I don’t think I’ve ever met an aloof voice talent but I know a bunch that could comeacross that way; they hurt their businesses but they don’t know they are doing it.
My reference is because these voice talents don’t have a phone number on their web sites. Hard to believe when you digest that sentence – a voice talent with a web site that contains no phone number. They are unable to be easily communicated to via the most effective form of electronic communication (email isn’t the “most” effective).
I was on the phone today with a very talented, well-respected and experienced voice talent whom I’ve known on-line and off for some time. I wanted to follow up on an email he sent me via phone (because I’m a talker – a voice talker).
His email signature did NOT contain his phone number (another long standingno-no in my book). So I clicked on the web link that was in his sig (awesome!) to find his phone number.
The phone number wasn’t on the site and then I remembered it was in my phone’s contacts so when I buzzed him, I called him on the omitted phone number on the web site. The reason he gave for not having a phone number on the web was that didn’t want his home phone number (where his studio was) listed all over the web. He hadn’t seemed to consider the situation with the cell phone.
My thoughts on this to him were simple:
– Use a cell phone as your business phone – nobody can see WHERE you are answering your phone. It will always be with you and you’ll have less chance of missing an incoming job. The rules on phones have changed – cell phones are a priority over traditional business lines in many cases (your mileage may vary)
– If you follow this strategy, make sure you ALWAYS answer your phone in a professional manner and make sure you outgoing message sounds professional. No “It’s me, you know what to do, dude.”
– When you secure a cell phone contract, get them to give a good phone number. What constitutes a good phone number? One that is easily memorable and sounds like a business number. When I bought my phone a number of years ago, just after cell phone numbers became portable, I told my phone provider that I would buy a new phone and contract with a good phone number – without it, the deal was off. Quickly they found me 716-572-1800.
– Live near a big city? Sometimes you can get a phone with the big city area code (212/New York City for example). Suddenly, you’re a big city voice talent.
Some of the Voice Over Talents on the roster of Voice Talent Productions
If you count the smiles handshakes, hugs and flashbulbs from this weekend’s New York City Voice Over Mixer – there is no way to call it anything except a great success. One of my agents, Erik Sheppard from Voice Talent Productions, put this together for the 2nd time and it was a lot of fun. Knowing how these things work, specific thanks should go to Lindsay Reiss and September Day Leach for what I am sure was a lion’s share of the work.
And best wishes to Erik and Lindsay on their impending nuptials…engaged before the event, Lindsay was actually surprised by Erik at the mixer with the actual ring.
You know a party is going to be good when you close a club in the city and have to cap the guest list. I think we were at about 250 people for the event. It was packed.
Some of the members of the VO-BB.com - photo courtesy of VoiceChasers.com
There were two great joys attending this event (which I almost didn’t go to as daughter started a 24 hour bug on the way with the family to drop Da off at the airport…she’s perfectly fine now): seeing all my VO-BB friends many of which I know in real life but some of whom I had only known for years virtually; and then getting to meet so many familiar and new voice talents from around the country and around the world.
New York’s weather was not even in the vicinity of perfect as it poured rained with alternating snow most of the early evening (it was yucky). But that didn’t stop these voice talents from getting to their appointed destination. And as always with any good trip, there fun stories along the way.
The VO-BB gang, lead by the talented and generous D.B. Cooper, decided late Friday on line that we would have a pre-mixer get together at a place called Boca Chica on 1st Street in the village, near the mixer at 5:00 p.m. AT 4:50 p.m. while I am in a cab to the event, D.B. calls me to tell me the restaurant doesn’t open until 5:30 p.m. I figure, it’s NYC so there WILL be a bar nearby and I’ll make my way over to the restaurant at 5:30. D.b. also asked me to advise anyone at the restaurant of the same issue.
Voice Talent Lee Gordon (I swear it's him)
Well I got to my destination and standing outside -in the rain- in front of a bar right next to Boca Chica is my friend Lee Gordon, whom I promptly ordered out of the rain and into the bar he stood in front of, which was dry, warm and deserted. We had a very nice visit and were quickly joined by a fellow VO-BB Tony Impieri.
Voice Talent Tony Impieri
At 5:30, my good friend Doug Turkel pinged me to say that he, Bob Souer, Dave Courvoisier and Anthony Mendez had smashed the door down at Boca Chica to get seated and indeed when Lee, Tony and I made our way next door, the staff had to unlock the door for us. From that point on, I think the noise level in New York City hit a record high cause nobody shut up…we’re voice talkers for goodness sake, what could you expect.
Voice Talents Melissa Exelberth, Anthony Mendez and Peter K. O'Connell
This will sound a bit like a Mouseketeers roll-call but at the restaurant in addition to us seven guys were also D.b. Cooper (with her talented husband Dewitt Hardy) Mary McKitrick, Moe Egan, Liz deNesnera, Melissa Exelberth, Elaine Singer, Mandy Nelson, Pam Tierney (all lovely and talented), as well as John Florian from Voice Over Xtra. Likely getting the award for furthest traveled (England and Scotland no less) were Elisa Canas and Philip Banks (a terrific table mate – great insight). Truth be told, I think many folks on the VO-BB registered once Philip announced he was coming over because we all hold him in high esteem and has been a virtual friend for so long.
