5 Myths About Local Voice Over Jobs for Beginners
“Local voice over work is a myth. If you’re not in Hollywood or New York, you might as well quit now.”
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That’s what they told me, and yeah, 25 years ago it was true and it nearly sidelined my career before it really began.
But here’s the present-day reality: nearly everything you think about finding local VO work is dead wrong and if you buy into these myths, you’re condemning yourself to a life of lowball side gigs, burnout, and what-ifs.
Let’s destroy these 5 myths, because full-time voice work is possible, and help you learn what actually moves the needle.
Myth #1: “There’s No Work Where I Live”
The Lie You’ve Been Sold
I lost count of the times someone told me straight-faced that outside of LA, New York, or maybe Chicago, “there’s just no real voiceover work,” like cities everywhere else were creative wastelands, bereft of agencies, production houses, or startups in need of a voice for their next project.
The Reality
Let me be as clear as the heels on your local stipper: This ain’t 1998 and every market has needs.
From radio to elearning, real estate to healthcare, local businesses all use voices. Drive past 10 billboards or scroll your local news site. How many audio ads or explainer videos would you guess came from right in your own backyard?
When I was getting started in VO, I decided to stop listening to the doubters and dig into local directories, production company websites, and searches for “creative director” and “marketing manager” near me.
What I found was a ton of business owners, non-profits, and agencies, many who felt ignored by the union, big city VO elite and eager to work with someone local.
Action Steps that Work:
Build a simple list: Start with Google, search “production companies near me,” “advertising agencies in [city],” and “training video production [state].”
Get out of your booth: Go to a local chamber of commerce mixer or open industry event. Most are friggin’ thrilled to meet someone who isn’t an insurance salesperson.
Cross the digital/physical line: Offer local businesses a short, no-pressure audition: “Let me record your next 15-second Facebook promo spot so you can hear the difference…”.
Myth #2: “Local Clients Don’t Pay”
The Common Complaint
The second myth is “Local is just code for cheap.” It’s a classic fear, and tbh, no one signs up for getting lowballed at $25 for a three-minute explainer.
But here’s what the part-timers, the weekend warriors, and yeah, some full-timers too, miss: it’s not a local versus not-local issue.
It’s a relationship and positioning issue.
Why the Broke Narrative Persists
What you charge is a conversation, not a lottery ticket.
When I started out, I quoted rates I’d pulled out of my ass to local agencies thinking that was the market. The responses ranged from polite confusion to cold silence.
It wasn’t until I started presenting myself as a professional, using the GVAA industry-standard rate guide, showing them real ROI for clean audio and a grounded read, and treating every interaction as a business partnership that things shifted. I booked a $400 local radio spot and an $800 training module for a city department on the same day.
That was real progress.
Action Steps that Work:
Use fair industry standards: The GVAA Rate Guide, or SAG-AFTRA scale if applicable.
Pitch value, not just voice: Share short case studies about how well-produced audio increases engagement or retention.
Say no nicely to bottom-feeders: “I completely understand budgets and constraints. I do. But to deliver the quality your (and my) brand deserves, my rate for that project would be $XXX.”
Myth #3: “It’s Awkward to Reach Out”
The Mindset Trap
This one is so familiar, it’s practically cliché: “I don’t want to bother people. I’m not a ‘sales’ type.”
Enter: the anxiety, the procrastination, the self-doubt.
Meanwhile, potential clients with real needs are hiring someone else, often from outside your market, just because that person showed up.
Rewriting the Story
Most local businesses are starving for reliable creative partners. They’re sick of flaky freelancers, impersonal services, or endlessly waiting on recommendations. When I reached out gently, honestly, and professionally, doors opened that no online audition could ever touch.
If you ignore local businesses, you are the stranger. If you introduce yourself, especially with authenticity and a little research, they’re usually grateful. I’ve had cold emails turn into warm client calls just because I led with something like, “I hear you just launched a podcast. I’d love to help you craft a custom intro that stands out.”
Action Steps that Work:
Research before you reach: Know their industry, reference a recent project, or compliment their latest campaign.
Stay human in the DMs: “Hi, I’m local here to [city] and specialize in helping [type of business] get their message heard…”
Practice a 20-second “here’s who I help” pitch until it feels like second nature.
Myth #4: “They Already Have Someone”
Inside the Agency Mind
It feels safe to assume every decent business has their voice already. Maybe they do. But if you’ve ever worked at an agency (like I did, before going solo), you know the score: projects change. People leave. Tastes evolve.
