Did you ever think your individual actions could positively influence the very marketplace that drives our business?
No?
But you’re convinced your vote counted in the recent election, right? So why would the above line of reasoning not work for you?
Let me explain, by first stating some global actions you can take to keep our business thriving. Share this list with your friends and colleagues, and encourage them to do so as well.
4 WAYS TO SUPPORT THE VO MARKETPLACE
Watch TV, listen to the Radio, and go to movies. Then go buy some of the products in the commercials you see on those programs. All the popular “legacy” or traditional media are still going strong (for now) and they provide some of the best-paying jobs in our business: TV/Radio commercials, Network TV promos, radio imaging, station imaging, local station news promotion, movie trailers, auto dealer ads, and more.
Pay attention to new streams of digital media. Then go buy some of the products in the advertising you see associated with those media, or support the sponsors who are making those streams available. This is the “new media” taking a bigger chunk out of TV and radio in a steady march toward change. YouTube, SnapChat, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, Reddit, LinkedIn, SlideShare, Pinterest, etc. These are the enterprising entrepreneurs challenging revenue streams that have stood for decades. Explainer videos, video presentations, digital ANYTHING, smartphone apps, tablet devices, Pandora, Spotify, and more…that still need a human voice to make their products palatable to the human ear.
Listen to AudioBooks. Join Audible and download narrated books. Rent CD’s and DVD’s at your local library. Use the Google Play store and Apple app store to buy and download spoken products. The market for recorded books has been climbing and growing in recent years and shows no signs of stopping. The technical/production/online apparatus sustaining this industry is huge, and gives a lot of people a steady income and welcome paychecks.
Support Podcasting. The advances and growth in this businessare astonishing. In just the last 2 years, Podcasting has just taken off exponentially as a medium all its own. Voice Actors are not just posting their own podcasts, but they’re being hired to be the talent on podcasts as hosts, guests, or moderators. The growth of podcasting is also creating opportunities for studios, vendors, producers, engineers, connectivity solutions and more. Listen to podcasts, and tell other people about them. Download them, and post links to them. Tell other people about them on social media.
Honorable Mention. The few thousand voice-actors in the USA alone are not going to prop up the entire media marketplace. Our influence can help, but it’s not likely we’ll be a determiner of the future in a dramatic way. Still, our presence, when spread through internet and mouth-to-mouth interactions will help. But here’s the real reason why you should pay attention to all the four components I mention…important for your OWN success: that voice on the TV commercial? That’s the person who nailed the gig. Listen closely. What did THEY do to win the job? The guy voicing automobile dealership ads? How is he delivering the goods? Ya gotta listen to understand his success. That 3-volume set of a NYT best-seller? Who is narrating that?…listen to her consistency and theatrical command to know how to find success there. The person delivering a white-board video presentation for United Airlines?…how did their approach win the job?
To be successful in voiceover land, you have to constantly monitor the WINNING voice…in all media. That’s where YOU need to be.
Hey! Your vote counts! Now go out there and be a consumer!
CourVO