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The Dreaded "C-Word": Contracts The word "contract" makes many new voice actors' palms sweat. It conjures images of expensive lawyers, dense paragraphs of legalese, and the terrifying possibility of signing your rights away in the fine print. As a voice actor and a freelancer, you might be wondering if you need a formal, iron-clad voice over contract for every single gig. The short answer is no. The longer answer is, "It depends on the risk." My goal here isn't to give you legal advice. I'm the VO Strategist, not an attorney. I do want to give you a practical framework for protecting your business without getting bogged down in unnecessary paperwork or getting hosed by exposing yourself. Legally, that is. When You Absolutely Need a Formal Contract From a risk management perspective, a formal, attorney-drafted contract is non-negotiable in a few key scenarios. Think of it as business insurance without the premiums. Sort of. You need a contract when: A Lot of Money is on the Line:  If the voice over gig is worth thousands (or tens of thousands) of dollars, the cost of a misunderstanding is too high. Get it in writing. It’s a High-Exposure Gig:  A national commercial, a major video game character, an audiobook for a major publisher... if millions of people will hear your voice, you need to be crystal clear on every aspect of usage and compensation. Conflicts & Exclusivity are Involved:  If a client wants to lock you down as the voice of "Brand X," preventing you from working with their competitors, that needs to be explicitly defined and compensated. What are the terms? How long does it last? What markets are included? This here is lawyer territory. The Most Common Voice Over Contract: The Email For the vast majority of my non-union voice over work, my "contract" is nothing more than a clear, concise email exchange. An email can be a legally binding agreement as long as it demonstrates that both parties have agreed to the same terms. The key is to make sure all the critical details are in that email chain and agreed upon before  you hit record. Your email agreement must include: The Rate:  The specific dollar amount for the job. Usage:  Where and for how long the client can use your voice (e.g., "1-year North American web usage," "in-perpetuity internal training video"). Be specific! Conflicts/Exclusivity:  If any, state them clearly. If none, it’s wise to state, "No conflicts or exclusivity implied." Your Retake Policy:  What constitutes a client error vs. your error? How many revisions are included? Your Service Guarantee:  This outlines your professional commitment. (I attach mine to every quote. You can download my template here ). The AI Rider:  In today's market, this is essential. You must explicitly state that the recording cannot be used to train any AI or for synthetic voice generation. Here's a link to NAVA's AI Rider . Once the client replies with "Looks great!" or "Yes, that's approved," you have your agreement. Save that email chain. It’s your contract. An Invoice Is NOT a Contract I’ve seen voice actors make this mistake over and over. They submit the audio files without discussing the details, then slap their terms and conditions onto the bottom of the invoice. From a legal standpoint, that’s basically useless. A contract requires a "meeting of the minds" before  the work begins. Shoving terms at a client after the fact without their prior agreement doesn't mean they've retroactively agreed to them. It’s like eating dinner at a restaurant and then being told you also have to wash the dishes. You never agreed to that upfront. Unless you really like washing dishes. I don't know what you're into. Agents, Managers, and SAG-AFTRA When you start dealing with major brands and union work, you'll have pros in your corner. Talent agents, managers, and SAG-AFTRA have standard contracts (CBAs) and entire teams dedicated to negotiating them. They are your best resource for the big gigs. Let's say you're a non-union voice actor without representation and you land a massive gig on your own. You’re in over your head with the contract negotiations. You can actually approach a talent agent, explain the situation, and ask them to negotiate the contract on your behalf in exchange for their standard commission. It proves you can book major work, and who knows, you might just get an agent out of the deal, too. How 'bout them apples? Stop fearing the contract and start focusing on communication & clarity. A simple, detailed email is one of the most powerful business tools you have. Want More Tools In Your Voice Over Toolkit? Stop guessing which microphones, hardware, software, and books are worth your investment! I’ve built a curated resource page with the professional tools I trust to save you time and help you make smart decisions for your business. Please note: As an affiliate partner, I may earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Get my curated list of essential VO tools here AND Check out my VO How-To Library! Want to stream as many How-To videos as you want? Get a Video Subscription - use the promo code FORWARD  for 20% off your first month! 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! Looking for help navigating the entertainment industry? Check in and Stay on Track... Don't know where to start? Let's chat. Grab 15 minutes free - let's see what your business needs... As the VO Strategist , Tom Dheere has provided voice over business & marketing coaching since 2011. He's also a voice actor with over 30 years of experience who has narrated just about every type of voice over you can think of. When not voicing or talking about voicing, Tom produces the sci-fi comic book Agent 1.22.

