BUFFALO, New York, May 5, 2009 – – The Voice-Over Entrance Exam, a free e-book for newcomers to the voice over industry, was released on the web today, (www.voiceoverentranceexam.com). The free e-book was written by Peter K. O’Connell, a professional voice talent since 1982 who serves as president of audio’connell voice over talent and is owner of Voice Over Workshop.

The e-book promises to help prospective voice over talents take a hard look at what they really need to think about if they want to work full time or even part time as a professional voice talent. The Voice-Over Entrance Exam covers topics like getting a professional talent assessment, handling rejection, how to seek professional training and how to manage the business of voice over.

“I have witnessed first hand the pitfalls of the voiceover novice who jumps headfirst into the industry – totally unprepared – only to meet with complete indifference from potential customers and the voice-over community,” O’Connell said. “This e-book gives them the right advice to consider before they spend a nickel on equipment or marketing and since the book is free, so is the advice,” O’Connell noted.

audio’connell Voice-Over Talent is a worldwide, English language-based voice talent organization. The company also operates International Voice Talents, a company featuring professional foreign language male and female voice actors. audio’connell Voice-Over Talent and International Voice Talents provide voice talent for commercials, animation, corporate narrations, documentaries, broadcast voice imaging, audio books, podcasts and messaging on-hold (MOH). Industries served by the two companies include advertising agencies, media and broadcast production companies as well as both large and small businesses around the world.

Mr. O’Connell also owns Voice Over Workshop, which provides professional voice over training to novice and experienced voice talent world-wide.

audio’connell Voice-Over Talent, International Voice Talents and Voice Over Workshop are all a part of O’Connell Communications, LLC.
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NOTES TO EDITORS

Company Media Releases ON LINE:
http://www.audioconnell.com/media

Company Name Pronunciation:
au·dio·o’·con·nell (awe-de-oh-oh-kah-nel) or au·di-o’·con·nell (awe-de-oh-kah-nel)

Company Name Spelling:
Use lower case letters- audio’connell or audio’connell Voice-Over Talent

Company Web:
http://www.audioconnell.com

Company Blog:
http://www.voxmarketising.com

O’Connell Voice-Over Resume:
See resume here

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Tags: media releases, video // 2 Comments »

Yes, I know. There are clients who want service and prospects who want to place orders and one must keep their business humming lest someone else steal our clients.

Stop. Listen (or – read).

I am the biggest culprit of diving for the phone but a phone call I had today just reminded me that I need to improve on this.

Don’t answer the phone if:

• You are in a meeting. You are only going to say ‘I am in a meeting can I call you back?’ Besides the caller feels bad for having interrupted your meeting. We didn’t know you were in a meeting. If it’s a real emergency, we’ll find you anyway.
• You are with a client or prospect. Focus on who is in front of you – they need your attention the most at that moment and if you are taking calls from others, what does that say about how you prioritize the client or prospect sitting before you?
• You are with your family after business hours. Oh, there are no business hours any more, you say. Look, I am so guilty on this one as to be the poster boy but I need to get better at it and so do you! Work to Live, don’t Live to Work! Work Smarter Not Harder! Pick your slogan. I’m trying out Family First!

Shame on me for needing a slogan to remember anyway.

Tags: commentary, marketing, voiceover advice // Comments Off on don’t answer the phone

There are certain times in your life when you should NOT do that math. This occurred to me the other day when I was puttering around the office doing some stuff and I noticed my membership directory from Buffalo Niagara Sales and Marketing Executives (BNSME). This year will mark my 20th anniversary as a member. That means I was 25 years old when I joined in 1989. This is the kind of math avoidance I am advocating.

I am also advocating that you join myself and Todd Salansky, CEO, online thymes llc, for our May 18, 2009 BNSME presentation entitled “The New Big Three – What’s In It For Me”. The presentation will take place at the 31 Club, 31 N Johnson Park in Buffalo and is sponsored by Days Inn, Wingate by Wyndham, West Herr Automotive Group, Business First and Sound Video Solutions.

The goal of the presentation is to help participants understanding and applying Facebook®, LinkedIn® and Twitter® for their businesses as explained not by two experts (though Todd really knows his Social Media “stuff”) but rather by two active and practiced users of these services and Social Media in general.

By sharing an overview of the services, an explanation of how Todd and myself are using them to the advantage of our businesses and then offering participants a hands on tour of the services, we hope to remove the apprehension some people have experienced about Social Media and provide practical ways business owners can actively and successfully use these services as part of their marketing mix.