Their favorite may be swamped, or sick, or on vacation, or not even available for that type of job.
Staying Top-of-Mind and Earning Work
I’ve been hired months after my first touch, all because the original VO moved on, their last ad campaign needed a fresh voice, or the client just wanted to hear different options. This isn’t personal; it’s just business. Persistence and timing, without being pushy, pay huge dividends.
Action Steps that Work:
Position as an additional option, not a threat: “If your usual talent is ever booked up, I’d love to be a backup.”
Stay present, but do not pester: Send value-driven emails (“Saw this article, thought it would be relevent for you for these 3 reasons…”) a few times a year.
Deliver sample reads in their style: “Here’s what your next explainer could sound like…”
Myth #5: “I’m Too New”
The False Line in the Sand
Maybe this one hits hardest. The invisible wall: “Not enough credits. No big name clients. I’m an amateur in a field for pros.” Sound familiar? I’ve been there faking confidence on Zoom calls, propping up my cred, and thinking every short list was a fluke.
The Real Secret: Clients Want Results, Not Resumes
Local businesses usually care far more about a great read than your IMDB profile. I’ve worked with brand-new actors who landed anchor clients within months, simply because they showed up with the performance chops (training), a confident read, a willingness to accommodate, on-time delivery, and genuine energy.
Action Steps that Work:
Offer a starter promo (e.g., a slightly discounted first project or a revision guarantee) to build testimonials and case studies.
Remember: your job isn’t to prove how experienced you are, but how valuable you’ll be to the client’s project or brand.
What Actually Works: A Battle-Tested Roadmap
1) Local Market Research, VO Style
Don’t just blast generic emails. Spend a day mapping the real creative ecosystem in your city or region. Use LinkedIn, Google, Facebook groups to find production houses, content studios, agencies, video marketers, and business networking events. Make a spreadsheet or better yet, us a CRM. Take notes on who seems active, what clients they showcase, and how their vibe fits your own style.
2) Direct Marketing for Voice Actors
Most part-timers avoid it, so you stand out just by showing up with helpful intent. Send personalized emails, not mass blasts. Mention something specific about their work. Attach a quick, 30-second custom demo with their company name and your clean audio.
It’s not spam if it’s relevant.
3) Voiceover Business Coaching: Worth It?
Shortcut your learning curve by investing in coaching and training.
I learned more in three months with a business coach than a year’s worth of YouTube binging.
Courses and a business community can open new strategies for client acquisition and marketing, especially for overlooked, lucrative niches (like eLearning, healthcare, legal, and corporate work).
4) Modern Marketing Strategies, No Sleaze Required
Use what works for you, but dammit, start somewhere:
Update your LinkedIn and make it client-facing (replace “Aspiring VO” (🤮) with “Partnering with [city] brands to build memorable audio…”)
Offer to teach a free mini-workshop on voice for video at your co-working space, business incubator, or local college.
5) Always Follow Up Professionally
No one owes you a reply. You have to earn the conversation. You do that by following up like a pro.
A quick, friendly one-week follow-up (“Following up from last week… happy to provide a sample if you’re still considering voice options.”) can double your response rate from cold outreach. Track who you contacted, when, and what their reply was.
If a lead goes cold for three months? Reach out and provide relevance and value again.
Bringing It All Together (And Building Your Full-Time VO Life)
You aren’t stuck because of your market, rates, or even your own nerves, even your experience level. You’re stuck, most likely, because you believe old myths.
Change your beliefs, act on better info, and you’ll quickly see results that blow up the old limitations.
Quick Recap: The Myth-Killer’s Cheat Sheet
There is work where you live, if you look beyond the surface.
Local clients will pay fairly when you position yourself as a professional, not a hobbyist.
Reaching out isn’t awkward; it’s the pathway to warm, lasting partnerships.
Just because they have someone now doesn’t mean they won’t need you soon.
Being new only matters if you let it. Clients hire reliability, not resumes.
Ready for Your Next Step?
If you’re tired of sitting on the sidelines, chasing lowball gigs, or doubting your full-time VO dream, now is the best moment to start.
Audit your local market. Reach out to a new business this week. Invest in coaching or training if you keep hitting the same frustrations.
Above all, stop believing the stupid myths.
This business is wide open for talent who who question the so-called rules and get to work.