Why You're Not Getting Repeat Voice Over Clients (And How to Fix It) Getting repeat voice over clients is the holy grail for a stable freelance business. But it's a challenge. Most voice actors think it’s only a matter of a viral video or a relentless barrage of emails to get repeat clients. That can be somewhat true, but it’s only a part of it. There is so  much more to client retention than just the occasional desperate “do ya have more work for me?” email that, frankly, most clients have learned to ignore. If you feel like you're on a "marketing treadmill," always chasing the next  gig while past clients fade away, it's time to stop. You don't have a marketing problem; you have a systems  problem. Why Clients Disappear No matter what you do, you will lose clients who will never come back. This is the "stuff happens" file. It's not (always) your fault, but you have to account for it. It's risk management. Sometimes, clients leave for reasons that have zero to do with you: The company closes.  These things happen. Back in 2012, I lost a huge client to Super Storm Sandy. It literally washed their business away. 🙁 Your contact leaves.  The new voice seeker at the company has their own internal roster and you're not on it. The company pivots.  They stop using voice actors, either switching to AI (eek!) or shifting their business model entirely. Casting methods change.  Maybe they stopped using the agent that represents you, or they started using a Pay-to-Play site that you’re not on. You're a niche voice.  They loved you for that specific job, but they just don’t have any more work that fits your unique sound. It Might Be You Then there's the other list. This is the one we don't like to talk about. Sometimes, they don't come back because... well... you were hard to work with. You did a lousy job. You didn't take direction well. You had tech issues (bad internet, can't operate your DAW, etc.). You were just... a jerk. The surest method to even be considered  for repeat work is to do a good job. Be a good listener. Take direction well. Have a strong internet connection, mastery of your DAW, and deliver audio files properly. Make strong choices in your narration. That's just the price of admission. Doing a good job makes you a reliable vendor . It doesn't make you a memorable partner . Vendors are replaceable. Partners are indispensable. Your Voice Over Client Retention Strategy The occasional phone call, email, or newsletter can help, but only if it's strategic. Your real goal is to embed yourself into their workflow as a problem-solver. Strategy #1: Become the Easiest Part of Their Day This is all about reducing friction. The client is busy, stressed, and juggling 10 other things. Your job is to be the one part of their day that just works . Deliver your audio in multiple formats (WAV and MP3) without being asked . Label your files with obsessive clarity: ProjectName_TomDheere_Take1_FINAL.wav. Send a single, organized email with a link to a cloud folder instead of 20MB of attachments. Anticipate their needs before they do. Strategy #2: Become a Problem-Solver, Not Just a Performer This one shift elevates you from a performer-for-hire to a consultant. (And consultants get paid more and  get called back.) If you spot a line in the script that feels clunky, don't just read it. Politely offer an alternative. For example: "I noticed this phrase is a bit of a tongue-twister. For safety, I've recorded an alternate version with a slightly different phrasing, just in case you need it." This shows you're thinking about their final product , not just your performance. You've just saved them a potential headache in the edit bay. That's a massive win. Strategy #3: Master the Strategic Follow-Up Your follow-up process is key, and it can't be "needy." It has to be professional. The Immediate:  A simple thank-you email confirming they received the files and it was a pleasure to work with them. The Two-Week:  A short email asking how the project turned out and where you can see/hear it. (This also gives you a chance to gather testimonials!) The Quarterly:  A check-in via your CRM. This isn't a "got work?" email. This is a "provide value" email. Forward an interesting industry article or share a recent project you did that's similar to theirs. The goal is to stay top-of-mind by being helpful. Want More Tools In Your Voice Over Toolkit? Stop guessing which microphones, hardware, software, and books are worth your investment! I’ve built a curated resource page with the professional tools I trust to save you time and help you make smart decisions for your business. Please note: As an affiliate partner, I may earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Get my curated list of essential VO tools here. NEWS AND NOTES Wednesday, March 10th @8PM EST: the VO Strategist VO How-To webinar “ Marketing Basics “. Thursday, March 18th @8PM EST: the webinar “Tax Time!“ Thursday, March 25th @8PM EST: the webinar “The Sales Funnel“ SOLD OUT !!! Sunday, March 28th @5PM EST: “eLearning Performance Workshop“ HAPPY HAPPYS Happy Banana Cream Pie Day and Floral Design Day ! QUOTE OF THE WEEK We are not here to curse the darkness, but to light a candle that can guide us through that darkness to a safe and sane future. John F. Kennedy Tom Dheere is a voice actor with over twenty years of experience narrating just about every type of voiceover you can think of. He also helps voice talents navigate the voiceover industry as the VO Strategist . When not voicing or talking about voicing, he produces the epic sci-fi comic book Agent 1.22.

