Whether you’re new to Voiceover or you’ve had some level of success already, it’s easy to be overwhelmed with thoughts of “what’s next?”.
There’s a ton of contradictory advice out there, and plenty of “experts” (sometimes intentionally!) eager to fill your head with thoughts like:
- I need to get more work
- I need a resume OF work
- I need to find an Agent
- I need to record a Demo before I do ANY of that!
All this can cause unnecessary stress, and even become debilitating. Voiceover is a long game and concentrating your energy on these things before doing the actual work can be a huge waste of time and resources – and cause harm to you and your career.
If you’re subscribed to our emails you’ve seen some of the clips we send out each week. They’re snippets from our classes and they feature some of our world-renowned Guest Teachers (more than 60 now!). You’ll also know after watching those clips that every successful voice actor has had a different path to success.
Sure, they made a demo at some stage, and they got themselves an agent, but WHEN and HOW they did that was unique to their situation.
You know what’s NOT unique about any of them?
Their commitment to Voiceover as “A Business.”
Their Business.
Think about someone you know personally who owns and runs their own business. They work HARD. They work after hours, on weekends, on holidays. Whatever needs to be done, they do it, because the success of their business depends on it.
If your intention is to make a living doing this work, you have to be prepared to DO the work. They call it the Entertainment Business for a reason. So you have to ask yourself:
“Am I really ready to work this like a business?”
As my good friend and demo producer Chuck Duran says, “If you treat it like a business, it’ll pay you like a business. If you treat it like a hobby, it’ll cost you money.”
So what should I focus on?
That’s a good question! I’ve seen many people misled into thinking an Agent or a Demo is what they need first, or that a coach should ALSO be the one to make a demo for them at the end of their course (huge red flag!).
My answer is simple:
Focus on your skills. Discover your unique talents and abilities. Then, work on developing those.
But how?
By doing ONE thing every day. Doesn’t have to be monumental. Doesn’t have to be particularly difficult. Doesn’t even have to involve anyone else but you.
But it does need to be one thing, every day.
Why “ONE thing every day?”.
- It builds discipline. Like working out, doing something every day towards your Voiceover Business eventually becomes habit.
- Building that habit also strengthens the muscles that you need to survive the marathon that a voiceover career is.
- One thing a day moves you forward. Incrementally.
- It’s a positive feedback loop, especially over time.
- When opportunities come, you’re ready. You’re “fit” and fluid and strong in your unique skillset.
Every day adds up
Think about where you were a year ago when it comes to voiceover. Did you have a plan a year ago, and if so, where are you now in relation to where you wanted to be?
Moving forward every day, even in small ways, is still moving forward. The beauty is that over time you’ll be able to look back and realize just how far you’ve come.
The alternative? Staying stuck in analysis paralysis. Wondering “What should I do FIRST?,” or “What if I do this and it doesn’t work?” Doing one thing every day can help break you out of that.
What are my options?
Courses, demos, recording equipment – it all costs money. Developing your skills doesn’t have to cost money, and I’ll prove it to you.
You can always be working on your practical technique, networking and building relationships, or your mindset and confidence.
I’m not just gonna leave you with that. I’m gonna GIVE you a list of the things I KNOW can make a difference to your career. While the list is by no means exhaustive, I think it will really help you start building that habit of “treating it like a business.”
The One Thing Every Day is free. It only requires you to commit to yourself.
Click here to fill in the email form, and I’ll send you two versions – digital and printable. If you’re tactile you can select pages to print and pin them up around the house, in your office, or at work (if you’re allowed!).
There’s also a handy “My Plan” page at the end that you can use to make a custom list for yourself each week from the options. Set aside a day that you can do this. Print it out or keep it in digital form on your device. Make a new “My Plan” sheet with NEW items each week.
Making One Thing Every Day work for You
It’s your responsibility to your voiceover business to create good habits. To work those muscles, and to build your skills so that when you ARE ready to stand in front of a Casting Director, Demo Producer or an Agent, you’re in prime condition and ready to roll.
Let us know your thoughts and how this works for you.
As always I’m committed to helping you with the tools I know can make a difference.
See you in the Booth!
-Steve