VoiceOverXtra! and Gabby Nistico are presenting a Radio Imaging Seminar on September 8, 2010

Many folks are interested in getting into the voice over fields of Radio Imaging and Station Branding. No wonder, it’s a lot of fun!

So John Florian over at VoiceOverXtra! has teamed up with Gabby Nistico for a webinar on Wednesday, September 8, 2010 (yes, that’s tomorrow night) which will show you “the skills and business savvy needed to succeed in this lucrative niche. Live. Ask her questions. Receive a free recording of the entire webinar.”

For the details on this event, click here.

Tags: announcers, branding, commentary, radio, voice actors, voice talent, voiceover by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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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
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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
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If you are an American voice actor in the Northeast or a Canadian voice actor in Ontario or even southern Quebec, I would encourage you to check out the seminar Pat Fraley has planned on September 26, 2010 in Buffalo, NY.

Called the “Pick Up Your Oscar” Event -The Craft of Voice Over Acting, Pat welcomes only 12 students (and many spots are already taken) for the event which is the “Only Acting System Created Specifically for Voice Over”.

My friend, teacher and agent Toni Silveri from All Coast Talent is again hosting Pat and his seminars are can’t miss events.

For more info, visit All Coast Talent.

Tags: voice actors, voice over training, voice talent, voiceover, voiceover advice by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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Male Voice Talents Scott Nilsen and Peter K. O'Connell outside the original Starbucks in Seattle, WA

Seattle is simply lovely…flying over it or driving around the lakes…it is stunning. Make fun of its rain all you want but it is a special place.

Made all the more special when my fellow voice talent and friend Scott Nilsen met up with me for a visit this evening down by the waterfront. While Scott lives and works in the OC, he is a Seattle native and was up visiting his family while I was here.

He was kind enough to show me the location of the original Starbucks -which we didn’t go into because it was packed with tourists who think THAT store’s coffee will taste different from any other Starbucks store.

Besides, everybody in the NW knows that Starbucks is no Tully’s.

Tags: commentary, community, voice talent, voiceover, voiceover meet-ups by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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Just caught this – Faffcon – the voiceover unconference taking place on September 11 & 12, 2010 in Portland, Oregon, now has a full line of official Faffcon tee-shirts, mugs, mouse pads – everything a professional voice talent needs to prove his or her worth!

Some of the designs are destined to be classics. Check them out here.

Tags: commentary, faffcon, voice actors, voice talent, voiceover, voiceover meet-ups by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent
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