VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

[Philip Banks]

Maxine asked other VOs on Facetube to share their "elevator pitch". For those of you who don't know, I'll explain. You run a business and you are stuck in an elevator with someone who asks what you do. Your "elevator pitch" is a brief, engaging presentation designed to let the person know how you are able to help them.

My reply to Maxine was that I simply told people I was a Voice Over. Not a Voice Actor, Voice Talent or Voice Over Actor. Mmmmm, not very clever is it? No it isn't. I'm not the CEO of an SME, an entrepreneur or someone selling on commission. I'm just a Voice Over and as such the people who are likely to have a use for me will understand what that means and will say so.

My friend Lauren has three answers to the question "what do you do?". To people in her line of work "I'm a TRE Captain" to real people "I'm a Pilot" and to someone in a bar on a Saturday night "Well, just a glorified bus driver really". She doesn't need an elevator pitch and I firmly believe that we don't either.

I can't think of one thing I could say to a total stranger that would make them suddenly buy me when they have never had a need for my services in their life. Having said that I have had plenty of people network me with an elevator pitch and without exception they have never been offering anything I needed or wanted.

Entrepreneurs pitch. Voice Overs and other professionals just get on with their jobs.

[CurtZHP]

In mixed company, someone will inevitably ask me what I do.

"I'm a radio broadcasting engineer."

Since most guys I meet spend their days riding a desk, their eyes immediately glaze over. I can literally see it happening even as they say, "Oh, that's interesting."

The conversation immedately turns to football or the weather.

I can think of only one time this didn't happen. The husband of a friend of my wife's happened to be an engineer who worked with heavy construction equipment. An engineer is an engineer, no matter what field he's in; so we bent each other's ears for hours.

I used to tell people I met in church that I was an audio engineer, but I had to stop doing that. The first thing they'd ask me was if I could run the sound system on Sundays.

[Lance Blair]

LOL. Curt. I know what you mean. Telling friends that I was an audio engineer got me to do stupid things like engineer at the last minute the DAT recording of Throwing Muse's first reunion show in Boston...when I was just there as an audience member.

As for the "pitch" it's good to know who you are and be able to be pithy about it.

But here's the thing about all those good-vibe-mongering Voice Over entrepreneurs and their youtube vids and never ending messageboard threads and blog posts:

BE PITHY...NOT PITCHY.
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Skype: globalvoiceover
and now, http://lanceblairvo.com the blog is there now too!

[Jeffrey Kafer]

The only reason I disagree is because so many people don't know what "voice over" is. They may be in a position to hire you, but know the craft as something else, like "narrator" or "One of those guys who talks during the online training course".

The CEO you share an elevator with might not know what a "voice over" is and may not hire you directly. But he certainly has underlings who probably do. Make a good impression to him, along with a business card, and he may remember you.

You may not call yourself an entrepreneur, but you are a businessman. And marketing is part of your job. The Fox news thing made me realize that no bit of marketing is too small.
_________________
Jeff
http://JeffreyKafer.com
Voice-overload Web comic: http://voice-overload.com

[Lance Blair]

If somebody doesn't know what a voice over is or say a graphic designer I don't want to work for them. Honestly. Doubt their money is any good (or that it would show u.

I've done work for all sorts of smaller clients for whom I was the first voice over talent they ever hired. They knew what voice over was, and it's always been easy to talk to them about the services I provide.
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Skype: globalvoiceover
and now, http://lanceblairvo.com the blog is there now too!

[paddyo]

Lance, I love your Be pithy not pitchy comment but I have to agree with Kafer. When most people are thinking of voice over, they are thinking of commercials, movie trailers and possibly audiobooks. But most people working in the corporate world probably aren't thinking of the e learning narrations or industrials they are told to listen to or watch.
I live in NYC and have met many people through walking my dog. I get asked alot if I do voice overs. Some of those have been in advertising or in the VO business and I've made great contacts and yet others are just in a 9-5 job who only think of VO as commercials, movie trailers, etc.. Sometimes asking them who does their corporate narrations, industrials, etc.. can start the search. I only bring it up when they start the VO question. I have asked friends who in their company does these projects or who in their company could I send my demo to. Most don't know at that moment and most never even thought about it until you discuss it and "educate" them on the different places for Voice Over.
I've learned or I'm learning or I've come to realize that each person could help land the next gig.
At the same time, most people in NYC elevators will never start a conversation. They can be fun tho when they happen

Paddyo
www.thepatrickoconnor.com
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Proud member of F.U.F.F.

[Lance Blair]

I see what you're saying, but I suppose my perspective is different. I get people calling me out of the blue from towns in Georgia saying their company needs a "voice over" and they would like to hire my services. Their first question is "How do you like to work, how can we get you the script and how can you get us the files?" I guess I'm lucky. Atlanta and Georgia are surprisingly savvy...I've never had to explain what I do, more how I technically do it:

Oh, you're a voice over guy? So do you have your own studio? Cool...yeah, with the internet all you have to do is just send 'em the files right?
_________________
Skype: globalvoiceover
and now, http://lanceblairvo.com the blog is there now too!

[Jeffrey Kafer]

I guess the short answer is: The person may not be in a position to hire me, but if my elevator speech is dynamic enough (and followed up with a business card), they just may remember me when a friend mentions they need one.

