[12.05.07] Networking

One of the many talented and interesting characters I met earlier this year at VOICE here in Las Vegas was a fella by the name of Rick Reid.

Rick lives in Denver, and like me -- I think -- is on the cusp of discovering the real challenges and rewards of going into Voice-Acting with reckless abandon.

He wrote a few days ago, and we subsequently had an interesting exchange of stories.  I think some of you may enjoy reading the dialogue.  Rick gave me his permission to use his name and his words, and so I leave you with the e-mail thread below.

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Rick writes:

I was just wondering if I could get your opinion on some of the marketing tools you've been using. If you'd rather not give away your secrets, I understand.

I see you buy GoogleAds. How has that worked for you? Do you find that it's worth the investment so far? I tried it for a couple of months  and saw a slight spike in hits on my website, but no direct increase  in the amount of work I'm doing. Still, nearly all the paid voiceover  work I get is through my talent agent. I did book one session recently because of my presence on voice123 and voices.com. The client found me  there, but contacted me directly instead of using the casting system  on either site. I don't routinely audition for projects on either site.

 I see that you have a rather extensive website and blog. In what ways  have these tools helped your business? I'm particularly curious about  your blog. You have some great information there and I can see how it  helps you stay in touch with other voiceover actors. What influence  has it had on acquiring new clients?

 Are there any talent agencies or other resources you've had a good  experience with and would recommend? How about acting coaches? I lead  a voiceover meetup group here in

Denver

and some of the members of our  group who are just getting started are interested in getting some  coaching. If you've worked with any particular acting coaches, what's  your experience been?

 I hope you don't mind me picking your brain a bit. I'll be happy to  return the favor.

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Dave's response:

I don't pretend to understand how this all works anymore.  I count myself fairly internet-savvy....but I also readily admit, I just can't keep up with the pace of changes (yesterday's blog, in fact).  The social-networking thing is so new and so unproven that even the people who invent it, promote it, and claim to direct it, don't really know where it's going.

I began blogging almost entirely on the recommendation of Bob Souer and Jeffrey Kafer who claimed it increased many times over the traffic they were getting to their websites.  And, of course, having your own website (or several) is an absolute bottom line 'must-have' for VO-artists as far as I'm concerned. I landed a recent client strictly on his stumbling through Google to my website, and he liked the fact that I was a broadcaster with a family.  Another guy liked the fact that my true Master's degree is in Exercise Physiology.  No accounting for tastes.

Blogging also gives your possible clients a more personal sense of the human being behind the marketing.  Sharing a piece of yourself day after day tends to build a sense of trust... or at least the internet's version of that in today's world.  (with respects to Frank Fredrick)

I'm also doing the Google Ad-Clicks, yes, and it's costing on average about $100/mo.  However, my listing seems to be climbing, and I've had prospects tell me they contacted me solely on the strength and placement of that ad.

I'm also on FaceBook, LinkedIn, and NextCat, SaVoa, and Twitter.  I post frequently on the Yahoo VO forum and the VO-BB. 

I have two agents in Las Vegas, and one in Cleveland of all places, and if I counted on them for work, I'd starve.  One of my LV agents DID land me a $5000 job, but it was a trade-show ear-prompter thing for 5 days, and I swear, I haven't worked that hard in years.

I belong to V123 and Voices, and Commercial Voices.  I know it's brought me work, but not directly.  I've been contacted months later by people who say they 'saved' my audition, 'cause they knew my voice would be good for future jobs.  I do regularly audition for jobs through those services, but I have ABSOLUTELY NO expectation of success, therefore I'm not disappointed. I see it as practice, and as yet another way to get "OUT THERE" with my name, voice, personna and face.  I link to both V123 and Voices from my website.

I guess you could say it's a shotgun approach.  Place your presence as high and as far and wide as you feel comfortable with, and make sure that presence is representative of who you legimately ARE, i.e., consistent with your branding goals.

As for coaches -- this, too, is considered a must in VO circles.  Personally, I don't know where most of those people find the time or the money to do that, but I'm gonna have to find it and make it, 'cause to a one, those VO artists whom I respect, say spending time with coaches, or seminars, or workshops was an indispensible boon to their career. 

I hope this helps to answer some of the queries you posed to me.

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Rick's answer:

Thanks so much for getting back with me. I really appreciate your insights and observations. It turns out, in some respects, your experience has been very much like mine with regard to the voice casting sites and with taking the "shotgun" approach to on-line marketing. I have two agents, one in Denver and one in Nashville. My Denver agent has helped generate nearly all of my paid voiceover work for the last several years. Ironically, I am hired off the strength of my demo recordings more often than I do from actually auditioning for gigs. I'm sure that means something, but I haven't figured out what! I have also had a client listen to my on-line demo for one project, then hire me months later for something else.
 
I have the good fortune of working as a creative services writer-producer for the Starz, Encore and MoviePlex national pay television channels and the Vongo.com subscription movie download service. I get to direct some of the top Hollywood and New York voice actors on a frequent basis. Working with them and asking them questions about their craft and business has helped my confidence immensely. Having this job also gives me the occasional opportunity to voice national TV promos and commercials for my company. Because I am already on salary, I don't get a paid extra, but I feel these credits are worth far more to my credibility as a voice acting professional than any talent fees I've missed out on. I also welcome opportunities to provide /pro bono /voiceover services for non-profit organizations I support. I encourage voiceover beginners in my meetup.com group to seek out opportunities like these to work without expectation of pay. This can give us practical experience, legitimate resume' credits and the opportunity to "follow our bliss," as Joseph Campbell has so wisely described.
 
Although I am far from being a full-time voice actor, I am really pleased with the success I've had in the last few years. For me, the turning point occurred when I realized two of the things I most needed to have to make the leap from being a "wannabe" to a professional voice actor -- belief in myself and a willingness to risk failure. It was when /I/ finally believed that I was a professional voice actor that the work opportunities presented themselves.

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courVO