Congrats- you're ready to step up the professional factor of your brand by hiring a voiceover artist! Now what do you do?
Finding the "right" voice for your project can be tricky. But don't fret, dear reader! I can help teach you a thing or two.
Here are some things to keep in mind when choosing an artist:
Your brand. The voiceover artist you choose will become a direct representation of your brand and brand personality. How would you describe your brand? Are you a young and hip tech startup or maybe mature and compassionate hospice network? The artist you choose should reinforce your message and compel listeners to take action.
Your demographic. If your target audience is a craft beer-loving 35 year old male, you may not want a teenaged or elderly voice to be your spokesperson (unless it makes sense for your ad, of course). Consider what type of voice would best suit your project and appeal to your target audience; that may include gender, age, accent, tone, etc,. Your request can be as general as wanting a young male voice, or as specific as wanting a 40-year old female with a Mississippi accent and a bit of gritty vocal fry.
The subject matter. Most voiceover artists have their bread and butter projects that their voice is perfectly suited for. On the flip side, there are also projects their voice is, well, not as suited for. Choose an artist who is flexible enough to adapt to your style and become the voice of your brand, while still setting them up for success. For example, asking a movie trailer narrator with a deep, rugged tone to voice a Barbie commercial might sound a *biiiiiit* ironic. But hey, maybe in that case you'd go viral!
A realistic budget. Many voiceover artists set their own prices, and typically, skill level and cost go hand-in-hand. Be up front about your budget and needs, but also be realistic with yourself; you can't buy a Bentley for the price of a Kia. To get an idea of industry pricing, try searching the "GVAA rate guide."
Where to start looking for an artist. Maybe you prefer Googling your little heart out, posting your project on freelance sites and getting proposals (like UpWork), listening to a bunch of demos and choosing your favorite (such as Voquent) or having potential voiceover artists audition for your real script (like Voices.com). There are lots of ways to find great voiceover artists for your project.
Request a sample. Most voiceover artists are happy to read ~30 seconds or so of your script to show of their skills and make sure it's a good fit. Take advantage of this!
Overall, choosing the right voice for your project can bring your script to life, connect with listeners, and prompt them to take action!
If you have any questions about choosing an artist, or want to book yours truly, please shoot me an email at Alice@AliceEverdeen.com.
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