The million dollar question...Is my voice suitable for this business?
We’ve recently welcomed so many new voice artists and aspiring voice artists into our community. I’m thankful for each one of you.
I’ve received many messages recently from aspiring voice artists wondering how they can know if their voice is suitable for voice overs. So, I’ve decided to expand on this today.
As I’ve said before, I’ve been an income-producing voice artist for many, many years and I don’t believe my voice…the sound of my voice…is anything remarkable. And as I listen to all the voices we can hear around us…on TV, Radio, Audiobooks, Web videos, etc...I hear all kinds of voices. Announcers with booming voices definitely have their place, but there are also opportunities for almost every other kind of voice.
So how do you know if your voice is suitable?
I’d like to break it down this way.
Potential. I believe you need to consider your potential. If you are articulate and confident when you speak, that’s a great start and I believe you have potential. The age of your voice, your accent, all the nuances of your particular voice will make you more or less suited to different genres. You will very likely fit in somewhere. But consider the following items as well.
Are you willing and able to invest time and possibly money into learning? What makes you successful in this business is not just the sound of your voice, but how you make a script come alive. How you make it sound like you aren’t reading. You’ll need to learn and practice your voice skills, in addition to learning how to record and edit your own recordings. These things are very doable, but you have to spend the time, energy and sometimes money to do this. Are you willing and able?
And finally, are you willing to look at this opportunity as a business? You will need to be able to handle the marketing of your voice. Voice over work doesn’t just fall in your lap when you decide to plug in a microphone. You will have to market and sell your voice, and plan to audition for work regularly. Luckily, there are platforms that help you do this. There are several platforms online that connect voice artists to those who need voice overs. Some platforms are free and others charge a subscription. But you also have a host of local companies who could use your services. You’ll have to go and connect with them.
The voice over business, in many respects, is like any other business you could open. Let’s say you want to open a restaurant…will you be successful? Are you suited for it? Well, do you have the skills needed to make delicious food? And do you know how to market the restaurant and run it as a business? The person who is most willing to learn, improve their skills and put in the work is the person most likely to succeed.
The biggest difference, is that with a voice over business, the overhead is very low. You can work FROM HOME! And the flexibility to work when and where you want is unbeatable.
Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do.
-Pele