Is there room for me in the Voice-over business

Do you think its getting harder to get voice-over work in 2015?

I’ve been in this business close to 25 years and its never been easy.

If you think it’s all about a good voice and thats it you are wrong.

It takes selling skills… not with the voice but getting out there meeting people and letting them know you exist.

In my experience price does not play a part, (Unless you are working for someone in India or Romania)

In the good old days it was all about local. The local radio station, the local film maker or ad agency or the local TV station. You knew the guy in copy or production and he knew you and your voice-over reliability.

Once you were in that “stable” of voice talents a studio or agency could rely upon, the phone kept ringing. That’s how I built my business. And that part of the business still exists. Most of my work is from word of mouth and repeat clients. Believe me, it’s easier for the client re re-hire someone they trust than to go out and start a brand new search.

Things are also very different now. Many potential clients have access to voice talent from all over the world through sites like voices.com and voices.com.au Thanks Mr. Internet! Now getting voiceover work is just like being on a dating site. (Yucky mental picture)

Don’t let it get you down though. In exactly the same way as the competition has increased…. so has the work. The scope of work is enormous. If you had have told me 10 years ago I was going to be doing stuff for Paypal or Audi on the other side of the planet I would have laughed at you. Maybe this digital disruption thing is not so bad after all. Maybe it’s giving me access to people I didn’t ever dream of.

If you have the desire, the work ethic and the thick skin this might be an industry for you.

Thank you Mr. Internet. Thank You.

Ashleigh Mac

Ashleigh Mac is the owner of voices.com.au and a voiceover artist with too many years under his belt.