VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

[BBeen]

Ok, here's the deal. I have teamed up with a studio in my area, since I don't yet have my own setup. It has a qualified engineer, producer, great equip etc. I am the only voice talent on his roster, and he has no problem keeping it that way.

But...very little work has been coming my way from this particular studio. And the owner has offered to purchase a membership to the local Chamber of Commerce and have me listed as one of his "employees". the membership total cost is about 250 per year, and he has told me that I can pay 1/4 of that to be included.

Should I pay that 1/4 and do my own networking, at the COC while being affiliated with him..or should I pay full price for my own membership.

AND

Is the local COC a good source of leads or would I be better off joining a different organization?

[Bruce]

So long as you can go to occassional Chamber meetings or mixers and network/market your talents, $60 or so to make local business contacts isn't a bad idea. Promote phone messaging, web site vo, and podcasts as well as commercial work. Be subtle though and not pushy. Everyone knows why everyone's there. Just advise them of what kind of work you do and recent accomplishments...."Oh, and here's my card. If you'd like to hear some of the things we've done lately, just visit the website listed there."

I've not done it myself, but you might consider an advertising club or association. We have the Ad Club for ad agencies and affiliated industries here, and AD 2 which is meant for younger members of the profession. Many of them have auxilliary memberships.

Bruce

[brianforrester]

Hey Bud,

I personally would never dissuade anybody from joing the local Chamber. I've found the networking opportunities to be great and I've really learned a lot through the many people that I've met. However, I have also never paid their membership fee! My local chamber holds monthly socials, where members pay $10 and non-members pay $15... I've elected to pay the $15, because it makes sense financially and since I don't really care about voting rights etc.

To be honest, I have yet to pick up a voice client from the chamber though! I use it as a vehicle for promoting one of my other businesses as well as an investment opportunity that I'm currently representing for another company. That being said, it hasn't been my focus to push the v/o aspect either!

There's another aspect that you may want to consider... paying a 1/4 of your studio partner's fee may be a tremendous good will gesture in maintaining a positive working relationship with him. It's only $62.50 and you'll innevitably spend that much money in time searching for another studio in the event that your current partner isn't as willing to "make the studio available" should your current relationship not remain as positive!

I'd say, spend the $62.50, maintain the relationship, go to the meetings when possible, but be prepared to spend more money on sending your demo's and contacting studios, casting agents and add agencies outside of your current market! I believe that non-local clients will almost always pay the bills (at least a couple of bills, maybe!!), where local clients, while fun to work for, are hardly enough to buy a Starbucks Green Tee Frapuccino (unless you're really good and in LA or NY). Get your stuff out there and promote yourself globally!

Hope my opinion helps.

Cheers,
_________________
Brian Forrester Voice Overs
www.brianforrester.com
brian@brianforrester.com
778.668.5715

[Jeff McNeal]

Bud,

You've gotten some excellent advice, now run with it. When I was just starting my own production company many years ago, I found the local COC to be invaluable. I picked up many new clients and made several friends over several months, and concentrated pretty much on the monthly mixers and business networking breakfasts where a guest speaker would chat about their area of expertise and everybody would break up into smaller groups and introduced their products and services. It was a great experience. That said, duplicating the success I had with the smaller local COC was more difficult when I relocated to a larger city a couple of years later. The dynamics of the larger COC were quite different, and the paticipants more jaded for lack of a better term. Of course I'm generalizing here...

Stay in good graces with your local studio partner, but plan on the eventuality of creating your own, independent stream of income as your client list grows. I'm a little concerned that this fellow would claim you were his only VO talent and he was happy to "keep it that way". Sounds either disingenuous or mighty short-sighted from a business standpoint, which is no reflection on your talent at all.

The real nugget of Brian's advice that jumped out for me was "don't be too pushy". These relationships take time to form and trust will follow. I remember feeling a bit awkward at that first mixer, not knowing anyone at all. But as the months wore on, I'd see someone that I had a nice chat with at the last mixer, and before long, I knew quite a few people and wound up with the majority of the Chamber Board of Directors as clients -- and that didn't hurt at all.

The local COC is what insured my survival that first year of business.

[BBeen]

Thanks for all the input. I think I will join at the discounted price..just to make my name familiar. Just finishing up my first year and reevaluating my marketing options for the next year. I have done very little marketing this past year...mostly from ignorance and inability. I have however received 4-5 paying jobs in my first year..not too shabby. I have learned a tremendous amount about what I should do marketing wise and commend this board for most of that info. It's a continuing process and I will continue to plug away, network, market, and elevate myself to the level I am trying to achieve. Thanks EVERYBODY

Bud

[Bailey]

$60 well spent!! You'll be getting more bang for your buck... exposure wise... being part of the COC. Make sure you have plenty of business cards to hand out at the 1st COC meeting you attend.
_________________
"Bailey"
a.k.a. Jim Sutton
Retired... Every day is Saturday, except Sunday.
VO-BB Member #00044 .gif" alt="W00T" border="0" />
AOVA Graduate 02/2004 ;
"Be a Voice, not an Echo."

[anthonyVO]

definitely worth it - especially at that price.
The more people you know in business, the better off you are.

-Anthony

[Philip Banks]

Attending such gatherings are another link in the chain but it worth making a point of not being a networker. No matter what the Networking Coaches may say their is a fine line between introducing yourself and networking your ass off. Other business people have an inbuilt radar and are able to detect the person who greets them ...."Hello, are you any use to me in my career?"

If you are not going to the meeting to get involved, don't go. Think of one thing you can do for the COC and offer it unconditionally. What you offer must have no benefit to you at all. Watch everyone else network, except the succesful people.

There are 6 billion people on this planet and only 250,000,000 in the USA, your market is global.

[Drew]

Don't get drunk, either. I'd do those mixers where I live but I lead a double life. Being a local TV exec, I'd have to pimp my station and not myself. So, I just sit at home and kitchen drink.
_________________
www.voiceoverdrew.com
Skype: andrew.hadwal1
Although I have a full head of hair, I'm quite ribald.

[audio'connell]

Well not that kitchen drink isn't a lovely picture :shock: but in my 20+ years of sales and marketing, COC, tip clubs and the like are very valuable and you ought to participate in as many as possible.

Banks points out (if you can cut through the clutter :wink: ) that you have to have the networking personality but equally as important: be a sincere listener....your success is found in the old adage "givers gain"... if you can offer leads from your networks to others, they'll likely remember you and try and reciprocate (not always but most times). Don't just hawk yourself...although that is allowed.

Finally, while we're all "global" marketers, every prospect map starts in the middle of a circle. That middle is you and you radiate out. That starts locally...locally as is how most famous voices got their starts...don't ignore the likely prospect next door for a possible prospect 2000 miles away. Get both!

Everyone is your prospect in one way or another. Go get 'em.

Looking for a good book on networking? Start with Jeff Gitomer's "The Sales Bible"
_________________
- Peter
audioconnell Voice Over Talent
Your friendly, neighborhood voice over talent

[Deirdre]

You kids behave or you'll get a time out.
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