice overs. Keep looking forward!
Hi Stephanie,
I just joined Voices.com last November but have been a full time Hispanic VO talent for 30 years and it’s been a great ride. Now I want to update my style and sound contemporary and fresh.
Please take a listen to my demos and let me know what you think.
https://www.voices.com/profile/vozcarlos
Is there a Spanish coach or a work shop here on Voices.com or elsewhere you could recommend to get tips on how to deliver the new tones the industry is looking for/using now adays.
Thank you very much in advance.
Hi Carlos,
It sounds like you’re in an exciting time in your career!
I’ve forwarded your inquiry to our Support Team, who will be reaching out shortly in regards to your questions.
As a tip – one resource that we publish annually is our ‘voice over trends’ report, which pulls together the survey responses of approx. 1000 marketers, advertisers and creative professionals. In the report they share what they’re looking for in a voice over. It doesn’t cover vocal delivery specifically, but it does discuss accents/dialects/languages/age, etc.
You can check it out here: https://www.voices.com/company/press/reports
We’ll be releasing additional reports throughout the year as well too.
All the best & thank you for taking the time to read and comment.
Tanya
Hi! I’m Luna-ebenewood from the caribbeans. I was looking for some useful advices because i’m new.
I found you and i immediately review my Bio page! I have to upload more demos too.
I really like to play with my voice, training and recording every day, some times, just for fun.
Thank you for holding the light in the smog. 🙂
https://www.voices.com/profile/luna-ebenewood
Hi Luna!
Thank you so much for reading – we’re glad that you find the information useful and inspiring!
All the best in your voice acting career,
– Tanya
Good tips it is actually educating I learnt a lot from it