Thinking about saving some cash by hiring a novice voice over talent for your next project? You’d be surprised just how much that choice can cost you in the end and how hard it can be to find that right person.
Let’s break down the numbers in the world of voice over actors working in the industry.
Selecting Voice Over Talent by the Numbers
Let’s say there are 500,000 aspiring and working voice-over actors in the U.S. and across the globe out there promoting themselves in digi-land. Where do you even begin your search?
Of these 500,000 voice-over actors, only a small handful are qualified to voice a national TV or Radio commercial and have a professional home studio to record your project with clear sound and super slick, industry-leading equipment. There might only be 1,000 voice actors who fit the bill—or around 0.002 percent.
From this shallow, kiddie-sized pool of actors, there are probably only 40 who actually have the correct fit, tone, age group and flavor for your upcoming voice over needs.
And from these 40 voices, you or your client might only like five.
That’s 0.00001 percent of voice actors.
Talk about finding a needle in a haystack! Or one needle in 500,000 haystacks. AHHH!
When you’re investing in male voice over, you don’t have time to waste weeding through the multitudes, hoping you’ll find an amateur who can do the work at bargain-basement rates.
You need a professional voice-over actor.
The Advantages: Hiring Professional Male Voice Over Instead of New Talent
Let’s say you find an up-and-comer who you think is the right vocal fit for your project. You’re not in the clear just yet. You need someone who isn’t just skilled as a voice artist but someone with a finely tuned business acumen as well.
Long-term, successful working relationships are built through an equal exchange of value.
Professional voice actors are familiar with industry rates and know when to negotiate in a balanced manner. Newer talent may not charge properly for their services, adding stress to their process once they realize how much goes into producing quality in a timely manner and then you may end up with surprise charges when your project is all said and done.
When there isn’t an equally agreed-upon value of exchange, it can be confusing and cause everyone on your team to question the entire process. Working with amateur voice actor, you can’t be sure whether your audio will be produced properly and professionally. You’ll find yourself questioning each component of your project and doubting the end result. This will take time away from progress, distracting you from other ventures and flat out cause stress.
No good!
There’s no question: It can be unbelievably hard to break into the voice-over industry. Why? Because it takes a certain caliber of skill and professionalism to get the job done well.
New talent is typically desperate for opportunities. While this might mean they are hungry to please or they might charge you a lower rate, this desperation also can reveal itself in their performance and approach to business. Why? Because they simply haven’t learned how the industry works
The Voice of Your Company
You wouldn’t hire a TV anchor who “has a face for radio,” and you shouldn’t hire a voice actor who has a voice for print ads!
Across all industries, you typically get what you pay for. With voice over projects, you’re investing in your company’s reputation; you’re hiring someone to be the voice of your brand whether it be internal or external facing.
When you hire an amateur for your voice over work, it can wind up costing you and your company more in the long run. Without the polish and finesse of a professional with years of voice over experience, the message you send out won’t have the power to compete against other brands in your industry. You’ll compromise your credibility, and sales will suffer. It’s simple math.
The main difference is that for amateur or aspiring voice over actors, voice work is merely a hobby. But professionals understand that voice over work isn’t just an art; it’s a business, and they’ll run it like one.
In the long run, a fair-market investment in trained professional talent upfront means your product or service will be well represented with a captivating, engaging voice.
Why Hire a Professional Voice-Over Actor?
The point is, You want to hire someone who already has put in the time and training to fine-tune their voice-over skills. Someone who has the resume and the business know-how to back up their sound. Only a professional will understand the nuances of delivering a conversational, authoritative or educational read.
Perhaps your next project calls for sincere empathy while still holding the listener’s attention; your subject matter is heartfelt yet urgent. Of all the voice over actors out there, very few—if any—can do this without training.
Or maybe you need an enthusiastic, motivational male voice over, one that effectively gets your audience up off their feet to take action. This requires just as much nuance as a project that calls for empathy. It still has to sound sincere, and it still requires a sense of urgency.
You’ll find that the best investment in your company’s next project is the decision to hire a professional male voice over artist who can deliver the goods from a finely tuned home studio.
Alex Herring has put in the time, work and training to become professional. At a moment’s notice, he can dispatch a wide range of acting skills in every genre to suit your needs, your budget and your timeframe. He’s directable, easy to work with and he knows that hiring a voice for your company requires a big leap of faith. He’s got the guide book and is ready to act!
Alex has a top-of-the-line, professional home studio that’s available 24 hours a day, which means you not only get a high-quality recording, you get a fast turnaround too. Files typically are delivered in 24 hours, and frequently, they’re available sooner. Only a professional can adeptly marry the skill and precision of voice over work with the business savvy to protect your investment.
Whatever voice-over work you need, Alex Herring is the professional to hire; consider it done. Get in touch today and see how he’ll work hard to ensure your next voice-over project resonates with the right crowd.