VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

BBeen · Guest

Total selfish marketing question, but I need help. Forget the demos, forget the links, forget the contact info. Based on my front page "content" what should I change, keep the same, or totally lose in order to "hook" more people into listening to the demos or contacting me?

http://www.yourchoiceforvoice.com

Deirdre · Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2005 10:14 am Post subject:

Bud, Your site has not been up long.
How are you driving people to it?
I used mine as a place to point prospectives via e-mail.

Your best bet is to look around at others' sites including the hot shots like Howard Hoffman and Patrick Fraley. See what you think works for them and work on making your site look similar.

Lisa Lewis has a unique site.
Mine looks different than the others I've seen-- that's on purpose.

Figure out what you want it to present!
Mike Carta says "Presentation is Product".
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BBeen · Guest

Site traffic in and of itself is not really a problem. I am working on a couple of marketing items that will drive even more traffic to it. The problem is I'm not much of an artist or creative in the visual or graphic sense. When it comes to that type of thing I'm pretty much BLAH. I check my stats everyday especially visitor paths and am disappointed at the ratio of visitors versus paths to my demos and contact info.

Deirdre · Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2005 10:44 am Post subject:

If you're looking for more PUNCH visually you will need to hire someone to create some graphics for you, then.
Find a site you like and contact the designer. There are usually credits at the bottom or somewhaere on commercially-produced sites.
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BBeen · Guest

Ok lets start over. Part of my problem is I know what I want to communicate, but not really sure how to put it in words. At this point I am happy with design and layout of the site. I guess what I really want is advice or suggestions on what my front page "message" should be. Bio, history, credits, simple info....I am so lost. Sorry for the frustration I know I am causing DB, and thanks for the input.

Bailey · Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2005 11:01 am Post subject:

Your site is right to the point... no questions asked. Kinda like a "Whopper" setting on a paper plate. We know what it is... a hamburger... just like any other hamburger. It needs some flare... graphics... dancing girls... whatever you want to call it. I've looked at a bunch of sites... just to see how the set ups are. One that sticks out in my mind is www.dcdouglas.com . It's kind of a subtle site, with just enough extra stuff... flashing lights... bells and whistles... and "dry humor", to make it interesting and explorable. DB said "graphics"... that's a definite Yes. The only thing I have found about some sites is that they go to extremes in design. Too much fluff can be distracing and may even confuse a client... "Where do I go from here?".

It seems that GOOGLE has you covered pretty well. You're at the top of the list for a Bud Been search! You must be using all of the correct "buzz" words. Smile

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Bruce · Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2005 11:16 am Post subject:

Bud,

A couple of suggestions if I may. Next time you redesign I'd turn those phrases, "Commercial Voiceover", "Corporate Narration" and such into buttons that play those demos instantly, instead of making people take one more step to another page. Simplify to "Commercial Demo" and "Narration Demo".

In your wording, come from a position of experience talking to experienced producers, instead of saying you are a beginner and explaining what you do. You might consider dropping the text:

" -- I refuse to ever be "good enough", so I constantly strive to do and learn more.

It is my driven purpose to use my talents to effectively communicate your message for you. From audio books and interactive media, to commercials and documentaries, it is my mission and responsibility to bring your message to life.

Listen to my demos, check out my links, and when your ready for a fresh voice for your next project, consider Bud Been as YOUR CHOICE FOR VOICE "

...and replace it with something like:

"Welcome to my site. As a broadcast professional, and actor of stage and screen, I'm ready to bring your project to life. Thanks for listening!

Call toll free (888) xxx-xxxx "

And your client quote is a good one. Experienced producers just want to hear your voice and determine how experienced you are and how easy you are to work with. Period. If you don't have a lot of experience, don't tell them that. Let your demos guide them. By the way, toll free numbers that feed into your number are really cheap these days. I've got one that's $1.00 a month and 3 cents a minute (Capsule Communications)

Make sure Yahoo knows you exist. I couldn't find you there like I did on Google. And lastly, get linked to as many free and cheap relevant sites as you can. When you Google --male voice talent-- you'll see Wayne June's name at or near the top. He's linked to hundreds of websites.

