Catch the Replay We answered questions like... What to include in a VO travel rig When it is ok to ask a client for a final version of a spot What kind of audio to deliver to a client How to find great VO classes online and much more! About Gillian Gillian Pelkonen is a musician & audio engineer based in New York. She makes her own music and is always looking to collaborate. As an Audio Engineer, she helps people elevate their sound, and specializes in techniques that enhance natural vocal texture & dynamics (aka the best parts of your unique voice). Want to work with Gillian? Use VOSTRATEGIST for 10% off an Audio Assessment >> Bring your Questions Audiobook AMA with Tom Dheere & Johnny Heller December 27th, 2022 at 3pm ET YouTube Live Event Looking for help? Check in and Stay on Track... Tom Dheere is the VO Strategist, a voice over business & marketing coach and demo producer since 2011. He is also a voice actor with over 25 years of experience who has narrated just about every type of voiceover you can think of. When not voicing or talking about voicing, he produces the sci-fi comic book Agent 1.22.

Subscribe on YouTube for the latest... It's one of the biggest questions I get asked... You are assuming that you should brand yourself. That isn’t true. For those just starting out in voice over, there are so many things to perfect before you start branding...and if you think about it, there isn't much for you to brand just yet. You are still exploring genres, finalizing your demos, and starting to understand how you fit into the current voice over market. "If you’re early on in your voice over journey, don’t worry about branding…yet." - Tom Focus on the what matters. Voice seekers want to know that you can do a job well, quickly, within their budget all while not being a pain in the…you know what. ;) For that, the word voice actor is interchangeable with any profession. We all want to work with people who are good at their job & make the process of working together smooth. Once you have that down, then you can start figuring out your logo, brand colors, and tag line. But remember, those are just marketing materials. They are helping tell the story of who you are because you are your brand! You are not a company, you are a human being. You’ll know when you’re ready to brand. For now, focus on being the best voice actor & most effective voice over business you can be. Before diving into marketing, perfect your... Home studio set up Demos that show off your range Acting training or coaching Professional website Paid Links Grab Studio Gear As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Download VO: How-to Videos Love is in the air! Use FABFEB to take 25% off these featured videos. Upcoming Events & Appearances Here's what I've got going on in the next few months - register to attend and add your voice to the mix! Need help? Work with me. Book a Strategy Session and get your VO business together! Tom Dheere is the VO Strategist , a voice over business & marketing coach and demo producer since 2011. He is also a voice actor with over 25 years of experience who has narrated just about every type of voiceover you can think of. When not voicing or talking about voicing, he produces the sci-fi comic book Agent 1.22.

Subscribe on YouTube for the latest... Know Your Why Lots of people work for their entire lives at a job they don't love. Knowing that you get the opportunity to do what you love, even though it will require a lot of work, is inspiring. What other elements of voice over interested you? Was it using your acting skills, hearing your voice on your favorite commercial, or getting the chance to create your destiny in the entertainment industry? "Being overwhelmed is natural. There's a lot to learn about the VO business." - Tom Once you know your why, creating a coherent, actionable action plan will make your dreams come true. It is so hard to do that alone in your booth. Mentorship, accountability buddies, and going through this with others who care about you & want to see you succeed is so important, especially at the beginning of your career. Starting out as a voice actor is overwhelming. You don't know what you don't know yet! But having someone in your corner to help you is essential. Whether you're a padawan or experienced master, everyone can use a little help... >> Learn Your Way: Featured How-to Videos It's time to for a New Year reset. Use HOWTO to take 25% off these featured videos. VOS Book Club Rich Dad's Cashflow Quadrant by Robert T Kiyosaki This book has been one of my guides to financial freedom. It’s the second book in the Rich Dad Series and reveals how some people work less, earn more, pay less in taxes, and learn to become financially free. CASHFLOW Quadrant was written for those who are ready to move beyond job security and enter the world of financial freedom. It’s for those who want to make significant changes in their lives and take control of their financial future. Upcoming Events & Appearances Here's what I've got going on in the next few months - register to attend and add your voice to the mix! Need help? Work with me. Book a Strategy Session and get your VO business together! Tom Dheere is the VO Strategist, a voice over business & marketing coach and demo producer since 2011. He is also a voice actor with over 25 years of experience who has narrated just about every type of voiceover you can think of. When not voicing or talking about voicing, he produces the sci-fi comic book Agent 1.22.

