As voice actors, we spend a lot of time honing our craft and creating an appealing brand, but have you ever considered how clients, agents, or casting directors see your business? Viewing your voice-over career from their perspective can open up new opportunities and help you stand out in a competitive industry. Let’s take a look at a few key things these industry professionals consider when they evaluate talent and how you can optimize your business to make a lasting impression.
Clear, Professional Branding
Your brand is your first impression, whether it’s your website, social media profiles, or even the way you respond to emails. From a client’s perspective, a clear and professional brand helps them immediately understand who you are, what you offer, and why they should choose you for their project.
For agents and casting directors, branding also reflects your level of professionalism. They’ll look for consistency across all platforms, including your website, social media, and demo reels. Does your online presence match the type of work you’re auditioning for? A cohesive brand helps agents quickly assess if you’re a good fit for their clients and whether they can confidently send you out on auditions.
The Right Demos
A demo reel is one of the most powerful tools you have to show off your voice-over skills, but the type of demo and how it’s presented can be just as important as the voice itself. Clients, agents, and casting directors expect to hear a well-edited, polished, and appropriate demo that aligns with the work you’re auditioning for.
From their point of view, a demo reel that’s too long, poorly recorded, or irrelevant to the project they’re casting may end up in the “no” pile, no matter how great your voice sounds. Tailor your demos to the work you want to do. Keep them short, and showcase a variety of styles that suit different types of projects. Your demo should also represent the current trends in voice-over work. For example, if you’re aiming for commercial work, your commercial demo should be crisp, energetic, and contemporary.
Auditions: Prompt, Professional, and Flexible
When agents or casting directors send out audition requests, they’re looking for one thing above all else: talent. But they’re also considering how easy you are to work with. A quick, high-quality response to auditions shows you’re a professional who takes your business seriously.
If you’re late with a submission, it could be seen as a lack of respect for the client’s time – if you respond quickly and professionally, you’re setting yourself apart. Flexibility in your availability also matters: voice actors with flexible schedules are more likely to be booked for last-minute or urgent projects, which is a huge advantage.
Communication and Relationships
Your ability to communicate effectively is just as important as your vocal performance. Clients, agents, and casting directors want to know that you’re easy to work with, can follow directions, and are open to feedback.
Regular, professional communication is key to building and maintaining strong relationships. Whether it’s responding to an email within a reasonable time or staying in touch to share your progress or new demos, strong communication shows your dedication to your career. Agents and casting directors appreciate talent who are dependable, easygoing, and a pleasure to work with. These traits can help you establish long-term relationships that lead to consistent work.
Networking and Visibility
Agents and casting directors often work with a large pool of talent, so how do you make yourself stand out? One way is through networking and visibility. Keep an eye on industry events, and attend conferences or webinars. Building relationships with people in the industry (like agents or casting directors) can give you a personal edge when they’re looking for talent.
Another powerful way to increase visibility is by consistently posting on social media. Showcase your work, share behind the scenes content, and engage with your audience to keep your name top-of-mind for potential clients or agents. For casting directors, a talent who is visible online is often easier to recommend to clients because they’ve seen the work and know you’re active in the industry.
Feedback and Adaptability
The voice-over industry is dynamic, with new trends and demands emerging all the time. Clients and casting directors are looking for actors who can adapt to these changes. This means that feedback is a valuable tool. When you receive notes, whether from a client or an agent, it’s important to take them seriously and show you’re willing to adjust your performance to meet the needs of the project.
Being open to feedback not only improves your chances of booking future work but also shows that you’re easy to work with, a critical trait that casting directors and agents appreciate.
By looking at your voice-over business from the perspective of a client, agent, or casting director, you can fine-tune your approach and make sure you’re putting your best foot forward in every area. This means having a strong, consistent brand, submitting professional demos, responding to auditions quickly, and cultivating strong communication skills. Stay visible in the industry, remain adaptable, and always take feedback to heart. By doing these things, you’ll set yourself up for success in the voice-over world.
Your career isn’t just about your voice – it’s about how you present yourself and how well you work with others. So, take a step back, evaluate your business from an outside perspective, and make the necessary changes to become the talent that clients, agents, and casting directors are excited to work with.
P.S. If you haven’t yet taken our introductory voice-over class, where we go over everything one needs to know about getting started in the voice-over industry, sign up here!
