VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

[skynet74]

I want to maximize my potential and feel that I could be getting a lot more work. So how do you people find most of your jobs (or) how do most of your jobs find you? Advertising Agencies? PR firms? Services such as Voice 123? lol. Ok I'm sorry, but I had to laugh after that last one. But seriously, how do I become the magnet that attracts the work. Thank you for all and any advice.

[Deirdre]

These days it's almost all word-of-mouth referrals.
Being a Nice Guy is a good way to get and keep work.

People do find my website, but I have no idea what drives them there.

I should be running stats, but GoDaddy's stat setup is hard as hell to make sense of. I've got Google Analytics, but I prefer the stat generator BlueZebraHosting had.
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DBCooperVO.com
IMDB

[billelder]

What Deirdre said
........and blackmail.

[Deirdre]

I just went to your website and began to listen to your demo.

It needs an overhaul if you want to attract more and better clients, John.


edited to fix a typo
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DBCooperVO.com
IMDB

[skynet74]

Thank you. That makes sense.

[Lizden]

To answer your question:
- word-of-mouth referrals
- repeat clients
- prospecting via email on the 'net
- and yes,,,,V123 and Voices.

Keep on keepin' on!

L.
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Liz de Nesnera O.A.V. ~ Livin' The VO Dream!
English/French Bilingual VO w/ ISDN
HireLiz.com / liz@hireliz.com

[Bruce]

Dear Voice Mouth, or should I call you Skynet74?,

First, I think you need to have a website and demo that represent you well when you refer people to it through your networking and promotional work, and your current set-up may need a makeover in my humble opinion.

Instead of opening yourself to a full-blown review in our Critique section, I might recommend you write directly to 6 or 8 members of this board whose opinion you think you can trust and hope to get back 4 or so replies. See if there's a consensus there and consider letting that guide your choices in demo material and website design.

Your website should be a concise portfolio of your accomplishments to date with which you try to impress all kinds of clients, straight-laced, progressive, small town, big city that you're a talent who can handle their jobs.

B
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VO-BB Member #31 Enlisted June, 2005

I'm not a Zoo, but over the years I've played one on radio/TV. .

[billelder]

Bruce gives great advice too. (That would be the man wearing the lovely ottoman on his head in the above picture. Who am I to speak of clothing choices especially when they're chosen by "wardrobe?" )

One thing that always distracts me is a "yohoo" or "hotmail" e-mail address. Since you have a domain, use it for e-mail as well. Your telephone number is there but your real name is not. People will feel more comfortable contacting someone they don't know if they don't have to address an e-mail to "Dear Mr. Mouth." Although that does have a nice ring to it!

[TheVoiceOfBob]

[Yoda117]

Mine too...

only I find people who are all too happy to pick my brain and talents, but when it comes down to the wire, flake out on me.

//had two bookings this week go that way... all amped up, but when the copy wasn't forthcoming, turned out that there wasn't a budget for a VO. I'm a nice guy and all that, but for a first time customer, I'm not giving you a freebie.
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Voiceovers by Gregory Houser
Philadelphia based Voice Actor

Blog - A man, a martini, and a lot of microphones

[Rognog]

I have two major clients that I do Educational VO's for. They pay my rent. I got them both from referrals.

Some work I get from Craig's List, believe it or not.

Some work I get from my Good Karma Network.

I get very little work from agents/personal managers (I don't think they know what to do with me).

I get no business from my website and rarely from snail-mailing demos.

I have gotten quite a bit of work from Voice123. I know bashing it is the cool thing to do, but I've landed seven clients from it (many of them give me repeat business) and one of them pays me a monthly retainer.

It comes down to developing strong systems of thought & execution. Try EVERYTHING and find the vehicles that work for you. Then you can build a business model around them.
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Tom Dheere - The "H" is Silent, but I'm Not!
www.tomdheere.com

[Moe Egan]

Ditto to what Tom said. The bulk of my work now is repeat clients and referrals. My largest client is an inter-company different department referral.

I joined Voice 123 four years ago ...and the majority of my now regular clients found me via V123 ...as different reps moved on I'd keep the old agency, and get a new friend at a new agency...and they'd tell two friends and so on and so on ....being professional, dependable and just plain nice is so important..

I also have gotten a regular client initially from Craig's List, it's worth checking out periodically.

I don't have an agent, and I've never done a mailing. The only thing I know I've gotten through my website is the CNN article.

I'm actually thinking of joining the local Chamber of Commerce this year...see if I can build my local corporate client base. Has anyone had luck finding clients as a Chamber member?

moe
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Moe Egan
i want to be the voice in your head.
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[Dave]

[indymandy]

Other avenues for thought: I joined the Indianapolis Women's Golf League. It's for professional, working women. This afternoon I played with a banking VP and IT director at Conseco (Insurance). They were happy to find out for me who I could contact. Last week, it was a pharmaceutical territory sales manager, and lady who used to work in TV sales and husband who still/currently does. Same story. Every week. You never know...

By the way, I shot a 54 today even with a 10 on the last hole!

Networking, networking, networking.

Amanda

[Moe Egan]

Cool. Thanks Dave!
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Moe Egan
i want to be the voice in your head.
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