Catch the Replay We answered questions like... How do you typically book a new audiobook project? Do independent authors reach out to you directly or do you have a publisher you usually work closely with? What is a lesson you learned "the hard way"? What sites have open casting for VO, not specifically audiobooks? What is your biggest piece of advice for newer narrators trying to transition to full time work? and much more! About Johnny Johnny Heller graduated with honors from Loyola University of Chicago and let his prestigious education go to waste while pursuing a career in acting. His quest took him from Chicago to New York to Los Angeles and back to New York where he currently resides with his wife and his dogs. Johnny has narrated over 1,000 audiobooks and has won almost every award you can win as an audiobook narrator. He is also an audiobook narration coach and demo producer. Johnny is available for Audiobooks, Commercial VO, E-Learning, Corporate VO, Industrials, App/Video Game VO and more. Connect with him here >> Bring your Questions Talents & Teachers AMA with Anna Garduno January 30th, 2022 at 2pm ET YouTube Live Event Looking for help? Check in and Stay on Track... Tom Dheere is the VO Strategist, a voice over business & marketing coach and demo producer since 2011. He is also a voice actor with over 25 years of experience who has narrated just about every type of voiceover you can think of. When not voicing or talking about voicing, he produces the sci-fi comic book Agent 1.22.

Subscribe on YouTube for the latest... Reframe the Narrative Many are called to be a voice talent, and yet, few make the right choices to have the success they desire. In this business, there are no big breaks. There is no one door you can walk through to become an overnight success. Just doors that lead you to other doors and opportunities. Although many try to sell dreams, I am selling reality. "Be kind to yourself. This is a long process." - Tom What does a realistic approach to success look like? It is about reframing the narrative around how you view yourself, the industry, and your relationship to the industry. You have to learn how to think about yourself objectively. Step outside yourself, look at who you are, what you want and then figure out how to get there. It's challenging..but not impossible. Learn Your Way: Featured How-to Videos It's time to for a New Year reset. Use NEWYEAR to take 25% off these featured videos through the end of the month. Paid Links Grab Studio Gear As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Upcoming Events & Appearances Here's what I've got going on in the next few months - register to attend and add your voice to the mix! Need help? Work with me. Book a Strategy Session and get your VO business together! Tom Dheere is the VO Strategist, a voice over business & marketing coach and demo producer since 2011. He is also a voice actor with over 25 years of experience who has narrated just about every type of voiceover you can think of. When not voicing or talking about voicing, he produces the sci-fi comic book Agent 1.22.

Subscribe on YouTube for the latest... Create your dream work-from-home routine Gillian and I pick up our conversation about studio sounds with the idea that microphones are microscopes. They will detect all the good (and bad) sounds in your space. Once you get that ideal sound...it's time to work on your routine. Having amazing microphones, interfaces, and gear will make your voice sparkle and shine, but your workflow will get you in the door quickly & efficiently. Tech tools like a programmable mouse, keyboard, super quick computer, and clean digital space can save you a ton of time, which matters when you're an entrepreneur like me! "Your microphone is only as good as your workflow!" - Tom Tom & Gillian's Workflow Life Savers For anyone who works at a computer, having a great mouse is essential. Gillian reaches for the Kensington Expert Wireless Trackball mouse. It has large programmable buttons and ergonomic design to help with wrist fatigue while increasing workflow speed. I just purchased (and am loving) the Logitech M650 which comes in 2 sizes + sells styles for right and left handed users. The rollerball is a life saver while working in Audition all day. I used it so much that I wore it out entirely on my previous mouse. Takeaways: Starting with a great initial mic sound makes all the other work simple. Your gear is only as good as your workflow. Set up a routine for auditioning from your home studio. Choose gear based on your voice & your workflow. Investing in your WFH space is an investment in yourself. Want to know how your home studio sounds + get feedback on how to improve? Get your audio assessed by Gillian - use code VOSTRATEGIST for 10% off an Audio Assessment: VOS Book Club Sound Advice by Dan Friedman Sound Advice is a must-have for any voice actor who records from home! This book is about how to better understand the world of audio engineering so you can up your game when it comes to auditioning and booking projects at your home studio. Paid Links Grab Studio Gear As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Download VO: How-to Videos Upcoming Events & Appearances Here's what I've got going on in the next few months - register to attend and add your voice to the mix! Need help? Work with me. Book a Strategy Session and get your VO business together! Tom Dheere is the VO Strategist, a voice over business & marketing coach and demo producer since 2011. He is also a voice actor with over 25 years of experience who has narrated just about every type of voiceover you can think of. When not voicing or talking about voicing, he produces the sci-fi comic book Agent 1.22.