In short, can it hurt to have a 30 second spiel? Is it really that much of a chore to have something like that tucked away in your mental rolodex?
_________________
Jeff
http://JeffreyKafer.com
Voice-overload Web comic: http://voice-overload.com

[Lee Gordon]

Since strangers never talk to each other in elevators, there is no need for an elevator pitch. However, when paired up with strangers on the golf course, you have to tell each other your names at the first tee so you'll know what to write down on the scorecard. At the second tee, someone is likely to ask, "What do you do?" My response is the somewhat oversimplified, "I do commercials." Anybody who asks me to elaborate is probably just being friendly. But there's always a slim chance he or she or may have a use for my services. Hasn't happened yet, though.
_________________
Lee Gordon, O.A.V.
Voice President of the United States
www.leegordonproductions.com
Twitter: @LeeGordonVoice

[Philip Banks]

[Jeffrey Kafer]

If your elevator pitch fails to capture the interest of the person who asked you about it, then you should hire someone to write you a better one.
_________________
Jeff
http://JeffreyKafer.com
Voice-overload Web comic: http://voice-overload.com

[Philip Banks]

Really interesting discussion and I'm certain those who don't feel inclined to take part will derive benefits from reading everything written so far.

Edison threw a switch and a light came on. How many times did he throw a switch and ................nuthun? Every day we try to make a sale, make a light come on, then one day someone buys....We like buying days.

[Mike Harrison]

Yes; excellent discussion.

When I started in radio a long time ago (it was after the invention of the transistor), it was practically a requirement to have a big, resonant voice. So, at the time, I thought myself very lucky that one was installed at the factory. These days, of course, with more commercial producers looking for that 'real person' sound, the resonance can sometimes be a detriment. Good acting skills, coupled with the ability to change pitch can make a world of difference, though.

Should someone ask me, "What do you do?" my initial response is, "I do voice work." If the person acknowledges the resonance, they usually ask, "Oh? What kind of voice work," which then allows me to expand a bit by mentioning some of the genres I service, beginning with the one lay people would understand "Radio and TV commercials and narrations." If there is any interest, the next question is usually, "What kind of narrations?" Then there's more expansion. By offering shorter bits of information to see how (or if) it is being understood, it's more of a two-sided conversation. And that way, I can inject similar questions for them.

As the chat progresses, it's easier to tell whether the person might be one who would occasionally have a need for my services.

So, while I prefer the two-sided conversation approach, I think having a pitch is important for when there is a clear indication that the person asking wants to be pitched.

A very talented and creative former friend and associate who composes music, fluently plays an impressive number of instruments, is a very good audio engineer and sound designer - and even taught himself 3D rendering and animation and more - doesn't do that kind of work much anymore, I'm told. He would always say he didn't like (pardon the pun) "blowing his own horn." When I tried to impress upon him that promoting one's business is an absolute necessity, he said he preferred when prospective clients would find him on their own. But, apart from a simple boldface listing in the Yellow Pages, he offered no means for anyone to find him, except for any word-of-mouth referrals he might get from those he had worked for. He created a website, but I think only because of the creative challenge involved. However, he became easily frustrated by the time required to get his site listed in the search engines and to maximize its potential with SEO (search engine optimization). The website hasn't been updated in several years, and he's now working freelance for one of the TV networks as a member of the audio team for football games. It pays well, but it's seasonal, the hours and work itself can be challenging, and he's away from home for entire weekends, and sometimes full weeks.

I say former friend and associate because it was clear we were no longer on the same page. His frustration began to include me when my answers to his dilemma questions were usually the same: you have to promote yourself. Even the famous quote from P.T. Barnum apparently wasn't convincing enough:

"Without promotion, something terrible happens...
NOTHING."
_________________
Mike
Male Voice Over Talent
I have taken leave of my sensors.

[Bish]

While I fully understand the "Market or die" and "Every Missed Opportunity..." litanies, I cannot bring myself to apply them to the so-called elevator pitch. In my previous corporate life, I was on the receiving end of endless opportunistic pitches, quite a few when a hopeful service provider (or salesman) literally chased me into the hotel elevator. Personally, if I'm in an elevator, I'd rather be on the receiving end of someone's bad gas than their sales pitch!

Maybe it's a cultural thing. I'll apologize for the sweeping statement... but people in the UK are far less "pushy" than their US counterparts, and "opportunistic entrepreneurial pitching" is viewed with disdain... somewhat on the same level as telemarketers.

Now, it's certainly different if someone requests the information, but in my experience, those conversations usually go... "Hi, I'm John Smith... what's your area? (infinitesimal pause as you draw breath) - I represent a company that provides service and support for all of your..." This continues until the end of the entrapment at which point he'll give you a card, shake your hand and leave you looking for his next contact. All you can do is check you've still got all the fingers on your right hand.

Promotion is important. Carpet bombing is a war crime.
(oops... that was a little harsher than I intended, but I've been on the receiving end of well-rehearsed pitches too many times.)

Cheers
Peter
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Bish a.k.a. Bish
Smoke me a kipper... I'll be back for breakfast.
I will not feed the trolls... I will not feed the trolls... I will not feed the trolls... I will not feed the trolls.

[bobsouer]

A few years ago Voices.com had an "Elevator Pitch" contest. I didn't enter because I don't have an elevator pitch. I don't discourage people from being able to describe who they are and what they do in a pithy and concise way; I just won't be one of the people Peter just described. It makes my blood run cold. When asked what I do I tell people I do voiceovers. If that leads to further conversation, lovely. If not, equally lovely.
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Be well,
Bob Souer (just think of lemons)
The second nicest guy in voiceover.
+1-724-613-2749
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