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 Are
you thinking of getting into the voiceover business full time,
specifically, opening your own in-house voice-over studio?
Good for you! Its a really great way to make a living!
OK. You've got the dream. Now lets see what it takes to make
it a reality. First question for you: What do you think is
the most important thing you need to launch your business? A
great voice? Surprisingly, a great voice isn't all that
important for success.
Talent? Well, yeah, you're going to need some talent, but
talent (in most cases) can always be developed through study
and practice. Determination? Sure, but simple determination
wont make you a success.
The Secret of Success
So, what's the most important thing? Get ready. Its called a
plan. Yup. A plan. Not very show busy, huh? No, it isn't,
but its the most important piece of the business start up
puzzle, and it applies to every type of start-up, not just
voiceovers. Now, before we talk plans, lets talk about the
second most important thing you'll need for success money.
It Takes Money to Make Money
A lack of capital, seed money, whatever you call it, is the
overwhelming reason most business start-ups fail, including
those with a plan. You'll need enough money to pay for
equipment, marketing materials, office expenses, insurance,
utilities, etc., etc., while you're waiting for the checks
to come rolling in. Oh, and just to remind you, you'll need
money to live on, too. How much money will you need for the
business and living expenses? Well get to that shortly, but
first, lets talk about your plan.
A Plan by Any Other Name
Call it a business plan if you like, but that tends to sound
a little intimidating and, frankly, overwhelming. Call it
your plan for success, or my freedom from oppressive
employers plan, you know, something more self-affirming and
inspiring. Whatever you call it, your plan should include
the following points
The voice-over services you will sell and to whom you will
sell them. You probably have, or will have, a particular
strength, e.g. characters, promo/imaging for radio and TV,
corporate narration, animation characters, hard sell, etc.
Accentuating your strength and marketing it to the
appropriate clients can lead to more gigs than just a
general scattershot approach to all possible clients.
The revenue needed to stay in business for six months, one
year, and beyond. What do you earn now each month? What will
you need to maintain your current lifestyle? Whatever the
figure, its the amount you'll need in the bank or coming in
from a second full or part-time job for at least the first
six months in business, if not a full year. Reason? There's
always a delay between the starting date of your voiceover
business and when money actually starts coming in.
The amount of capital (seed money) needed to start up and
keep the business afloat. This is operating capital you'll
use exclusively to fund the business for the first six to
twelve months. You'll need enough to keep the business
afloat until you break even then start earning money,
instead of just paying it out in expenses.
Short-term goals to get your voice-over business up and
running. Typical short term goals include: getting your
demo's) done; selecting, ordering, and installing your
studio equipment; deciding where in you home to put your
studio; deciding how to make your studio decent acoustically
and installing the acoustical treatment; designing a logo
and stationery, and ordering them; locating contacts to whom
you can send your demo's); setting up your bookkeeping
system (QuickBooks is excellent. www.quickbooks.com);
getting health coverage and property insurance to insure
your equipment; deciding if you're going to buy an ISDN unit
and installing an ISDN line; ordering marketing materials,
like postcards to send to clients.
Long-term goals, including future revenue goals and funding
your retirement. How big is your dream? How well do you want
to live in retirement? Determining your long-term goals will
guide you to the actions needed to attain them. Consult your
accountant. If you don't have one, be sure to get one.
That's enough to get you started. There are plenty of books
on voice-overs to help you complete your plan. Visit your
local bookstore or go on-line.
As you can see, you can start your voice-over business
part-time or full-time. With a little planning and seed
money you'll be on your way. Have fun!
Peter Drew
About the Author
Peter Drew, a freelance voice-over talent and
copywriter/producer with 28 years of experience, is heard on
radio and television stations, corporate presentations, web
sites, and messages-on-hold across America and countries
around the world. To send an email regarding this article,
please visit Peter Drew Voiceovers at http://www.peterdrewvo.com/
Written By: Peter Drew
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