Why Your Coach's Style is a Critical Business Decision Investing in a voice over coach is one of the most significant financial decisions you'll make in your career. The right coach can provide a massive ROI, accelerating your growth and booking potential. But the wrong coach can be a costly drain on your time and resources. So, how do you make sure your investment pays off? It starts with understanding what kind of guidance you actually need. As a voiceover coach for about ten years now, I've worked with countless voice actors of all experience levels. In that time, I've noticed that some people respond more positively to my coaching style than others. And that's cool. Different strokes for different folks, as they say. Every human is different, so naturally every voice actor is different as well as their needs. The Four Core Archetypes of Voice Over Coaching I've noticed that voiceover coaches fall into one or more of these archetypes: The Professor The Therapist The Cheerleader The Drill Sergeant I'd say I'm a hybrid of Professor and Therapist. If you've worked with me in the past, do you agree? If you disagree, which kind of voiceover coach do you think I am? What Kind of Coach Will Maximize Your Potential? Do you need a Professor to break things down analytically? Do you need a Therapist to help you emotionally engage with the copy, the story, the characters? Do you need a Cheerleader to effusively praise all of your reads? Do you need a Drill Sergeant to constantly kick your ass? Do you need a combination of two or more of these coaching styles? Your Action Plan for Finding the Right Fit Work with different coaches to help you determine their coaching style and the kind of coach you need. Talk to other voice actors to get an idea of their experiences with different coaches. And keep in mind that you may need different styles of voiceover coaching for different genres. Also, as you learn & grow as a person, your needs may change so don't be afraid to switch coaches at some point. Want More Tools In Your Voice Over Toolkit? Stop guessing which microphones, hardware, software, and books are worth your investment! I’ve built a curated resource page with the professional tools I trust to save you time and help you make smart decisions for your business. Please note: As an affiliate partner, I may earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Get my curated list of essential VO tools here. NEWS AND NOTES November 26th-29th: VO Strategist Shop Sale ! From Black Friday to Cyber Monday, all VO How-To: Self-Study videos in the VO Strategist Shop are 50% off! Use the promo code TURKEY2021 on as many videos as you want. Saturday, December 4th @5PM ET: The 12th Annual NYC VO Mixer! (In NJ) . Voiceover beginners, pros, or "adjacent" to the voiceover industry; come on out! Dress to impress! It's the "company holiday party". Please RSVP at the Facebook Event page as there is an attendance cap. Sunday, December 5th @9AM-5PM ET: "Kelly and Tom are Hanging Out at a Hotel" . The day after the VO Mixer, we've rented a conference space at the hotel for voice actors to discuss the current state of the voiceover industry and share tips & tricks for success. Voice actors of all experience levels are welcome. It's free to attend but we do ask for a small donation to help cover the cost of the space. To RSVP, email me at tom@tomdheere.com. Saturday, December 11th @5PM ET: " eLearning Performance with Guest Coach Tom Dheere ". eLearning, training modules, and instructional content is a leading category in voiceover opportunity! Every voiceover genre has a unique set of "performance rules." Get a clear understanding of what is required when voicing educational/training content. Don't miss three hours of script reading! You'll be sure to "learn" a thing or two and have a lot fun while doing it! Saturday, December 18th @1PM ET: VO Resolutions: Setting Goals for 2022 . W e are nearing the end of 2021 and the new year is quickly approaching. How can we set ourselves up for success in the voice over industry and enter 2022 feeling confident and ready for success? In this one-hour webinar, students will learn how to set realistic professional goals as a voice over actor and how to take the new year by storm. HAPPY HAPPYS Happy National Sardines Day and National Parfait Day ! QUOTE OF THE WEEK You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step. Martin Luthor King As the VO Strategist , Tom Dheere has provided voice over business & marketing coaching since 2011. He's also a voice actor with over 30 years of experience  who has narrated just about every type of voice over you can think of. When not voicing or talking about voicing, Tom produces the sci-fi comic book Agent 1.22.

