As voiceover artists, we are auditioning...A lot. All the time. Or, at least, we should be. Most of those auditions are sent off into a black hole never to be heard from again.
let’s be frank, on average, a good amount of the auditions we submit won’t land the gig. If we’re just starting out on our VO journey, it’s even less likely. which means out of 100 auditions we submit, we’re probably turning just 1 or 2 of those into a paying gig.
When we start out in voiceover, the Pay 2 Play options appear to be the most attractive for us to land gigs. I mean... Pay a bit or a lot depending on the tier) and then have access to hundreds of auditions a week. Awesome! But before we get too excited, let’s do some math - We’ll spend HOURS every day auditioning and editing and we may land 1 gig a week. That’s if we’re submitting 100 auditions per week - and if you’ve ever tried to do that, you know the absolute burnout you’ll feel before Friday even rolls around. So all this effort and we’ve made...drum roll... 300 dollars!!! *faint*
Whattttttt????? That can’t be true! And yet, it is.
To say that massive amounts of new talent flooded into the voiceover industry over the last couple of years is a vast understatement. The good news is that are more jobs available to us than ever before, but then again, there’s never been more competition out there. Especially when it comes to the Pay 2 Play sites. Now Pay 2 Play sites have their valuable place in the VO world, but let’s not start thinking that we can quit our day job just based on those opportunities.
So, you may be thinking - no worries! I’ll just get a talent agent and that’ll solve the problem! And to that I say, I wish you the best of luck in your endeavors. you’ll need a strong resume in order to land a good talent agent. I have yet to come across any agency that receives enough auditions to support full-time VO careers to everyone they represent. did I mention that the folks within an agency are exponentially more trained/tenured, which means that the competition is that much more fierce?? It can be tough to land a gig my friend!
Well, now, aren’t I just bustin’ bubbles left and right? The bringer of good news for sure. I don’t blame you if you’re throwing your hands up in the air at this point. I truly don’t mean to drown anyone’s VO dreams, but I’m all about being real with the situation. And the situation is tough.
So, if P2P and agencies aren’t the sole answers,
how do we transition to a full time voiceover career???
MARKETING - We have to consistently market ourselves. I’m talking about taking our career into our own hands and coming at it with a seriously determined hustle.
This includes...
Figuring out what genre of voiceover we fit best
Learning who within that genre would hire us
Connecting with them.
Sounds super easy, right? Just like that snaps fingers*
Well, you know me - bringer of all good news - I wouldn’t go so far to say that this is easy. I would say it’s easier said than done. Meaning, the ideas are solid, but the carry through really requires daily dedication and determination to keep going even when you’re not hearing anything back. This isn’t a “shoot off one email or DM” and expect to have jobs pouring in. Marketing ourselves is a DAILY endeavor. It requires research, thought, and follow up...in repeat form.
if we have the time and diligence to combine the three -(P2P, Talent Agent, Self Marketing)- we’re looking at something unstoppable. We must still give our business a chance to grow as nothing magical will happen overnight -(or maybe not even in a few months, but now we’re giving ourselves a chance to succeed at being a full-time voiceover artist. A dream in the making!!!
If the idea of marketing yourself made you break out in a sweat or say “I don’t even know where to begin!” then Daytime Hero is here for you...
Crack the Code to Voiceover Marketing is a 2-week comprehensive course that helps voice actors market themselves so they can find more auditions, book more jobs, and make more money!
I wouldn’t be saying all this just to leave you hanging! I want to see your business grow and I’m happy to help you along the way. Even though the road to full-time VO is tough, it IS POSSIBLE and you’re just the person to do it. :)
Now...back to my own marketing,
Christy