I recently came across a video on YouTube by a voice talent whose stance was that it’s ok to charge $5 for a voice-over in certain circumstances, notably for new voice talent who wanted to get potential buyers to “try” or “sample” their wares.

He then told an anecdote about his grandfather, who was in the restaurant business, and how his grandfather gave the food away when he first opened the doors to give people an opportunity to try the food, and then, as the story goes, they went on to become loyal customers and the restaurant flourished.

I’m here to tell you: $5 voiceovers for any reason are absurd. $50 voiceovers are ridiculous. Discounting and giving your valuable work away for free or absurdly low rates because you’re new in the business is abjectly ill-advised and dangerous and your “VO journey” will be over before it started. This dude’s gramps is lucky he stayed in business at all.

While the restaurant story may be true, it shouldn’t be. Why?

Because you don’t get free surgery from new doctors. You don’t get $5 airfares in the pilot’s first year. Never once in my life have I ever gotten a stupid-low rate on car insurance because the agent was a rookie.

Let’s get back to voice acting. There is only one solid reason for charging significantly below professional industry rates: because you’re not trained enough to deliver a professional product in a professional manner to a professional buyer. Period.

Your new doctor, pilot, and insurance agent all have ample training, more than enough to deliver the goods at a professional level for a professional rate.

That’s table stakes. That’s the price of admission. It’s getting enough training to deliver a high-quality product consistently and smoothly.

Can you charge more with more experience and an elite-level product? Absolutely, but if you’re a competent pro, you are morally obligated to compete and win at pro rates based on your training and execution.

If you call yourself a pro, you don’t get to be lazy and get work in the world’s easiest way, by cutting the rate. Any chucklehead can cut the rate. Those who can’t compete, the untrained, have to. But make no mistake – you’re not winning work. You’re simply lying in the gutter and catching it before it slides into the sewer.

But make no mistake – you’re not winning work. You’re simply lying in the gutter and catching it before it slides into the sewer.

Now, why doesn’t the sampling technique this dude’s grandfather used work? Because you are never going to turn a $5 customer into a $500 customer. If they come for the $5 rate, the minute you go to $50, they’re gone. OR you’ve left money on the table because they would have paid you $50 all along. And they’re still not going to pay you $500.

Lowball, bullshit rates attract lowball, bullshit, high-maintenance customers. You’re literally attracting customers that will not only hit the hills when your rates hit pro level, but they’ll suck the life out of you while they bleed you of cash.

$5 Customer: “Yeah, can you really emphasize the AND in this sentence? And can you rewrite the last 6 paragraphs so they make sense and then send us one funny, one serious, and one likable take. Oh, and we can’t pay you ‘til after the first of the year.”

$500 Customer: “Great! Do you take a credit card?”

$5 Guy: “But I just did a job on Fiverr for $1000.”

But how much was the work really worth? The answer is very likely orders of magnitude more than $1000. Doing $14,000 (or even $2000) of work for $1000 is no badge of honor.

Pro clients know the difference. If they see a crazy-low rate, they know they can’t take you seriously because even you don’t value your work.

A pro is trained. A pro delivers the goods consistently. A pro charges pro rates. A pro attracts pro customers who understand that successful collaboration is about both sides being prepared and providing value.

If you can fog a mirror and have a USB mic, you can call yourself a voice actor.

But can you call yourself a pro?

Are you trained? Can you deliver value at pro rates?

Or are you giving away the food?

And if that doesn't move you, read this: https://globalvoiceacademy.com/why-i-dont-worry-about-fiverr-anymore/

Free Food Will Cost You