If you can join us, I think you’ll enjoy the presentation and some great in-person networking too. For reservations, please call Jeanne at the BNSME office at 716-662-2279.

Tags: audio'connell voice over talent, commentary, facebook, linkedin, the new big 3, twitter // 1 Comment »

There’s a new pay-to-play site for voice over talents that I was clued into by Dave Courvoisier’s blog.The pay-to-play directory is called Voice Punch and it bills itself as “A Voice Overs Talent and Voiceover Resource Directory.”

I should have heeded my internal warning signal when I saw the grammatically odd, clearly key-worded “Voice Overs Talent”. The industry standard is either “voice over talent” or voice overs”.

As I saw “Find a voice over talent in our free industry directory …” I figured I better get my free listing.

Nope, they fibbed. It ain’t free. You can search it for free but you can’t be in it for free.

Once I registered and they got my contact info, they informed me of the prices. Hmmm, that smells a bit funny too. Their terms of service does not say that would sell my info to a third party BUT it doesn’t say it won’t either (selling mailing lists is another way to make money of these types of sites).

OK, so these kids want to make a buck; I’m a capitalist so I’m fine with that..I think sites like these are a waste of money for voice talents but by and large I am not their target. These guys want to target newbies, I’m guessing people who are just starting to get into voice over and don’t know how to market themselves; people who’ve not been through the pay-to-play ringer.

How do I know? The pricing plan is what I based my opinion on. If you join for $99 you get a year-long listing with no audio demos (kind of useless for a voice talent). At $129, you get one audio upload per year and it kind of goes down hill from there.

The listings are a little light right now but the site is new. There seems to be male voice talents named “Monica” and “Jeanni” in the directory but save for one name, I’ve not seen anyone I’ve known of in the industry listed yet.

My bias against pay-to-play sites has been well documented. I’ve not seen anything on Voice Punch that would encourage me to alter my opinion. Your mileage may vary.

Tags: commentary, voice casting, voice talent, voiceover, voiceover advice // 1 Comment »

A quick trip to Milwaukee on Friday for some biz that went successfully.

On the way to the airport, I had a bit of extra time that provided a nice cushion before my plane left so I GPS’d (on the great i-phone) the office of my voice over agent in Milwaukee, Lori Lins of (not surprisingly) Lori Lins Limited Talent Management. We partnered in 2007 but I had never met her and only communicated via email. As the stars seemed to align on this trip, I stopped by unannounced just to say hi.

Had they said they were busy or otherwise occupied, I would have been cool with that as mine was a bit of a drive-by. But Lori came right out to greet me and we chatted for a good 15 minutes about my career, her agency and the VO business in general.

Naturally, I forgot my camera in the car (stupid!) so I didn’t get a picture with Lori but the quick shot in the blog spot through the passenger window of my rental car (again, courtesy i-phone) at least proves I was there.

My thanks to Lori and her staff for being so gracious. And Lori, Nancy Wolfson says hi via Twitter.

Tags: audio'connell voice over talent, commentary, travel, twitter, voiceover, voiceover meet-ups // Comments Off on audio’connell in milwaukee

Today my friend and client Leesa Barnes came to Buffalo to speak at a lunch seminar hosted by the Buffalo Niagara Sales and Marketing Executives. She didn’t come in from her hometown Toronto either, she flew in via Las Vegas having attended and presented at the National Association of Broadcasters convention there.

Having gone through airplane connection hell in her travels back, Leesa tweeted me this AM asking if I would be able to pick her up at Buffalo Niagara International Airport. After we agreed to the fare… (just kidding!)

Glad to see her in action, presenting “Be Marketing Fit: 3 Ways to Get Active Using Social Media”. The 30+ in attendance really enjoyed her content as did I.

Leesa and I first met up in Toronto when Social Media and Social Networking were first starting via an international on-line networking group called Ryze. The Toronto Ryze chapter actually had in-person meetings and I would go up to TO and make contacts. That group eventually faded away.

Then she told me about the first Podcamp Toronto, which was great. Subsequently I’ve done voice over work for her podcasting clients and her podcasts as well.

But there you have another use for Twitter and Social Media…hailing a cab, or a ride anyway, from the airport. Monetize that, pal! 🙂

Tags: commentary, podcamptoronto, podcasting, social media, social networking, twitter // 3 Comments »