Dave Courvoisier's Blog

Edge Studio has such great suggestions for Voice actors of any level.  Their frequent newsletters are Gold.

See the excerpt from their latest Newsletter below the fold, and believe it!

Also, please read all the way to the bottom of the message…tons of great links, contact info, offers of substantial help to voice-actors, and how you can receive this newsletter.

CourVO

8 Quick Ways To Grow Your Voice Over Business

Name one thing you could have done better for your voice over career.

By this time next week, have it done.
It is that simple to grow your business.

Here are more ways:

  o BUSINESS PLAN
Spend 2 hours writing a Business Plan. Why? Because you are a business,
and you need to run your business like a business, and any good business
has a business plan.
Writing a business plan will help you succeed by helping you organize
your goals and figuring out the steps you need to take to get there.
To write your business plan, write out your goals and work backwards.
For example, you may say, "I want to be a $200/hour voice over artist,
getting at least 15 hours of voice over work each week".
Then determine the steps to get there. Think about a role model in the
industry and determine the steps they may have taken to get there.
Look at sample business plans on-line. Talk to a business-friend.
THINK ABOUT THIS from your customer’s perspective. Don’t run your voice
over business blindfolded.
(Look for a feature article on Business Plans soon.)

  o TIME-LINE
Spend 30-minutes creating a Time-Line of career goals. Include marketing
goals, customer goals, revenue goals, and so on.
It’s important to know that IF you fall behind your time-line, the
likelihood of ever catching up is SLIM. So a) add numerous small steps
to your Time-Line, rather than adding a few huge steps this way each
goal on your Time-Line will feel realistically attainable.
And b) assume things will take 50% longer than you think they will, and
base your Time-Line on this.

  o MARKETING
Spend $96 each month getting lots more work!
Hire an intern or a student at a local university, or someone from the
local classifieds. Write out the things you SHOULD be doing, and pay
them $12/hour to do them. $96/month gets you 2 hours each week.
Because you’re paying them, you’ll be forced to tell them what to do.
In other words, you WILL move forward. Let them create marketing lists
for you, seal envelopes, and so on.

  o PRACTICE
Spend 30-minutes every other day practicing. And spend 1-hour each week
practicing a new genre.

  o FOLLOW UP
Spend 15-minutes every other day sending out a follow-up email to
someone who you should have followed-up with already. Then spend
15-minutes on the other days marketing to a new prospect.

  o AUDITION RECORDINGS
Spend about $100 to confirm and/or enhance the quality of your home
studio. While obviously crucial for paid jobs and demos, this is also
IMPERATIVE for audition recordings, because more and more often, the
person who selects the voice often does NOT know how to distinguish
between poor studio quality and poor vocal performance.

  o YOUR DEMO
Spend $200 to improve your demo. You’ve spent all of this time and
effort growing your career don’t let your demo be the one thing holding
you back from getting more.
Re-record that one segment on your demo that concerns you. Add one
segment that showcases a new style. Add one new sounding segment so your
demo sounds current.

  o AND THE BEST FOR LAST
Spend 3-minutes three times a week to learn something new by calling
Edge Studio’s free Ask-A-Coach: Dial 641-594-7078 Mondays 10pm-10:30pm
ET, Wednesdays 3pm-3:30pm ET, Fridays 10am-10:30am ET.
Unions, Agents, Microphones, Auditioning,…. use Edge Studio’s
Ask-A-Coach to ask any question you have.
==================================
FAVORITE CAREER RESOURCES, Free, From Edge Studio!
ASK-A-COACH
WHAT HAVE YOU WONDERED?  CALL AND ASK!
  o CALL 641-594-7078
  o Mondays 10pm-10:30pm ET
  o Wednesday 3pm-3:30pm ET
  o Fridays 10am-10:30am ET
CD DEMOS: WHAT GOES ON THEM?
  o www.edgestudio.com/voice-over-CD-demo-design-graphics-artwork.htm
RATES: THE VOICE OVER INDUSTRY RATE CARD
  o www.edgestudio.com/Voice-Over-Rate-Card.htm
ESTIMATE HELPER: THE WORDS-TO-HOURS-CONVERTER
  o www.edgestudio.com/Voice-Over-Words-to-Hours-Converter.htm
SCRIPTS: 3,500 FREE PRACTICE SCRIPTS
  o www.edgestudio.com/scripts.htm
EDUCATION: FREE INDUSTRY GUIDEBOOK
  o www.edgestudio.com/guidebook.htm
IMPROVEMENT: THE VOICE OVER MISTAKE CHART
  o www.edgestudio.com/Voice-Over-Mistake-Chart.htm
TALK WITH A PRO
CANDID ANSWERS, FROM INDUSTRY EXPERT PANELS!
  o Tuesdays 9pm-10pm ET
  o Dial 641-594-7078
  o schedule & PAST DISCUSSIONS:
    <http://www.edgestudio.com/workshop-talk-with-a-pro.htm>

