How This Guide Can Help You Take Your Voice Acting Business to the Next Level
In this guide, we’ll look at how to take your voice acting career to the next level. Specifically, we’ll explore:
- How and why, as an experienced voice talent, you should develop and implement an Internet marketing plan and business plan.
- Uncovering and honing your signature sound.
- The importance of evaluating your home recording equipment, your current demo selection, and why regularly updating your demos may be necessary to build a sustainable career in today’s modern voice over landscape.
- Best practices, specifically for auditioning online and how having a profile at a marketplace like Voices is complementary to your having your own website and agency representation.
A Brief Comparison of the Voice Acting Business: Now and Then
The job description for voice talent has changed a lot over the years. In the past, audio recording equipment was very expensive and only the biggest studios could boast top-of-the-line audio gear and recording software. Once technology became more affordable, it was far more accessible to the general public. At this point, voice actors realized that they too could build competitive audio recording studios for voice acting and as it would happen, could work from home.
Before home studios were a reality, voice actors used to travel to professional studios all the time to record auditions and any jobs they were hired to do.
Recording from a professional studio used to be:
- Far less of a technical process for voice talent
- More social and interactive than recording alone at home
- An environment where voice actors were coached and directed while performing
Since then, voice talent wanting to compete in the online casting space and beyond have needed to develop skills including (but not limited to) audio production and running a business.
Freelance Voice Talent also double as…
- Sound Engineers: Masters of recording, editing, and mixing all sorts of audio.
- Business Managers: Working closely with a broad range of people to deliver a product, following a process and ensuring everyone’s needs are met.
- Marketers: Creating a brand for themselves and getting the word out that they are available to hire. This includes reaching out to new clients, nurturing existing ones, and exploring new ways to attract business.
Modern Voice Actors Need to Think Like Business Owners
Technology, business management, and marketing are all creative fields that, when harnessed effectively, can be pivotal to your professional voice acting career.
Let go of any notion that these sorts of roles are meant only for technical or business-savvy individuals.
Thinking creatively goes hand in hand with being an entrepreneur. Professional voice actors working today have the unique opportunity to grow their potential and succeed as freelance voice actors who are not only skilled artistically, but can manage their own audio home recording studio and run a great business.
Let’s dive in.