Ginger Bell of Tyler, Texas writes:
“After spending 20 years in radio, my husband launched his own production studio five years ago. With a ‘voice like God’ and a smooth delivery, he has stayed fairly busy creating commercials for local radio and television production departments and providing voiceovers for commercial shoots. He even has acquired accounts from ad agencies up north.
“But what other venues are available to market his talent? He has created a demo that people can download at his website. But the trick is getting people to visit the site. What are some of the latest and greatest methods of spurring visits to your website?
“And what are other methods of connecting with media and advertising outlets who could benefit from his award-winning talent?”
As another voice-over talent, many newcomers to the industry ask me the same question. I have written essays on my blog http://www.KarenBlogs.com in which I point out that voice-over is a business that requires a marketing plan. Like any business owner, the talent should determine where s/he fits in the marketplace and develop a marketing plan that targets the primary prospects on a steady and consistent basis.
Numerous ways exist to contact the prospects and depend on a person’s time, budget and creativity. If the goal is simply to drive traffic to a web site, obviously, getting a link to your site published in a popular e-zine like The Publicity Hound will do the trick!
A web site is just one aspect of a marketing plan. In order to increase business and develop sustained relationships, the voice-over talent must be persistent in taking actions, such as:
* creating and maintaining a personal web site
* making phone calls to casting directors, producers, directors
* networking at industry meetings and events
* sending direct mail (postcards, newsletters, etc.)
* auditioning for one or more agents
* joining on-line casting services and submitting auditions
* writing postings in forums to show your expertise
* sending e-mails when you see opportunities such as those posted on CraigsList
* writing articles that can be reprinted in on-line e-zines
* exchanging reciprocal web links with complimentary sites
* listing your site on free web directories
* speaking at industry or community events
* presenting training classes
* placing industry advertisements in printed and web-based directories, CraigsList, etc.
* including your web site on the signature lines on your e-mails, on your business card, and on every piece of correspondence both on- and off-line
* sending imprinted products with your web site to your clients
* starting a blog on your web site and post comments on others’ blogs when you have expertise
* publishing a regular e-zine to maintain contact and requesting people to forward it
* asking for and rewarding referrals from satisfied clients
* posting testimonials of satisfied clients on your web site
This list is by no means all-inclusive, and most items don’t apply only to those in voice-over. By implementing one or more of these ideas on a regular basis, a person could spur traffic to his site and potentially increase his business.
Karen, thanks so much for your very detailed plan.
This will keep Bobby busy for months!
First, does your husband have an agent? An agent should be able to get him work all over the country. If he really has a voice like God, he will be in demand for the bigger markets, like New York. So if he doesn’t have an agent, get him one.
I think the best ways to get people to visit your website are:
1. Create a viral marketing campaign that is funny. People love to pass on the commercials that have been made especially for web viewing and hearing. If he’s been in the radio business, I’m sure he knows people who can create a funny spot that people will want to pass on to everyone they know.
2. Start posting relevant comments on important blogs. Make yourself a hit list of 5-20 blogs that you should be posting to each week. Then systematically watch those blogs and start posting, including a link to your website.
3. Write articles about how to get in the voice business, improve your voice quality, whatever, and post them to the various article directories. For a free list of directories, visit http://snipurl.com/18mjk
Lois Carter Fay
http://www.MarketingIdeaShop.com and
http://www.BoomerWomenBlog.com
Ginger, your husband should be podcasting—one of the best ways to show off that terrific voice.
What should he podcast about? Topics that are of interest to the kinds of people who he wants as clients. Thoe could include marketing, broadcasting and advertising. Or how about informative, funny behind-the-scenes stories about what happens while radio commercials are being produced?
He can discuss ways that people can save money when they’re buying radio advertising.