How do I know if I'm making bad marketing mistakes that are turning clients off? What are the most common marketing mistakes in voiceover and how do I avoid them? What critical social media marketing mistakes am I making with my voiceover business?

Today we're talking about seven common marketing mistakes to avoid making in voiceover, why they are common and not so obvious, and why you want to avoid them.

Look, in the first few years of your career, it's hard enough to learn what to do, right? Sometimes learning what not to do can be a bigger help.

One of the most common marketing questions I get from voice actors is how do I differentiate myself? How do I make myself stand out? How do I make myself different? We're going to answer that question by flipping it around and asking, "How do you not look like everyone else?"

So here are seven of the most common marketing mistakes to avoid in voiceover.

Number one: Calling yourself "The Voice”

Sweet Baby Jesus. There is no better way in the world to shout to the entire planet that, "Hey, I just got in the voiceover last month" than by calling yourself The Voice. There is hardly a day that goes by that I don't see somebody no one has ever heard of using The Voice as their moniker, tagline, catchphrase, whatever. So, let's establish first that it's not unique. Secondly, the voice of what? Toilet tissue? Beer Nuts? (Beer nuts: The official disease of Milwaukee.) Thirdly, you've lazily and blatantly ripped it off from the TV show. And fourth, and maybe worst of all, it's just puffery.

The people that call themselves The Voice are, in fact, the voice of nothing because they haven't done anything yet. Don't do it. Just don't.

Number two: The headshot of you with the mic

Look, you're excited to be a voiceover. I get it. I am, too. I love what I do. I think it's the best job I've ever had in my life.

But let's say you were a plumber who loved what they did and was really good at what they did. Would you pose for a headshot with a big ol' pipe wrench? Do dentists pose on social media with Mr. Sucky Thing? Look, if you want to look like every other newbie actor, get the shot of you in the booth with the mic.

Put your headphones on for that authentic look. Make sure you get the one of you screaming into the mic. And don't forget the action shot of you reading copy and emoting. You don't differentiate yourself by doing the same thing as every other voice actor.

Number three: The logo with the mic, the headphones and/or the waveform

There's a certain insecurity about newer voice actors, and I get it.

I was there. Once you look at people that are ahead of you on the path and you think, "My gosh, I'm competing with these experienced voice actors. They're so well branded. They have everything going for them. I really better get my visual identity, my ducks in a row so that I can get out there and compete." But here's the God's honest truth.

Buyers, casting directors…don't care about your logo.

I've said it before - a voice actor needs a logo like an astronaut needs a basketball. It's just not essential to growing and developing your business. A logo doesn't prove anything at all. It doesn't prove your competency in the field. Your demos do that. It doesn't convey what the experience of working with you is like. Your testimonials and social proof do that.

It doesn't give you any real credence or credibility in any real substantial way.

Look, I've worked with some of the biggest brands in the country and you could probably ask any successful voice actor this. None of us got hired because we had a fancy logo. They hired us because we rocked the audition, they liked the demos, or possibly both.

That's how we demonstrate competency in this business. Now, if you absolutely must have a logo, I'm begging you, please avoid these three clichés.

1. First: The Sure 55 Mic. I assure you, no one and I mean no one in voiceover uses these for voiceover yet it's the biggest cliché in voiceover marketing.

2. Number two: headphones. No. Just. No.

3. And three: A waveform. I have seen exactly one use of a waveform that was unique and well-done. And it wasn't even for a voice actor. It was for the Voice Actors of New York City. It's brilliant. Well done, y'all.

Number four: Using a graphic or logo for a profile pic on social media

Now, before you get your back up, I understand using your face in your marketing is a personal and touchy subject.

The choice whether or not to put your face on your marketing is a personal one. There is no right or wrong here. For some of you, it may make you more approachable, friendlier, more human to potential buyers. For others, it may subject you to bias, racism, misogyny, other forms of hatred or discrimination.

Make your choice based on your personal comfort level and be grounded in that choice. You own that choice. Nobody else does.

Now, that said, if you're on social media, I encourage you not to use a graphic or a logo for your profile picture. Why? This business is all about relationships and the more human and personal and approachable and friendly you can make yourself to potential buyers, the better off you will be. Which brings me to a larger point…

number five: Presenting as a company

Voiceover buyers want to get to know you and they want to do business and build a relationship with a person, not a company. Look, I understand the need or desire to appear bigger than you are, but I see voice actor websites and social media profiles that use a corporate name and a logo or a graphic for the picture rather than the picture and the name and the identity of the voice actor. And I cringe because they've lost a huge opportunity to let the voice talent buyer get to know them right out of the gate.

