Father and son voice actors Donald and Kiefer Sutherland

People ask me alot about how I succeed in my search engine optimization, why I seem to be alot of places on the web and “how do you do that?”

It involves pixie dust and eye of newt, to be sure 😉 but I think a better example would be a recent experience I had that describes it pretty well.

I subscribe to Google Alerts with a bunch of key words – I want to know what those words uncover on the web for me.

One of those terms is voice over talent (because I is one, ya know).

Reading a day’s post headlines in the Google Alerts, I was directed to the blog for the very popular advertising agency, Wieden+Kennedy New York who evidently have the Delta Airlines account. Following its merger with Northwest Airlines, Delta is now the nation’s (or world’s or galaxy’s) biggest airline.

Anyway, the agency has a blog (oooo, is that social media at work? hint) and they did a post about their recent TV spots for Delta. These spots feature the voice over genius of Donald Sutherland.

Damn those Sutherland boys (Donald and Kiefer), I just KNOW that every spot they were picked for, I was the client’s SECOND choice for voice talent. I just know it! You’d think those boys could say no once and a while! 😉

Anyway so I watch the spots and they are magnificent. They are well shot (in black and white no less), well edited, superbly written and the voiceover is as I said genius. You can see them at the end here. I say that not only as a marketing, advertising and voice over professional but also as a frequently flyer and not always on Delta.

So bringing this back to the lesson:

* With a free subscription to Google Alerts to find information that is customized for my likes

* I found a blog post to a major advertising agency’s blog (maybe they could be my client some day – why not?)

* Who produced some amazing TV spots that fill my creative mind with more ideas

* Which also included a wonderful voice over performance that I can also learn from

* And without even any of the parties knowing it (Delta Airlines, Wieden+Kennedy, Donald Sutherland and Kiefer Sutherland) I am telling you (and showing you) about their work which now makes it viral.

* If you share this story with even one more person it makes it more viral

And all of it is social.

Any questions?

Tags: advertising, blogs, branding, commentary, commercials, google, marketing, social media, travel, video, voice actors, voice casting, voice talent, voiceover, voiceover advice by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
5 Comments »

To be clear, I am not the first person to create a YouTube video for my voice over demo.

In fact, as usual, many have gone before me and probably done it better.

But while I am not first to the party (you know, where there’s that kinda awkward standing around trying to create small talk waiting for somebody…anybody else to arrive next) I certainly will not be last to the party.

So I hope you enjoy my stab at voiceover marketing sprinkled with a dash of humor.

Tags: announcers, branding, commentary, marketing, video, voice actors, voice talent, voiceover, youtube by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
2 Comments »

As God as my witness, I thought turkeys could fly!

No…wait.

As God as my witness, I had no idea that starting a blog all those years ago would result in 700 posts.

I like to write but that’s not the challenge; the challenge is if people will like to read.

Many of you do, catching this blog via subscribing to Voxmarketising through RSS or reading links on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn. The comments, retweets and repostings really make me happy. Not egotistically happy but really because someone took the time to read about my thoughts on voice over, marketing or advertising and thought they were worthwhile enough to share with others.

That kind of endorsement and support cannot be quantified.

So whether you like the logo posts, or the Fauxditions, or the videos or the Faffcon stuff or more recently the National Voice Over Month stuff, I keep writing about those type of things and more going forward. None of that stuff existed when I started.

God only knows what lies ahead for this blog in the future. Boy, I hope its all good stuff!

Thank you.

Tags: advertising, blogs, branding, commentary, faffcon, fauxdition, logo design, marketing, National Voice Over Month, social media, voice actors, voice talent, voiceover, voiceover advice, voiceover blog by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
6 Comments »

Voice Over Agents for Male Voice Talent Peter K. O'Connell

I’ve been fairly fortunate in my voice over career to have partners in my voiceover business.

They are my voice over agents who represent me and hundreds like me to thousands of potential clients for each new voice over project that comes out.

I speak to all my agents fairly regularly and I think most even know my name (kidding! – just agent humor). They do know my name, my voice talent and I am fortunate to have gotten business from and made money for these valued partners.

Now, as we begin September’s National Voice Over Appreciation Month (or National Voice Over Month, as I prefer to call it so I don’t have to type as much) I thought I would mention how I think Voice Over Agents can benefit from this month long celebration. Maybe these tips might work for your agents too.

Something to Write About
The challenge in promoting talent within an agency is with so many people represented, it’s tough most times to just promote one individual talent to a full data base of clients. The other talents get a bit perturbed if they are not the “chosen one”.

That’s where National Voice Over Month comes in…sending out a direct mail piece (letter, postcard or even email blast) to your database of prospects and clients about the National Voice Over Appreciation Month celebration that directs readers to your list of talents is a great and simple way to drum up business.

Something to Talk About
Often times, when outbound calling (aka “dialing for dollars”), agents fish for something to talk to a potential or even regular client about. Once a job is over, an agent has to search for the next hit. That can be just as difficult and awkward as it sounds but its part of the skill set agents bring to the table – that ability to keep the conversation going.