Voice Talents Bob Souer and Pam Tierney try to figure out which camera to look at (that was a pleasant challenge for everyone all night long)
The O'Boys with Courvo- THE Patrick O'Connor, Dave Courvoisier and Peter K. O'Connell
Voice Talents Pam Tierney and Peter K. O'Connell
Voice Talents Peter K. O'Connell & Philip Banks - it was about 2:00 a.m. UK time for Philip when we took this picture but he was standing tall (which compared to me is relatively easy)
Voice talents Dave Courvoisier, Peter K. O'Connell and Elaine Singer
Voice Talents Peter K. O'Connell and the great Bobbi Owens
I thought I could summon the stamina of my youth but by 11:00 p.m. I was back at my sister-in-law’s apartment in my bed to catch some sleep before the car service arrived early Sunday. A terrific trip with new and old friends whose kindness and professionalism I cherish greatly. Thanks everyone.
P.S. The best looking man in voiceover, Dave Courvoisier, proved his talents expand beyond his voice talent abilities with an animoto slide show featuring a montage of many other pictures from the New York City Voice Over Mixer. Great job Dave, thanks.
P.P.S. I’ve now come across what I believe is the definitive compilation of pictures from the New York City Voice Over Mixer running over 8 minutes so it’s possible if you aren’t in one of these pictures…you were too busy taking pictures of other people to pose for one of your own.
Even though he didn’t know it, Bob Souer reminded me of something today inhis blog post.
I had asked for any bloggers who wanted a link on my blog and who were not already listed to ping me and I’d add them to my voice over blog roll on this site. You may see it better if you scroll down a bit in the columns on to the right of this post.
I also asked for a reciprocal link which I hope those I link to will put on their blogs but I don’t have the time to check on each and every one of them. HEY, but YOU might have the time, so if you see a voice over blog that doesn’t link to mine, ping me and there will be a major cash reward…not from me as I don’t HAVE any money).
Bob’s post noted that John Florian on VoiceOver Xtra had a blog link page which, sadly, I didn’t realize until just now, even though he gave this blog a link on his page. BUT since John’s news service now accepts comments on stories, that enters it into blog territory so John now has a link on voxmarketising. Thank you John, for all you do for your fellow voice over professionals – it is appreciated and valued.
An IMPORTANT point: some blogs I found recently were NOT added as they had not posted in over a year. While its not my place to tell people how often they want to write, I gauge the credibility of a blog by the frequency of its posts. I get that blogging isn’t for everyone and I am not judging. I am committed to providing information on all current voice over blogs. If this is you and you increase your post frequency, please let me know and I’ll pop you right up there.
And for goodness sakes folks, how can anyone have a blog WITHOUT an RSS button or link. It’s one of the main ways people SUBSCRIBE to a blog. If a blog post is uploaded to the internet and nobody reads it, does the blog really exist? And yet I saw a bunch of them today; it’s a darn shame no one can easily read them regularly. Oh well.
As you’ll recall (cause you’re the only one who reads this blog…and thanks again for that) the issue of payment terms for voice over services provided was addressed here recently. It revolved around American voice talents who work domestically and internationally with one story focusing on the challenges of U.S. voice talents getting paid by internationally based clients.
This is truly a universal problem, as Mahmoud Tajinotes in his recent post, because getting the money one is owed is an economic challenge for voice over talents no matter where you live.
Back in the early 1950’s 😉 when I started out blogging about voice overs (and marketing and advertising), there were like…5 of us. Now there’s a double-decker London bus full of voice over bloggers.
While I think I have them all listed here and subscribe to them all, I know that the playing field changes fast and frequently. That coupled with the fact that some bloggers fall of the face of the earth or get bored with blogging means my list needs updating. If you’d rather not watch paint dry, you can always sift through a listing of voice over bloggers to see who is still actively publishing…the effect is the same but voice over blog list actually feels more tortuous.
Example: one blog I THOUGHT I was subscribed to and had listed here was Paul Strikwerda’s blog called Double Dutch. Very good blog and you should subscribe.
Today I realized this omission and fixed it. But it reminded me to ask you if you have a voice over blog and are not listed with a link on voxmarketising.com to:
1. Please let me know this and I will correct the error
2. If you haven’t already, please link back from your blog to this blog (audio’connell’s voxmarketising – is the proper name and the address is http://www.voxmarketising.com) So simple, even a caveman can do it.
3. If you have ceased blogging and are on my list, just ping me and I’ll pull you off the list.
For many folks the economy has really ruined their year. That has been equally true for performance based professionals – voice talents, actors, disc jockeys, producers, directors, writers etc. I’ve been lucky with my business and I know it. So let me share with you a secret.
Full Circle Studios (yes two mentions in two days – they should pay me – and they’re not paying me for this) created a web site called Casting Central where actors, voice talent, models and agents within Western New York State can get a free listing. So when FCS clients want to check out possible talent for a production – it’s as close as a mouse click.
Are you a talent who wants to get listed? Click here for details.
