Essentials For Running A Freelance VO Business #WoVoChat 4-8-15

Essentials For Running A
Successful Freelance
VO Business
Twitter Chat
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
12pmPT/2pmCT/3pmET
#WoVoChat
@WorldVoicesOrg
www.worldvo.org

#WoVoChat www.worldvo.org
Featuring
Melissa Moats & Thom Dheere

Q1: Seriously, do you really need a
formal business plan to be
successful voice actor? #WoVoChat

A1: Artists dream, businesses envision. Vague goals
get you vague results. Specific goals get you specific
results. #WoVoChat
@TomDheere
A1: IBM doesn’t just wake up in the morning and
decide to build a computer. They set goals, design,
test, advertise. #WoVoChat
@TomDheere
A1: If you can’t or won’t create a formal business plan,
may I suggest community theatre? #amateur #WoVoChat
@TomDheere
A1: Yes, seriously! If you want to be an artist inside the
booth, you have to act like a business outside the booth.
#WoVoChat
@TomDheere

Q2: Can you be a success as a
freelance voice actor without having
a great voice? #WoVoChat

A2: Absolutely! Being a smart business person is the
better “talent” to have in VO. #WoVoChat
@CourVo
A2: A good voice is an asset, but it’s only about 10-
15% of your success formula. #WoVoChat
@CourVo
A2: Being a strong marketer will get your farther than
having a strong voice. #WoVoChat
@CourVo
A2: Good voice or no, freelancing is a completely different
world from working for someone else. #WoVoChat
@CourVo

A2: Define “great voice”. A broken gravelly voice can do
great as long as it delivers. #WoVoChat
@Cromerty
A2: The definition of “great voice” is a relative thing. There
could be an opportunity for nearly any voice. #WoVoChat
@MarcScott
A2: uh….Gilbert Godfried. #WoVoChat
@MelissaVoicer
A2: Plenty of successful voice actors don’t have great
voices but they have a way of making the words on the
page dance! #WoVoChat
@voiceoversbytd

Q3: I’m doing “just alright” in my
freelance VO. What should I do to take
it to the next level? #WoVoChat

A3:Consistency is key! Make sure you’re auditioning
multiple times daily for gigs that are right for YOU!
#WoVoChat
@MelissaMoatsVO
A3: Auditions. Submit and forget. Don’t spend time
worrying about old auditions. Keep moving forward.
#WoVoChat
@MelissaMoatsVO
A3: Self discipline is very important. Have a start time to
get rolling and stick to it! #WoVoChat
@MelissaMoatsVO
A3: DO THE WORK. You’ll get out whatever you put in.
#VO #Truth #WoVoChat
@MelissaMoatsVO

A3: Seek out someone who can help you, whether it’s a
buddy or a paid mentor or both! #WoVoChat
@FaithCoonsVO
A3: Market yourself. Read a book about marketing. Then
market yourself. Take a class. Then do more marketing.
#WoVoChat
@MarcScott
A3: AUDITIONS are a great way to stay “practiced”,
whether you get the gig or not. #WoVoChat
@JohnnyG53
A3: Schedule 2-3 hours per day to work on nothing but
marketing. #WoVoChat
@voiceoversbytd

Q4: For Pros & Newbies: What are your
4 favorite books/resources? #WoVoChat

A4: “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” by Robert Kiyosaki. It
taught me how to make the right decisions.
#WoVoChat
@TomDheere
A4: “The War of Art” by Steven Pressfield. It taught
me about how to resist resistance. #WoVoChat
@TomDheere
A4: “Talent Is Overrated” by Geoff Colvin. It taught me
about Deliberate Practice. #WoVoChat
@TomDheere
A4: “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen
Covey. It taught me how to set goals. #WoVoChat
@TomDheere

Q5: Marketing. It freaks me out…How
can I overcome my fear?#WoVoChat

A5: Accept the fact that marketing is required to be
successful in VO. #FaceYourFearHeadOn #WoVoChat
@MelissaMoatsVO
A5: Identify which marketing style best suites you: Phone
Calls, Email, Snail Mail or Social Media. #WoVoChat
@MelissaMoatsVO
A5: If your nerves get in the way, find someone you trust to
reach out to potential clients for you. #WoVoChat
@MelissaMoatsVO
A5: Brevity. No matter what, respect the time of potential
clients you are reaching out to. Know what you want to
say. #WoVoChat
@MelissaMoatsVO

A5: You just have to do it; once you reach out to one
client/prospect it gets easier. #WoVoChat
@vallencourt
A5: Marketing is a skill, trust me, you can learn it so
just do it! #WoVoChat
@FaithCoonsVO
A5: Like anything else, you just have to do it without
worrying about screwing up! #WoVoChat
@voiceoversbytd
A5: Establish purpose, define audience/customer, then
use most appropriate tactic to reach them(social media,
cold call, etc…). #WoVoChat
@MelHulm