 

ONLY 1 IN 10 (voice over) COVER LETTERS GETS IT RIGHT.
An actual mailbox survey shows that 90% of voice-over talent make at
least one major gaff in their cover email, snail mail, CD label or
website. And the one prospect you miss, the one gatekeeper you turn off,
might be the one to make your career.
But you can’t avoid mistakes if you don’t know what they are.
As a freelance copywriter familiar with the voice-over business, I can
help. I’ve written dozens of small-business websites, countless sales
letters, thousands of radio commercials and much more. (Learn more about
me at www.rensch.com/vo-mktg

I’ll look over your marketing materials or plans AT NO CHARGE, and if
you could use some help, I’m available at a special affordable rate
offered only to artists.
Remember, what you say about yourself says a lot about you. Let’s be
sure your words communicate quickly, clearly and meaningfully to the
people you need to reach.
Please call Randy Rensch at 718-577-0005 or email me at
vo-mktg@rensch.com for a free consultation while time permits.

==================================

WEBSITES FOR VOICE OVER TALENT

Need a way to share your voice with the world? A website is an excellent
tool for promoting your unique talents and skill to casting directors,
agents, clients, and other industry professionals.
ArtistUpgrade is a graphic design boutique that specializes in the
development of professional, effective, personalized websites and
graphic design for creative professionals
WE OFFER:
  o Innovative designs that express your personal style
  o Unlimited media files for download
  o Free domain name registration and hosting
  o Quality design at affordable prices
  o Design backed by Industry Research and Experience
  o Brand Development & Marketing Advice
PRICING: Call us for a free quote or visit our website at
www.ArtistUpgrade.com to learn more
WE LOVE EDGE: Mention "Edge Studio" to receive an exclusive discount on
any print or website design
READY TO GET STARTED?
Email us at info@artistupgrade.com or call 347-738-6020
ArtistUpgrade:: "The Power of Design."

==================================

FOLLOW DAILY VOICE-OVER NEWS & FEATURES!

Unless you’re visiting the VoiceOverXtra web site every day, you may
miss important insights and words of wisdom that can make all the
difference in your voice-over career.
VoiceOverXtra is the industry’s 24/7 news, education and resource
center. Visit today!
http://bit.ly/VoiceOverXtra-News

==================================

FREE ACTING AUDITION NOTICES
You may know that www.AuditionsOnly.com provides Free audition notices
and exclusive discounts to actor-related services
What you may not know is that we are the #1 e-mail advertising resource
for performing arts professionals and services. WHY?
  o We have an active list of over 13,000 e-mails (actors, singers,
    directors, agents, casting directors, producers etc )
  o We have over a decade of experience assisting actors and
    performing arts services with internet marketing.
  o We help you create successful ads by understanding your passion
    and bringing that passion into your marketing materials.
  o We review who opened your emails, who clicked on your website,
    and we advise you on what to do for future success.
  o WE ARE AFFORDABLE!
Lastly, we stand behind our work 100%. If you do not receive the results
you are looking for, we will work with you at no charge until we find a
way that WILL bring you results
Please call David Marcus @ 718-812-8148 or email david@AuditionsOnly.com
for further information.

==================================

Are you a registered voice over talent?
Go to www.VoiceOverDirectory.com/Registration.html. Create your free
profile and directory listing. Receive discounts on voice over classes,
workshops and coaching at www.VoiceOverDirectory.com.