Secondly, in a field where the vast majority of us use a name and our real identity and a picture. If you come off as a company using a logo or a graphic, it can actually come off as though you're trying to hide who you really are.

And thirdly, in a world where most voice actors are petrified of artificial intelligence and text to speech, the more human, the more authentic, the more real you can present yourself moving forward, the better you will do with voice talent buyers who buy based on quality.

And that's a great segue into…

number six: Lowball pricing

Well, it wouldn't be one of my posts if I weren't railing against lowball rates, now would it?

I've said this a thousand times, but you don't get to undercut your colleagues and charge lowball rates just because you're new. First-year surgeons don't offer 80% off triple bypasses. Rookie dentists don't give you a $5 root canal, and new voice actors, nor anybody that calls themselves a professional, should be offering lowball rates.

Pro buyers know what pro talent charges. If they wanted to hire hacks and go on the cheap, they would.

When you offer a rate that is significantly below accepted pro rates, you're not winning the work. You're bribing the client because either A. you don't have the chops to compete or B. you do have the chops and you don't have the confidence to stand up for yourself.

Or worse, you have the chops and you just don't care about undercutting your fellow voice actors.

There's only one reason to offer a substandard rate: a substandard product.

If your product isn't up to snuff, get more training because in the next few years, A.I. and text-to-speech are going to obliterate the entire bottom end of this business.

And if you're not trained, all the rate cutting in the world isn't going to help you because some bot will still do it cheaper.

number seven: Begging for work on social media

I'm talking about the online public asking/begging for work on social media. I see it on LinkedIn posts. I see it in Instagram posts. I see it in Tweets.

Some producer, casting agent, or voice talent buyer will post something on social media about a project or something cool, some announcement, and it'll take about 0.5 seconds before some chucklehead chimes in with a version of this:

• "Hey, if you ever need a voice down to blickety blackly blah blah blah..."

• "Hey, can I get a few minutes of your time to talk about your voiceover needs?"

• “You guys looking for voiceovers?"

• "Are you hiring?"

• "Are you accepting demos?"

• And my personal favorite, the compliment in exchange for the beg: "Great job! Say, if you're ever looking for a voice talent...."

Oh, dear god.

Here's a real-world example I found on LinkedIn. A high-profile talent agent posted an announcement that they had just signed to several high-profile talent. Very cool announcement for them, right? It was like a shark feed. It took about 5 seconds for a voice talent to jump in and lazily, inappropriately, and publicly ask if they could submit.

They didn't research the agency, the agency's submission policy, they didn't even check out the roster to see if they were a good fit. They just fired off a beg. They didn't even acknowledge the original post from the talent agent.

That whole conversation summarized goes like this.

Talent agent: "Hey, we've got an announcement about this really cool thing."

Voice talent: "Whatever. Can I have a job?"

When you publicly and reactively ask/beg for work, you show the entire world that you're lazy, that you don't mind being inappropriate, that you're reactive, that you don't do your homework and your research.

And maybe worst of all, that you have no qualms about putting your prospect on the spot publicly.

You're being unprofessional and inappropriate and you're not paying the respect due to your prospect. So how do you react appropriately? You react thoughtfully, and by adding value to the original post posted by your prospect.

And don't mail it in. The world doesn't need one more "Spot on!" "Agreed!" "100%!" If their content truly engaged you, let them know why and how and what value that brought to you. It's not about you. It's about them and the content that they brought to the table and where you find that content valuable.

Then do your homework. Who are they? What do they do? Who do they work for? What's their role?

Then, if and only if they're a good prospect, approach them privately and personally. Reach out to them. Introduce yourself. Let them know what you do and how you can help them solve their problem. Let them know what value you provide to them.

Any approach to prospective clients on social media should be four things:

1. It should be personal, always one on one, always with a personal touch.

2. It should be private. Don't ask for work publicly. You're just putting that person on the spot. Now, there are rare exceptions such as if that person posts asking people to submit.

3. It should be targeted. Make damn sure they're likely to use your services even if they don't currently use you.

4. Value adding. In every communication, you should be striving to bring that person value. You're in the business of building relationships. Be professional, Be personal. Be empathetic and be respectful.

The VO Freedom Master Plan is the most stringently proven voiceover marketing program on the planet. It's curriculum, community, and coaching calls all in one. Get more information here.

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