'Got the following message from the fine folks at Voice123 overnight:
Hello Dave,
We detected that you haven't used Voice123 for more than 30 days
now. You can let us know if you are still an active member of the
Voice123 marketplace by signing-in here:
http://voice123.com/web/common/login.cgi
If you don't sign in, we will mark your talent-voice producer
profile as inactive. All visitors viewing your profile will see that
you are an inactive user of the marketplace and, as such, may not reply
to their messages and requests. You will not continue receiving invitations to submit audition/proposals during inactive status.
Something about this just really rubs me wrong. I haven't read the fine print on the subscriber agreement (does anybody?), so maybe it's there plain as day.
But it seems to me if I'm a paid-up subscriber, they shouldn't be able to make me a non-entity on their site.
30 days? Heck, I probably haven't signed on for 90 days! Why now? Are they fixin' to clean house?
How many voice actors use the pay-for-play sites as a marketing/exposure tool…not expecting really to get decent-paying leads in a cattle-call environment?…instead piggy-backing and paying them for their fine SEO work in getting #1 ranking on searches.
Has anyone else gotten this notice?
To quote Butterfly McQueen as Miss Prissy in the classic movie "Gone With the Wind": "…t'ain't fittin' that's what….it just t'ain't fittin'…"
CourVO
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Dave:
This made me laugh when I read this as I got the same “complaint letter to a client” notice (have YOU ever sent one? Me neither).
These guys are such idiots. No panache. It always strikes me as if there is no where there with any business or marketing sensibilities when I see examples like this and any number of bone head moves they’ve corporately made.
Like you, aside from posting a free page, the service adds no value to my business as I cannot be bother to track down leads or battle little jimmie vo wanna-be for a $10 fee on a :30 commercial.
The notice DID make me think that having a posting on there really is LESS valuable for my brand. This thought actually serves V123 well because if I close it down it clears some “dead wood”, clearing the way for all the paying “comatose wood” that slog it out on their regular cattle call.
But I care so little about V123, I’ve spent more time thinking and responding to this post than actually bothering to take down my page. I’m not sure if that makes me ambivalent or lazy.
You decide for me, I too tired ;)
Best always,
- Peter
(CourVO sez: Excellent comment!!!!!, esp: “I’ve spent more time thinking and responding to this post than actually bothering to take down my page.” Too funny!)
Dave, I agree that’s not the way to treat a paid subscriber. Regarding my use of V123, I only reply to private leads there, and also use it mainly as a Web marketing tool. But if they start doing things like this, I’ll find somewhere else to put my marketing money.
Enjoy the day!
Kitzie
(CourVO sez: Abbo-Lootly!!)
Dave,
You’re not alone in your annoyed status. I’m reminded of 123′s nastygrams to talents who placed links to their own sites on their V123 page. Biting the hands that feed is not a good business model.
(CourVO sez: Who’s running the shop there…??)
Peter makes a good point about V123 *possibly* devaluing his brand. I agree 100% with that assessment. On or about November of 2006, I removed myself from all online pay-to-play sites. It was a decision that I gave much thought to. I decided that my brand would now be available through limited or “authorized dealers” only; comparing it to becoming a Montblanc versus being a Bic. Before anyone says, “Well, I don’t have your representation,” this was before Atlas (April ’07), Vox (March ’07), and Wintner (April ’07). The question is, “Would you allow yourself to be treated like this by an employee of YOURS in the brick and mortar world?”
(CourVO sez: ‘Can’t agree more, Anthony…as that is exactly the tack I intend to take. Thanks for leading the way!)
I get those messages, too and I no longer have a paid subscription. Saw the response you posted from V123 and, quite honestly, their logic, again, doesn’t make any sense. If a voice seeker wants to find you and sends you an e-mail through V123, aren’t you supposed to get some kind of notice in your e-mail box connected to V123 service? If they don’t hear from you in what they consider a timely manner, isn’t there a phone number available on your profile they can call to reach you? So, this whole “losing voice seekers because talent was responding in a timely basis sounds like they are again blaming their paying customers for their own shortcomings.
Steven’s genius, personal, response to my critique of Voice123:
http://www.mikevaughn.com/hownottomakeit/2010/04/trust-me-voice123-you-really-dont-want-my-opinion/