One man's thoughts.

Bruce

Philip Banks · Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2005 11:21 am Post subject:

One page. Something like a flash player so people hear you within seconds of the site loading. Contact details eaily seen. Any credits worth mentioning easy to spot too. Quick demo in flash. If people want to hear more then give easy click MP3 downloads as an option.

In a quick decision world we have to justify a one page site and the majority of us certainly need no more than one.

mikemckenzie · Guest

It might help if you apply a highway billboard strategy for a front page.....no more than 8 words...and something that really grabs ya.
Lisa Lewis's web site is by far the most original I've ever seen. And, what makes it even better is, it's really good branding. She's using the paper cut out doll analogy to really hit home the perseption that her work is totally tailored around what the client wants. Taking one step further, her bio page is a multiple choice, Fill-in-the-blanks kind of thing-in essense you write her bio for her, again, tailored to what the client wants. May I suggest that you pick up a couple of good books that might help you develope your own strategy:

"Guerilla Marketing" by Jay Conrad Levinson

"The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing" by Al Ries and Jack Trout"

and just for further inspiration and a good read

"The Power of Cult Branding" by BJ Bueno

I hope this helps. Best of luck to you.

-Mike

schaer · Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2005 1:41 pm Post subject:

I agree with Phil. His and my site have an embedded voice file play as soon as the site opens. I think that is important. Bruce made some good points there, too. If you embed a sound file make sure to include a "turn-off" button like I did here: www.horsetraveler.com . I still need to do that on my own site because you don't want to annoy visitors. Generally, less is better. Here is a colleague who claims to be a pro in designing effective websites for V/O's and offered to review websites during a recent Susan Berkley seminar: http://www.marshvoice.com/ Might want to ask her opinion.... I've been designing websites since 1995 and don't agree with everything she says but then...... In the end it matters what you want and where you are going with your website. Make sure you know your goals. To me a website is not the source of my gigs neither do I believe it ever will be. I am more with DB on that it is a supportive tool. A place to point potentials to.

Best,
Bernard
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BuyMyVoice.com
Bernard Schaer - German/English Bilingual Voice
Available via SourceConnect
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No. 09023

schaer · Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2005 1:44 pm Post subject:

P.S. I agree: www.dcdouglas.com is one of the best and cleanest sites out there.

Bernard
_________________
BuyMyVoice.com
Bernard Schaer - German/English Bilingual Voice
Available via SourceConnect
SaVoa.org

No. 09023

BBeen · Guest

Thank you everyone for the advice and tips. Bruce, I think you have hit the nail on the head with what I needed. I am not much of a writer, and the text on the front page seemed "amatuer". Thanks for the heads up and tip. Banksey and Bernard I like the embedded audio in both of your sites...will incorporate at a later date. Mike thanks for the "billboard" idea...like that one too...still working on branding. DB thanks for everything and this board YOU ARE THE (WO)MAN. And finally I'd like to thank the academy for this award......... Laugh

anthonyVO · 14th Avenue Joined: 09 Aug 2005 Posts: 1470 Location: NYC

Deirdre · Posted: Mon Aug 22, 2005 8:54 am Post subject:

Be careful of embedded audio.
I don't like it and I know a number of producers who hate it.

If they want to hear your voice, they'll click on a demo button or link.

Most of the time, embedded audio is obtrusive.

You mileage may vary.
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Philip Banks · Posted: Mon Aug 22, 2005 9:13 am Post subject:

Embedded audio is fine as long as any site visitor can see the source and how to mute it. On my site the flashplayer stop and go icons are particularly unsubtle.

Having made the comments above I would seriously question a producer who uses voice overs visiting a voice over web site and finding hearing the voice annoying, unless of course the voice artist had a voice that was inherently annoying which is quite likely. In that case the site doesn't need to be there at all.

More annoying for the majority are the mutiple page sites where getting to anything of any substance is a virtual mining expedition, the grossly padded resumes and the general verbiage.

In designing a site, see it through the eye of a buyer. Cover the following - Sound, experience, facilities, availability and contact details. Too much is precisely that ...TOO MUCH!