So it finally happened. Opportunity finally figured out where you live and came knocking. You’re excited, but you’re also a little annoyed b/c you’ve been wondering what took Opportunity so long. You’ve been here waiting for the clouds to part and the sun to shine down on all your glorious talent, but Opportunity must have been on vacation or paying too much attention to the mere mortal voice over talent in our midst.
Before you launch out into what you hope will be a long and lucrative relationship with your first client, be warned….Production Managers, Creative Directors, Instructional Designers, Casting Directors, Executive Producers, Editors, and Senior Writers are the extremely busy people who hold your reputation in their hands. It would be nice if you could stand out (in a good way). Instead, many of us will blend into the mass of nameless Voice Over talent or we will find a way to make ourselves memorable by unwittingly vexing our new client. There are countless ways to ruin a relationship without even trying.
Here are just a few:
1. You take too long to respond to client communications.
Have you ever walked into a clothing store and felt completely invisible to the staff? I certainly have. Whether or not I need something, I really dislike feeling unseen. If the staff are busy with a customer, and I need help with something, a simple, “Hi there, we’ll be right with you,” will buy a whole lot of time from me. In much the same way, at the very least, clients need to know you see their messages and will get back with them as soon as you possibly can. This shows that you care and that you take their business seriously. It’s just that simple.
2. You take too long to turnaround your work.
This might come as a surprise, but standing out from other Voice Over artists is often as simple as turning in your recording on the same day. This shows the client that you value their time the same way they do. (I will add that it also benefits you because it protects you from all the mayhem that could happen between now and the day you planned to record (that keeps you from recording), and it frees you up to focus on booking your next job.)
3. You won’t go the extra mile.
When you read a script, are you focused on just getting through it or do you stop to consider whether there might be more than one way to read it? Slowing down to contemplate the different ways a script can be interpreted is a valuable quality. It may take some time up front. But it also reduces the likelihood that you’ll be asked to re-interpret (i.e. re-read) the script. It communicates to your client that you are a versatile talent who easily provides reads that vary in tone and pace.
4. You think the project revolves around you.
I really hate to be the one to break this to you, but THIS IS NOT ABOUT YOU!!..(OR ME, OR ANY OTHER TALENT…. Hard as it may be to believe, we truly are just a small cog in this big machine called The Project. This means, although you are important, you are most definitely not indispensable. So be flexible with your time and your talent, and be easy to work with. The more you focus on ensuring your client feels supported and their goals understood, the better your working relationship with that client will be, both now, and in the future. This means you should strive to follow instructions and take direction well. Your ability to express yourself as an artist really isn’t the priority, especially if the client has something else in mind. Sounding like yourself, being true to yourself, feeling like yourself, connecting with the script. These are all luxuries that you won’t always be able to enjoy. But if you add value and reduce the stress of the people who hired you, the client will remember you as a voice artist and will look forward to working with you again.
5. You don’t follow up or add a personal touch.
Have you ever received a thank you card from someone, who had taken the time to write out the card and mail it? Didn’t it mean a lot? You can brighten a client’s day (and get yourself remembered) with a personalized, hand-written thank you card. Or you could send a personalized e-card or audio message communicating your gratitude instead. The key here is that you make sure that your communications are unique to the recipient and the specific project. Additional ways to stay top of mind include following up with emails or messages through social media channels.
Of course, this isn’t an exhaustive list of things to avoid when working with a client. There’s no doubt each designer, producer, director, or writer who works with voice over actors probably has a list of pet peeves. They also have a list of offenders. Let’s do our best to keep off it.
