VO-BB - 19 YEARS OLD!

kitstern · Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2006 10:54 am Post subject:

I love that......a "screw you" key! Think of the possibilities!

I'm with you on hating those emails about not getting the job. I'd rather just send out the auditions and not know. And for the record, I'm pissed at IV too. Not one job for all the auditions I've posted. No more money from me.

So where are we spending marketing money these days? I'm thinking monthly postcards are about as effective as anything, at least I see hits to my Website increasing after a mailing.
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Philip Banks · Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2006 11:05 am Post subject:

Most recent marketing spend was sending by courier 20 Butteries (Scottish breakfast roll a bit like a croissant) bought at The Pastry Shop Buckie to a studio in Covent Garden London. Yesterday while I voiced TV trailers I heard the producer and sound engineer munching in my headphones. It was a fun thing and it will be remembered by everyone in that studio complex as there were plenty to go around. In a creative world we all ought to think creatively especially where marketing is concerned.

mcm · Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2006 11:08 am Post subject:

To whom do you send postcards? Everybody in your data base? Just actual clients?

Depending on the answer, that could be a hugely expensive operation. For now I stick with email.

Philip Banks · Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2006 11:23 am Post subject:

I market using the PHILIP BANKS system

Pick up the phone and
Have an
Informal chat with someone who
Looks for voice overs.
Introduce yourself and ask friendly questions
Pay attention to the answers

Bring your web site into the conversation
Ask if they would like to receive a demo CD
Never ask for feedback if you do send one
Keep your interaction friendly
Say thank you for their time

Wink

Lucky for me no one believes that it works!

kitstern · Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2006 11:29 am Post subject:

I just went through my mailing list and culled a list of either actual clients or live prospects from my ACT database. That's only about 153 people, but this isn't a scattershot "mail to every prospect with a pulse" list, it's people who are genuinely interested, who I've either emailed and gotten a response, talked to on the phone, have hired me or said they would like to hire me in the future. Just a reminder that I'm still around, and a short Hi from me. I'll be adding people to the list as I progress.

FYI, I have about 500 VO contacts in my database, so this current mailing is a fairly small segment. I love ACT because I can segment my database into lists like this. I have a list for email mailings too.
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Enjoy life, this is not a rehearsal.

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Travis · Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2006 11:31 am Post subject:

With ANY service like voice123, interactive voices, etc. it's important to consider the reality of the situation.

The service voice123 is offering is stated very accurately on their home page: "Let talents compete for the job." There's even a graphic at the top of the page of hungry "talents" lining up waiting to offer to do a voice-over job for practically nothing.

It's pretty easy to determine exactly what the situation is there - there are thousands of "talents" in their directory - last time I checked, it appeared that there were about a thousand who coffed up the couple hundred to get the privelege of auditioning.

So, figure the odds - each job posting is going to get between one and three-hundred auditions - most of the people there figured they were "good enough" to warrant the expenditure of $200.00 and the time to audition.

Whenever someone asks me about those services, I tell them it's wise to remember that there's going to be something terribly wrong with every job posting there. A "real" producer, with a "real" job is not going to risk having a bunch of strangers "compete" for the lowest price - if you're working on a "real" production, there's too much at stake to even consider such a situation. If you needed your car repaired, would you use such a service to find a mechanic?

So, even when you get an inquriry, you need to figure out just what's wrong with that job, and then figure out if you still want to do it.

I've found that the real value for these services is that they're great for those slow times - I use them primarily for keeping my chops up - there's something about a real audition (even for these services) which is much better for practice than other sources. I get a constant supply of not-very-good copy to practice with. - Cheapest V.O. class around!
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www.VOTalent.com

Bailey · Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2006 1:51 pm Post subject:

I agree with most of your thoughts... especialy this one:

audiogenic · Guest

The problem is that there are way too many people on the V123 and the IV sites now that will nickle and dime a lead just to get the business even at a loss.

VO-Guy · Guest

Philip Banks · Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2006 3:28 pm Post subject:

I include myself in the following statement. We're paid to be interesting and having read this thread I've come to the conclusion we really are unbelievably dull. For my part in this "oh how hard done by are we by voice123" sincere apologies Wink

Christopher French · Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2006 5:26 pm Post subject:

You know, I get anywhere between 15 to 30 V123 emails in my mailbox a day. The thing that really sucks is, they're all public calls and I've not spent a dime on V123, soooo I can't answer the damned things. Why the hell do they even bother sending the public leads to me when I can't friggen answer them?! I will be so glad when summer comes along and Jen and I move to VA. Then we can sit down and do this thing the RIGHT way and actually start meeting people and getting our names out there.
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Christopher G. French

"The only limitations we truly have are the ones we place on ourselves." -Attributed to Donald Trump

skynet74 · Guest

My premium membership with voice123 ends in 10 days. All I can say is thank GOD. I'm really looking forward to getting outside this summer instead of wasting all day stuck inside working for free.

Voice 123 is great if all you want to do is send in auditions. However if you actually want to make MONEY and EAT, then I suggest you go a different route. Voice 123 has been a very unpleasant experience for me. 850 Auditions and Only One actual paid job in the last year! I'm a little jaded.

Save your Money on Voice services and market yourself in a different way. Your time will be better spent.

Hart · Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2006 7:44 pm Post subject:

Chris,

They send them to you so you'll "see how many wonderful leads" they have every day and entice you to spend the $200.00. You can tell them to stop sending them to you.

B
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Hart Voice Overs Blog
Brian Hart Productions

kitstern · Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2006 10:47 pm Post subject:

So Phillip, buck up. Someone has taken your advice, namely me. I made one call yesterday, met two very nice people, one of whom gave me several interesting leads to follow up on. No cost, no frustration, took 1/2 hour. I think I'll make a phone call every time I'm tempted to do an audition for V123, and report back on the return.
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Enjoy life, this is not a rehearsal.

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