Love is in the air, Voiceover Achievers– can you feel it? We love working with you to help you realize and create your own unique brand. It’s a privilege to collaborate with you and help you build a brand that you love.
As much as we love VO, we know it can be difficult to strike a balance between being responsive and having a work-life balance. As you continue to settle into the rhythm of this year, we want to offer a few tips to keep you motivated and at your best.
Everyone in the VO business knows it’s fast-paced; quick turnarounds are a part of the job, especially since COVID. We also know that customer expectations are constantly rising, so flexibility and the ability to meet tight deadlines are more pertinent than ever.
But how do you manage expectations, have stability, and still please clients? It can feel like juggling bowling pins on a bouncing ball, but with some tips and tricks, you can find a balance that works for you and your business. And hopefully, you can make your brand work for you while you sleep.
Finding Your VO Balance
Here are some best practices, and a list of our favorite digital tools so you can delegate, de-stress, and deliver great voiceover.
Balancing and Responsiveness Best Practices
Manage Expectations. While the goal is to deliver the best quality voiceover as quickly as you can, it’s not always possible. Things happen, and that’s why managing customer expectations is so important. Not talking about expectations is not an option– be clear with customers, while still going the extra mile to ensure their satisfaction.
Ask Customers What They Want. Assuming is a losing game for you and your customer– it’s always better to ask than assume. Why rush to finish a project today when your customer doesn’t need it until next week? You should give the customers what they want, but you’ll only know what that is when you ask.
Set Boundaries. In order to keep yourself balanced and focused, it’s necessary to set boundaries. Establishing common practices for responsiveness to customers and average turnaround will help you keep boundaries. Of course, if a loyal customer is in a pinch, you can extend a helping hand– but boundaries are yours to set.
Be Responsive When It Matters. Running your own VO business comes with sacrifice by nature. Sometimes you have to be responsive at the expense of other plans. It’s all about knowing when those times are. It is often worth breaking a sweat to get work done in a timely manner– customers won’t forget.
Utilize Technology. It’s a digital world, and there are many social management systems to help you succeed– use them to make your load lighter. Whether you need to schedule out social media posts in advance or turn on instant replies to customers, technology can help you manage clients in a speedy and professional manner.
6 Tools to Make Your Life Easier
Calendly – It’s scheduling software made easy.
Hootsuite – The ultimate Social Media Management Platform, Hootsuite schedules posts in advance, across multiple platforms.
CALM – Is life getting too hectic? Take a moment to center with CALM, our favorite meditation and focus platform.
Dailygreatness Planner – If you’re like us, nothing replaces a physical planner. You won’t regret trying this hard copy mindset journal and planner.
Google Suite – Google makes digital communication and collaboration easy.
Canva – Need to get creative? Canva’s intuitive professional graphic design software makes it easy.
2022 SUPERBOWL FAVORITES
During the Super Bowl, there is no flipping back and forth between channels– it’s the one time everyone is happy to watch commercial breaks. The Super Bowl’s commercials are as anticipated as the game itself, and in this way, voiceover is as necessary as the football players.
Some of the greatest, most effective, and most impactful ads of all time have aired during Super Bowl games, and this year’s star-studded commercial roster is no different. Check out our 5 favorite commercials to see what all the buzz is about:
- Amazon’s Big Game Commerical: Mind Reader
- Toyota Big Game Commercial: Brothers Extended Cut | Start Your Impossible
- Irish Spring’s Big Game Commercial
- Lays “Golden Memories” With Paul Rudd & Seth Rogen
- Hellman’s Mayo “Tackles Food Waste”
Branding With Love
We know how valuable your time is, and we hope the tips we’ve listed help you boost your VO business. However, it’s important to spend your valuable time doing things that only you can do. The rest? Delegate, delegate, delegate.
Here at CSM, we want to help you maximize your time in the booth by taking care of the small stuff. Need help with social media, outreach, or writing? Allow us! Our team of branding and digital media specialists are eager to help you grow your brand and your business.
You can email Caitlin at caitlin@celiasiegel.com to get a free social media consultation and learn more about the social media and PR department or Schedule a free 15-minute consultation with me to start developing your own personal brand.
Also, check out my book Voiceover Achiever to get moving on your own branding journey with my expert guidance and tried & true methodology. We will be holding a few workshops to get direct feedback throughout the new year so keep your eye out for those!
–Celia Siegel