==================================

CASTING CALL FOR AUDIOBOOKS:
Talent listings in AudioFile’s Audiobook Reference Guide
NEW OR EXPERIENCED, put your voice in front of directors and producers
who cast audiobooks.
AudioFile, is the source of all things audiobook, and the Guide’s Talent
listings have the features audiobook producers asked for!
  o Multiple voice demos
  o Audiobook credits linked to reviews
  o Agent & Contact information
  o Accent & language skills
  o And more.
List in AUDIOFILE’S AUDIOBOOK REFERENCE GUIDE. Just $160 includes
AudioFile magazine professional subscription. Find out more:
www.audiofilemagazine.com/guide_talent.html Or
Guide@audiofilemagazine.com or 800-506-1212 or www.audiofilemagazine.com

==================================

FOR THOSE WITH A DEMO
. . . IT’S TIME TO GET CUSTOMERS!
WELCOME EDGE STUDIO’s ‘BUILD YOUR BUSINESS’ PROGRAM
  o offer clients more genres
  o win more auditions
  o charge more from your home studio
  o gain more results from less marketing
A monthly, on-going program with 6 different classes each month,
designed to help you continually reassess your approach, gain customers,
and charge more.
We’ve seen a direct correlation between voice talent who take this
program, and the amount of work they get.
THE ‘BUILD YOUR BUSINESS PROGRAM’ COSTS:
  o $57 per month
  o or $297 for six-months (averages $49 per month)
THE PROGRAM INCLUDES 6 Different Classes Each Month:
2 TECHNIQUE SPOTLIGHT WORKSHOPS
Learn More Styles, Get More Work!
  o HERE ARE SOME UPCOMING WORKSHOPS:
  o The Acting of voice acting
  o Breaking Down Copy
  o Learn Audiobook
  o Creating Imagery
  o High Energy Commercial
  o Multi-Person Dialogue
  o Learn eLearning
2 AUDITION RINGER WORKSHOPS
Candid & Blunt Audition Preparation!
  o COVERED ARE THREE TYPES OF AUDITION TRAINING:
  o tele-auditions
  o home-studio auditions
  o pro-studio auditions
1 HOME-STUDIO 201 TUTORIAL
Become A Faster, Better Engineer & Charge More
  o HERE ARE SOME UPCOMING TUTORIALS:
  o Removing Breaths & Mouth Clicks
  o Microphone Placement
  o Audio Delivery and FTP
  o Storage & Backup Options
  o File Types, Saving, & Conversion
  o compression, Gates, & Limiters
1 MARKETING 201 FORUM
Track Your Progress, Network, & Market More Efficiently
  o HERE ARE SOME UPCOMING FORUMS:
  o What Text Goes On Your Website?
  o CDs versus MP3
  o Should You Market Abroad?
  o Internet Audition Sites
  o Agents, Agents, And Agents
  o When And What To Say
To get started or ask questions: 212-868-edge.
Choose in-studio or tele-training.
Available via tele-class, webinar, and in-studio. See schedule:
http://www.edgestudio.com/schedule.htm#phase-3
Remember – we’re here to help. Call with any questions (212-868-edge)
and tell us your success stories!

==================================

Voice Over Today is gladly published by Edge Studio NOT YOUR TYPICAL
VOICE OVER SCHOOL
Have a question? Want free advice? Call, we’ll help!
  o www.edgestudio.com
  o edge@edgestudio.com
  o Tele-Training: 888-321-edge
  o New York: 212-868-edge
  o Washington DC: 202-398-edge
  o Connecticut: 203-334-edge
SINCE: 1988
MEMBER: Better Business Bureau
MEMBER: Voice and Speech Trainers Association
SPONSOR: National Public Radio, Recording For The Blind & Dyslexic
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VoiceOverToday-off@edgestudio.com
TO CHANGE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS: send an email, with your old email address
in the subject line to:  VoiceOverToday-change@edgestudio.com     For
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       From: joe@new-address.com
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TO CONTACT VOICE OVER TODAY’S MANAGER: send your message to:
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mail-list.com    1302 Waugh Dr. #438    Houston, Texas    77019    USA