5 Other Reasons You’re Not Getting Work

I’ve harped on here plenty about the importance of things like branding, networking, and creating a social media presence. All of these are integral to helping you land work and expand your voice over career.  But if you’re already doing those things and the jobs still aren’t rolling in, you’re probably wondering what’s going on. Here are 5 other reasons why the clients aren’t calling:

1.    Your turnaround time is too slow.  When someone gives you a deadline, are you meeting it? Or are you getting the work done ahead of schedule? If you’re running your work down to the last minute and simply meeting the deadline, you’re not exceeding anyone’s expectations. We live in a fast-paced society where most people expect instant gratification. Clients want their project done pronto, and that usually means BEFORE the deadline. 

2.    Your sound quality is sub-par. Clients expect top-notch sound quality with any voice over artists, and there are plenty of actors out there who can provide it. If your quality isn’t up to scratch with your competitors, you’re going to be the one overlooked for new work. Recordings and demos should be completely free of background noise, with your voice as the undisputed star of the show.

3.    You’re not following instructions. If you want to succeed in VO, you’ve got to pay attention to detail. Carefully read or listen to whatever instructions are given, and follow them to a tee. Obviously, you’re expected to make a reading your own, but when a client gives you feedback, don’t disregard it. The same goes for things like submitting auditions or demos; everyone has their own standards and expectations, so if they specifically ask for a CD instead of an mp3 file, you need to be sure to send a CD.

4.    You’re not making “freshness” a priority. Voice over is always changing - just look how video game VO has reshaped the industry. As an actor,  you’ve got to keep it fresh. If you’re sending out demos that contain work that’s a couple of years old, you’re not doing yourself any favors. Stay up-to-date with changes in the industry, and don’t let your work grow stale.

5.    You’ve gotten complacent with your clients. Be careful not to take clients for granted. It’s easy to do this when you’re someone’s go-to voice actor, but remember that they can always shop around for someone else. Work to maintain good relationships with existing clients, and take action to wrangle new clients at the same time.