How do you split up your year?
There are plenty of strong arguments for dividing the twelve months of the year into fourths. It fits neatly into the scheme of the four seasons of the year, and follows Wall Street’s immutable 4 quarters of the financial year.
But I’ve always liked the rule of three…and don’t look now, but we just passed into the final third of 2016.
This realization requires no panic, nor any particular change of behavior. Furthermore, the passing of that most-contrived national holiday of all — Labor Day — the unofficial end of Summer — similarly demands little adjustment.
After all, for most everyone, the kids are back in school already, Wal-Mart long ago put out the Christmas stuff, and the supermarkets have had the Halloween chocolate out since the beginning of August.
So why now, Dave? Why even bother blogging about September 1st?
Well, because I don’t have a formal VO business plan, nor stated scheduled business goals, nor do I keep very good metrics on any categories of bookings, social media ROI, or auditions…so what else is there for me? How else am I to mark any semblance of progress?
Now mind you…while Dani States and Tom Dheere are rolling their eyes that my business is being conducted in a way that flies in the face of everything they hold sacred…let me just say that I will be the first to admit that all this business plan nonchalance probably hurts my bottom line. All sound freelance business theory holds that I’ve got it wrong.
Got it. Guilty.
My Kindle account is full of un-read books on marketing, cold-calling, business plans, and scheduling tools. Considering how long those titles have languished there, it’s a foregone conclusion that I’m not likely to evar read them. I know this about me. At least I’m being honest about my limitations.
And yet…I’ve found a satisfying success in this business on my own terms. I’m a tribute to the school of thought that there is no ONE WAY to be a freelance voiceover achiever.
How about you?
Yes, there are generally accepted rules-of-thumb that will guarantee a certain measure of success for a majority of those who fall in line. I’m jealous. I’ve always been good at math and science, but in my heart, I guess I’m more of a creative than a conformist…..more of a rebel than regimented.
So when September rolls around, I take note. The ’ember/’ober months signal a passage of time by which my non-comformist self expresses a need to assess progress.
Hey! I’m going pretty good!
Lemme know how YOUR VO business is faring when the quarter hits next month, OK?
CourVO
Your approach is your business plan. It clearly works for you. They don’t all have to be the same. They have to be what works. I suspect if it were not working for you — you would change things up. And I think 4-month chunks better describe the ebb and flow of this crazy business we call our work. So, there. 🙂
Shireen,
Thanks for reading, and taking the time to comment. That means a lot to me!
Dave Courvoisier
It also depends on the rest of your life, & where you are in your career. You have a full-time job in addition to your activities for WoVo, your blog, & your VO career. I’m at least 10 years older, retired from the day-to-day, & the aggressive daily hustle for VO work on social media, cold calls, mailers, etc. is more than I really want to do at this point in my life. I still do several auditions a day, a couple of commercial sessions a week, & always have an audiobook (currently 3!) in the works. For me, at this stage of my life, that’s plenty. I’m not interested in metrics, not much interested in marketing, & looking forward to the new season of The Voice. We all have our own boats, our own way of propelling them, & our own destinations.
Daniel,
You’re right…and thanks for that perspective.
But don’t be so sure you’re that much older. I’ll be 64 in November. You?
I appreciate your response. Write soon, write often!
Dave Courvoisier
Dave,
Boy did this post resonate with me! I also have books on marketing, cold calling and business building that are in current states of being read yet not even close to be completed. And my business plan? At this early stage of my VO career, just to get clients and WORK!!!
Love your blog, always something interesting to learn from them. I’m also in the process of watching the WOVO rates round table which is helpful in my staying the course of the rates I am charging.
So, you are a November baby? Me too, November 13th. You?
Deidre
Deidre,
Great! Glad you found some thoughts you can use in my blog. Thanks for the kind words. Yes! Scorpio. November 9.
Have a great holiday weekend.
Dave Courvoisier