Should they do the direct mail piece our to prospects and clients – what would normally be a cold to lukewarm call immediately becomes a warm call – the agent has something to talk to the client about.

“Did you see our announcement about National Voice Over Month? Yeah, it’s a kinda silly celebration but it got me to thinking about some of our voice talents who just completed some really cool projects. I’m really excited for you to hear them.”

That conversation could go somewhere or nowhere but at the very least, the agent got in front of the prospect at least one time if not two times in one month’s time and kept the dialogue going.

That’s what sales is all about. My team is good at that – I hope yours is too.

My thanks to all my agents who work on my behalf:

NEW YORK: All Coast Talent – Toni Silveri > 716.836.4339

NEW YORK: Voice Talent Productions – Erik Sheppard > 631.332.9550

CALIFORNIA & ARIZONA: Dani’s Agency – Dani Green > 602.263.1918

ILLINOIS & WISCONSIN: Lori Lins, Ltd. – Maureen Troy > 414.282.3500

TEXAS: Pastorini-Bosby Talent – Jenny Bosby > 713.266.4488

WASHINGTON & COLORADO: Big Fish Voice Co. – Elynne Dale > 303.778.6708

OHIO, KENTUCKY & INDIANA: Heyman Talent – Thomas McClure > 614.291.8200

GEORGIA: RSH Management – Richard Hutchison > 404.261.7824

GEORGIA: Voice Scouts – Becky Wilmes > 877.351.1060

TENNESSEE, LOUISIANA & ALABAMA: Dan Agency Inc. – Stephanie Beck Williams > 615.591.7064

Tags: commentary, marketing, National Voice Over Month, voice actors, voice talent, voiceover, voiceover advice by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
1 Comment »

September is National Voice Over Month

Not to be too dramatic about it, but it’s about damn time.

Almost every group, organization and/or species has a week or month named in honor of them. Often times it sounds like a joke when you hear some of their names and so too may the impression here now for some, but it’s not.

My friend and fellow Voice Over Talent Dave Courvoisier kinda mentioned the idea in passing when he noticed in his blog about a week or so ago how many voice over activities were taking place in the month of September (more than usual, it seemed).

For example: Amy Snively’s Faffcon is taking place in Portland, Oregon on September 11 & 12th. Joan Baker’s New York City-based “That’s Voiceover” LINK is taking place on September 22nd. These events in addition to the usual voice over seminar suspects like Pat Fraley’s regional seminar in Buffalo, NY on September 25th & 26th mean that the summer slumber has been shaken off.

Then Dave sent me an email Saturday (yes, just this past Saturday) saying this National Voice Over Month idea was gnawing at him and what did I think.

I copied him, Amy Snively and Bob Souer on my answer (because I feel it’s always better to cause trouble in a group); my answer was that Dave’s idea for a National Voice Over Month was the right idea and that we could pull it off in four days…and now we are.

Somewhere in there, Voice Over Xtra!’s John Florian and Voice Talent and Social Media Tour De Force Terry Daniel I believe also got roped into this and I think there are many others who are contributing to this month long event as well. I hope you’ll take time to acknowledge all their efforts when you see them on-line on blogs, podcasts, videos or social media outlets like Twitter or Facebook etc.

Dave grabbed a domain and created a web site, Amy drew up a logo, I helped with some copy and we’re all still actively adding to the program – as a professional voice talent you are sincerely encouraged to participate in whatever manner you feel you want to…maybe comment on blogs, retweet NVOM announcements, or maybe create a Voice Over meetup in your city where all the voice talents get together for a visit.

One of the more interesting things to see was how Dave (the true driving force of this idea) called for a hastily called weekend vote on Saturday from the board of SOVOA to endorse and support September as National Voice Over Month; by Sunday it was passed. Brilliantly executed and kudos to the Board for the response time.

Our goal, I think, is simple and openly self-serving– share with as many people as possible what Voice Over Talents do, who they are and where they can be found. Yes, we are trying to create awareness among potential employers for every voice over professional in this industry but I think we’re also trying build on the credibility we’ve established in the wake of our collective professional works this far.

I’m proud of my very small part in all this because I believe strongly not only in the art and industry of Voice Over but also in the men, women and children who perform within it around the world. We are a talented bunch and it’s not a bad thing that we say that ever so briefly…maybe once a year.

Will you celebrate with us? Let me know how you’ll be a part of National Voice Over Month.

Tags: announcers, blogs, commentary, community, facebook, faffcon, internet, logo design, marketing, National Voice Over Month, social media, social networking, twitter, voice actors, voice talent, voiceover, voiceover advice, voiceover meet-ups by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
13 Comments »

Can I write a snappy blog headline or what?!

Sorry this won’t be a salacious as you may have been expecting but it’s still pretty cool because another airline has redone its logo (including repainting their planes). And what Virgin Atlantic created really looks a thousand times better, I think. Thanks to Brand New for the tip.

What do you think?

By the way, ever see a plane get painted? It’s kinda cool.

Virgin Atlantic plane livery time-lapse movie from johnson banks on Vimeo.

Tags: advertising, branding, logo design, marketing, video by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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