Q6: So, how do I actually write a
business plan? #WoVoChat

A6: Next, write a list of goals you want to achieve for
the year. Make them large and clear. #WoVoChat
@TomDheere
A6: Then list all of the Actionable Items you need to
do to achieve your Annual Goals. #WoVoChat
@TomDheere
A6: Last, write a Monthly Action Plan and include the # of
Actionable Items you think you can do in one month.
#WoVoChat
@TomDheere
A6: First, write a Mission Statement to declare who you
are, what you want and what you’ll do to get what you
want. #WoVoChat
@TomDheere

A6: I’ve used the One Page Business Plan; easy to use
and very good. http://t.co/0gkxcX45nJ #WoVoChat
@pamelamuldoon
A6: $$$ goals are important, they give you a
measuring stick to work with & to work backwards
from. #WoVoChat
@DownunderVO
A6: I took an online Entrepreneurship course through a
local college. Learning to create a Business Plan was part
of the course. #WoVoChat
@MarcScott
A6: Set clear goals and measurable objectives. Set
annually, review monthly. #WoVoChat
@MelHulm

Q7: How do I know which area of VO
is best for me? #WoVoChat

A7: Work with VO coaches and attend workshops.
Experienced ears can provide solid, honest feedback.
#WoVoChat
@MelissaMoatsVO
A7: Know your sweet spot. Watch your booking trends.
You’re good at THAT! That’s why you’re booking it!
#WoVoChat
@MelissaMoatsVO
A7: Pay attention to the type of VO you’re drawn to. Watch,
listen, study, learn. #WoVoChat
@MelissaMoatsVO
A7: Be real with yourself about your voice type, vocal
range and where your strengths lie. #WoVoChat
@MelissaMoatsVO

A7: Ask yourself – Who are the clients booking you for
work?. What kind of jobs are you getting? #WoVoChat
@vallencourt
A7: Part of discovering which area of VO is best for
you is seeing what you enjoy doing. #WoVoChat
@randyekayeVO
A7: The market tells you where your niche is by what you
book. #WoVoChat
@JackWestCoast
A7: Record commercials, trailers, documentaries,
etc…Transcribe them and voice them! #WoVoChat
@BobGlavinVO

Q8: How do I break down my business
into manageable parts? #WoVoChat

A8: Cash Flow, Tools, Technique, Marketing and
Health. #WoVoChat
@TomDheere
A8: Organize your Annual Goals and Actionable Items
using these five categories. #WoVoChat
@TomDheere
A8: Once you do that, it will be MUCH easier to envision
your business and what you need to do. #WoVoChat
@TomDheere
A8: Dan Duckworth of Voiceovers Unlimited taught me
there are five aspects of your VO business. #WoVoChat
@TomDheere

Q9: What does a full-time Voice Actor’s
day really look like? #WoVoChat

A9: It’s a juggling act. Auditions. Bookings. Quotes.
Bookkeeping. Marketing efforts. #WoVoChat
@MelissaMoatsVO
A9: Your client’s project is #1 to them. Staying on top of
your email and communicating with them quickly is crucial.
#WoVoChat
@MelissaMoatsVO
A9: VO Pros start early. Especially if you live on the West
Coast! Get up early and get going! #WoVoChat
@MelissaMoatsVO
A9: Prioritizing. We have to stay on top of our audition
and project deadlines while still managing our live
sessions. #WoVoChat
@MelissaMoatsVO

A9: Practice, auditions, marketing, practice, invoicing,
follow ups, practice, voicing. #WoVoChat
@MelHulm
A9: Breakfast. Marketing. Auditioning. Lunch. Recording.
Marketing. Snack. Marketing. Auditioning. Dinner.
Marketing. #WoVoChat
@MarcScott
A9: Voicing, emails, marketing, lunch, voicing,
marketing, voicing, invoicing, dinner. #WoVoChat
@JohnnyG53
A9: For me, it’s marketing in the morning, recording in
the afternoon and brainstorming in the evening while
drinking a Guiness! #WoVoChat
@voiceoversbytd

Q10: Why is this so hard? #WoVoChat

A10: Impulse Control = making a series of small
decisions over a LONG period of time that move your
forward. #WoVoChat
@TomDheere
A10: It takes self discipline, consistency and values.
That’s why you need a Mission Statement and written
down goals. #WoVoChat
@TomDheere
A10: Many are called, few make the right choices!
#WoVoChat
@TomDheere
A10: It’s hard because to be a truly successful voice
talent requires maturity. Maturity = Impulse Control.
#WoVoChat
@TomDheere

A10: Because it’s constant work without a guaranteed
paycheck. #WoVoChat
@vallencourt
A10: Is anything awesome and worthwhile ever easy?
#WoVoChat
@MarcScott
A10: Because we love what we do. And so many share
ideas, we are always reinventing ourselves to keep up.
#WoVoChat
@JohnnyG53
A10: If it was easy, everyone in your family would be
doing it! #WoVoChat
@voiceoversbytd

Join Us for the next #WoVoChat on
Wednesday, April 22nd
12pmPT/2pmCT/3pmET!
Topic: Marketing Your VO Business

Check out the entire 4-8-15 #WoVoChat at
our Storify:
bit.ly/WoVoChat_8
Join us every 2nd & 4th Wednesday of the month in 2015
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Essentials For Running A Freelance VO Business #WoVoChat 4-8-15

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