Benefits Include... Exclusive Classes and Events Pathways Initiative to guide voice actors through the different stages of their career journey Access to Health Insurance Offerings Resources and education on emerging technology "One of the biggest challenges of transitioning to full-time voice acting is getting affordable health insurance..." - Tom NAVA is a non-profit association created to advocate and promote the advancement of the voice acting industry through action, education, inclusion, and benefits. The NAVA advisory board includes professional voice actors from all areas of the voiceover industry. Looking for help? Check in and Stay on Track... Tom Dheere is the VO Strategist, a voice over business & marketing coach and demo producer since 2011. He is also a voice actor with over 25 years of experience who has narrated just about every type of voiceover you can think of. When not voicing or talking about voicing, he produces the sci-fi comic book Agent 1.22.

Subscribe on YouTube for the latest... Diving Into Political Voice Over I'm not very outspoken about my politics. While I definitely vote and (like all of us) have been following the domestic political scene a lot more closely over the past few years, I'm still a relatively private person. I've historically been concerned with alienating potential clients, and so I never really tried to do political voiceovers. I didn't think I had the right sound for it, anyway... Until now. "It's important to explore new genres. You should always be learning." - Tom A New Voiceover Adventure... After doing some research, I decided to give it a shot. I got some political coaching from esteemed coach & demo producer J. Michael Collins. We produced one demo spot which I put on my website & many online casting sites, sent it to my reps, and wrote a blog post about the experience! Within a few weeks I booked my first political spot thanks to Celia Siegel Management. Listen below! Takeaways: Although it may be too late to book work during this year's election cycle, 2023's political season is right around the corner. Here's what you can do to get ready... Research candidates, production houses, and casting agents who work within the political sphere Voice projects that align with your values Consider the results of voicing for one political party vs another Seek out coaching Produce at least one political demo spot and market the crap out of it. I strongly recommend J. Michael Collins. Tell him I sent you and you may get a tasty discount! VOS Book Club The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey Reading this book inspired me in the beginning of my voiceover journey. It taught me how to think outside the box & live outside my comfort zone. It is a masterclass on how to craft and execute effective goals. If you want to get out of your head in a good way, check this one out! Paid Links Grab Studio Gear As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Download VO: How-to Videos Upcoming Events & Appearances Here's what I've got going on in the next few months - register to attend and add your voice to the mix! Need help? Work with me. Book a Strategy Session and get your VO business together! Tom Dheere is the VO Strategist, a voice over business & marketing coach and demo producer since 2011. He is also a voice actor with over 25 years of experience who has narrated just about every type of voiceover you can think of. When not voicing or talking about voicing, he produces the sci-fi comic book Agent 1.22.

Pay Attention! Last week’s tip was “read the contract before you agree to sign it”. This week’s tip is “read the script before you agree to narrate it”... "It is okay to turn down a gig because you object to it for political, religious, or adult content reasons." - Tom Looking for help? Check in and Stay on Track... Tom Dheere is the VO Strategist, a voice over business & marketing coach and demo producer since 2011. He is also a voice actor with over 25 years of experience who has narrated just about every type of voiceover you can think of. When not voicing or talking about voicing, he produces the sci-fi comic book Agent 1.22.

Voiceovers and Progress Progress, beyond booking gigs, can be a difficult thing to detect, track, and demonstrate. It’s especially difficult to detect & track progress via the dreaded voiceover audition. Most of the time you do auditions at home and almost never get feedback. However, it is critical that you both are aware of the progress that you are making as both a voiceover artist and a voiceover business and that you can communicate that to voice seekers... "Check YouTube and Vimeo regularly for videos you have narrated and build a portfolio you can send to voice seekers..." - Tom Looking for help? Check in and Stay on Track... Tom Dheere is the VO Strategist, a voice over business & marketing coach and demo producer since 2011. He is also a voice actor with over 25 years of experience who has narrated just about every type of voiceover you can think of. When not voicing or talking about voicing, he produces the sci-fi comic book Agent 1.22.

