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VOICE OVER INCOME Are You Giving Away Your Voice Over Services? Teach Clients What You Are Worth  By Paul StrikwerdaVoice Actor, Coach & Author Let's begin with a Facebook question from a colleague:
Now, before you read my response, think about how you
would handle this situation. I'm sure you'd like to make a good
impression and create a long-lasting relationship with the client. But
how far do you go? Do you think it is "incumbent" upon you to be the
audio engineer you believe the client does not have? Well, here's my take on the situation ... NOTHING IS 'INCUMBENT' ... ASK! First of all: if it's not in the contract, nothing is "incumbent." Secondly: never make assumptions. Especially about your clients and their budgets. Always ask. When
I do these directed sessions, usually someone on the other end of the
line is keeping copious time-coded notes. They will write down when
every new take begins, and when I make a mistake. The minute I start
editing my files and begin cutting bits and pieces out, that messes with
the recorded time code, making the editor's job more time-consuming. Also,
ONLY apply effect stacks if the client explicitly asks for it, and even
then, keep a clean copy of your recording in case the client doesn't
like how you have sweetened the audio. It's like using spices in your
food. It's all a matter of taste. INCLUDE EDITING IN QUOTE I
understand that some clients enjoy getting something for nothing, but then we are in fact training them to expect laborious editing to be included. Doing that gratis also makes it harder for your colleagues to ask for
extra money if the client wants fully edited files. If you do decide to include editing in your quote, always specify this in the breakdown of your fee,
just as you include a studio, a usage, and a buyout fee. This way the
client understands what s/he is paying for and why our services aren't
so cheap. Remember: the things people get for free are never valued as much as the things they pay for. DARE TO COMPARE If all of this sounds unusual to you, it helps to compare voice over services to other services people need. I'm
working with a contractor right now, and he has never done anything
without billing me for it. If he would start giving his work away, he'd
be very busy making very little money. Why should it be any different
for voice overs?
While
I understand that you wish to please your clients as much as you can,
there's a limit to what you can reasonably be expected to do. If I
contract my handyman to redo the kitchen, I don't think it's fair to
expect him to touch up the bathrooms as well for the same agreed amount.
It's not fair, and it's also disrespectful of his time and expertise. One more example:
My
wife is a professional musician. Like most of her colleagues, she has
done her fair share of weddings. If she does not put a clear time limit
in the contract, the people at the party will expect her to play until
the last intoxicated guest is gone and think nothing of it. Heck,
if you love what you do for living, it's not even work, so why pay the
musician at all? They're gaining experience, and they can put it on
their resume! Listen,
if we can't value ourselves properly, we cannot expect others to value
us properly either. As a very wise person once said:
------------------- ABOUT PAUL Paul
Strikwerda is a 35+-year veteran of the voice over industry. Born in
the Netherlands, he has worked for Dutch national and international
radio, the BBC and American Public Radio. From his secluded studio in
Vermont, he records voice overs for clients on all continents. Paul is
also a voice over coach, and author of the book Making Money In Your
PJs: Freelancing for voice-overs and other solopreneurs. You can find
him on social media as "nethervoice," and also at the links below. Email: paul@nethervoice.com Web: www.nethervoice.com |
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