Subscribe on YouTube for the latest... How is my VO Business doing? Voice actors ask themselves this question over and over again at every stage of their career. Most attempt to answer the question by looking at how much money they're making or by examining their audition-to-booking ratio, but fail to look further... "There are many metrics beyond your VO revenue & booking ratio to see how your voiceover business is doing" - Tom Measuring your voiceover success: break it down by genre. When looking at my voiceover revenue, I break it down by genre. I think about every gig's "Origin Story". I perform a quarterly client churn to see how many clients I’m losing & keeping in the long-term. What about my booking ratio? I don't suggest tracking your booking ratio to measure success. The casting process can be random and arbitrary. If you feel the need to, here are some statistics: For those new to voice acting, expect a 1:100 or 1:150 ratio, especially if you're only auditioning on Pay-to-Play sites. For experienced voice actors auditioning on Pay-to-Play sites, via representation, and via Direct Marketing clients, expect a booking ratio of around 1:50 to 1:60. Consider Social Media Engagement Although it is fun to look at Likes and Comments on social media, the Shares are what really matter for marketing purposes. Shares create organic reach which puts your posts in front of a new audience and can potentially get your voice in front of a voice seeker. Takeaways: Look deeper than your overall revenue and booking ratio to determine your quarterly success. If you're a vet and booking 2% of the time, you're doing well! Keeping up with clients directly is the best way to book consistently + without auditions. Focus on creating shareable posts to get your face (and voice) in front of voice seekers. There is no shame in staying on P2P sites, auditioning regularly, and pulling new clients offsite to turn them into direct-marketing clients. Paid Links VOS Book Club: Voice Over Legal Voice Over Legal was written by Lawyer & Voice Actor Rob Sciglimpaglia. If you want to gain a better understanding of what voice actors need to know on a legal level, this book is a must-read. Grab Studio Gear As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Download VO: How-to Videos Upcoming Events & Appearances Here's what I've got going on in the next few months - register to attend and add your voice to the mix! Need help? Work with me. Book a Strategy Session and get your VO business together! Tom Dheere is the VO Strategist, a voice over business & marketing coach and demo producer since 2011. He is also a voice actor with over 25 years of experience who has narrated just about every type of voiceover you can think of. When not voicing or talking about voicing, he produces the sci-fi comic book Agent 1.22.

Another guest appearance Last week I was interviewed by a dear college friend who has her own podcast which focuses on "the power of arts in education". I had a wonderful time! When the episode goes live I'll post it here. "Don’t focus on numbers; focus on culture. The numbers will come." - Tom Waxing Nostalgic Spending time with my old friend and reminiscing about my college days got me thinking about my theater training vs. my voiceover training. Did they complement each other? Contradict each other? The first thing I'll say is that I got a massive amount of theater training but it was about 30 years ago. The other thing I'll say is that I got far less voiceover training but it was much more recent. Does that matter? Honestly I'm not sure. What I do know is that I use bits & pieces of both my theater training and voiceover training almost every day. Most of the time I don't even realize it. Don't get me wrong, I'm not using my Stanislavski training to break down my voiceover scripts, but I'll put it to you this way. In theater, often you have weeks or even months to build your character. In voiceover, sometimes you have as little as a few seconds. Most of the time you are playing you anyway, but getting in touch with an authentic you can be a challenge, hence your theater training can help you catalyze the process. Tip Of the Week You can't rely solely on theater training to be an effective voice actor You can't rely solely on voiceover training to be an effective voice actor, either Acting training will make you a better voice actor Improv training will make you an even better voice actor Join me at an upcoming event Here's what I've got going on in the next few months - register to attend and add your voice to the mix! Study on your own time - download & watch VO How-to Videos Use Promo Code GETMORE for 20% off 3 or more videos! Paid Links Grab Studio Gear VO Strategist Book Club This month's book is Accents: A Manual for Actors by Robert Blumenfeld. Want more studio gear & reading recommendations? VIEW ALL As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Keep Going - Work with Me Book a Strategy Session and get your VO business together! Want more VO Strategist? Subscribe on YouTube for the latest... Tom Dheere is the VO Strategist, a voice over business & marketing coach and demo producer since 2011. He is also a voice actor with over 25 years of experience who has narrated just about every type of voiceover you can think of. When not voicing or talking about voicing, he produces the sci-fi comic book Agent 1.22.