Of all the tools you have to market your voiceover business, your personal website is one of the very few you actually own. If you want to make a name for yourself and stand out against your competitors, a polished, professional website is a great way to show agents and voice seekers you’re there to be taken seriously. Key Elements for a Professional VO Website It reflects your brand.  Your brand isn’t just a logo—it’s a promise to your customer. Stay away from generic templates and have your website show visitors why you’re different from the instant they land on the page. Your demos are front and center.  Don’t make visitors hunt for your demos. Make your best, most relevant demo the first thing they hear, and make it easy to find your other categories (like commercial, narration, character, etc.). It uses high-quality photography.  Your clients aren’t just hiring a voice—they’re hiring a professional partner. Use your website to show them who you are. Invest in good-quality photography and don’t hide behind cheesy caricatures or generic stock photos. It offers social proof.  Voice seekers want to know you’re experienced and trustworthy. Ask for a testimonial after every session and load up your website with the best ones, ideally next to the logos of the clients you've worked with. Your studio setup is on display.  Don’t make clients guess about your technical capabilities. Clearly list your studio specifications, including your microphone(s), interface, recording software (DAW), and available remote connection options (like Source-Connect, ipDTL, etc.). This shows they can hire you with confidence, knowing you have the right gear. Your contact info (and your agent’s) is easy to find.  If someone is excited about hiring you, don’t let them get away. Make it dead simple to contact you and your agent from any page on your site—and respond to any inquiries as quickly as possible. It works great on a phone.  A significant majority of web traffic now comes from mobile devices. Your website must  be designed with a "mobile-first" approach. Make sure your site looks great, loads quickly, and is easy to navigate on a smartphone. Test it on a phone first, and worry about the desktop version second. You’re using and promoting it!  A website is not a "set it and forget it" tool. Don’t forget to keep it updated with your latest demos and testimonials. Give it a chance to be seen by promoting it in your email signature and on your social media profiles. If you’re investing in professional coaching and professional demos, don’t send the wrong message with a poorly made website. Follow these tips and invest in a professional website that sends the right message to voice seekers, and you’ll stand out from the crowd. Want More Tools In Your Voice Over Toolkit? Stop guessing which microphones, hardware, software, and books are worth your investment! I’ve built a curated resource page with the professional tools I trust to save you time and help you make smart decisions for your business. Please note: As an affiliate partner, I may earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Get my curated list of essential VO tools here. AND Check out my VO How-To Library! Want to stream as many How-To videos as you want? Get a Video Subscription - use code FORWARD  for 20% off your first month! NEWS AND NOTES Here is an almost complete list of the classes I'm teaching in the first quarter of 2022. Registration is open for most of them so you can sign up right now. More classes will be added soon so stay tuned...! Sat, Jan 08: Set Your Goals for 2022! Thu, Jan 13: Build Your Marketing Campaign Thu, Jan 20: Working Your Workflow (MAVO) Mon, Jan 24: Building a Winning Website Thu, Jan 27: Smaller VO Market Mastery Sun, Feb 06: All Day eLearning & Explainer Intensive w/ Tom Dheere Thu, Feb 17: Get Your Act Together for 2022 Thu, Feb 24: Mastering Project Management Thu, Mar 03: Analyze Your VO Business Sat, Mar 19: eLearning Performance with Guest Coach Tom Dheere! Thu, Mar 24: Filing Your Taxes HAPPY HAPPYS Happy National Spaghetti Day and Copyright Law Day ! QUOTE OF THE WEEK If you look at someone long enough, you discover their humanity. Jack Nicholson 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. Wanna hear this blog entry? Check it out on SoundCloud!

A Parsing Tale of Two Sessions Last week I recorded a new promo demo and it went great. Click here to check it out . During the recording session, the director noticed that I was occasionally parsing some of my sentences but it was very subtle. Let's call it "micro-parsing". It was messing with my momentum as many of the promo spots required a lot of energy and speed. We worked on it for a bit and then kept on rolling. After the demo recording session, I went to a nearby recording studio for an English as a Second Language (ESL) recording session with a regular client. After chatting with the sound engineer and the producer, I settled into the booth and we started recording. After a couple of takes, the sound engineer told me I'm still in "promo mode". The producer said that this module is for entry-level ESL students and what's been working well for the other voice actors is to do a lot of parsing. Of course. So, I shifted gears from high-speed, high energy reads with no parsing to super-slow reads with tons of parsing. Fortunately I was able to make the adjustment quickly and the rest of the recording session went fine. What is Parsing? This isn't a textbook definition, but in voice over circles parsing is when you break up a sentence where the written punctuation doesn't dictate that you should. Often it's done for dramatic effect and can enhance your narration, if you know how to use it. But Tom, isn't parsing just a fancy word for pausing? Not exactly. You're supposed to pause after commas, colons, semicolons, etc. not in some rando place in the script for no good reason. Why Your Parsing Might Be Wrecking Your Auditions Almost every student I've worked with has had an issue with parsing. Parsing can also be what I call an "ism", a potentially bad habit. For new voice actors, parsing happens when they take a breath in the middle of a sentence because they haven't fully developed their breath control skills. Other times they pause in the middle of a sentence and can't explain why. This usually means they're not connected with the script and therefore can't effectively engage the listener. How To Diagnose Your Parsing Playback your last few auditions with the scripts in hand. On the script, put a comma, colon, semicolon, or ellipse everywhere you parsed. Does the sentence still make sense? Did it make you feel something? If it does, you likely made a strong acting choice to create suspense, drama, or stir a particular emotion in the listener. If the sentence doesn't make sense anymore, that was poor parsing! Why did you parse? If it's because you ran out of breath, you need to develop your breath control with a great coach like one of these . If you have no idea why your parsed, you need to develop your script interpretation skills, also with a great coach like one of these . NEWS AND NOTES Wednesday, July 21st @8PM ET: The VO How-To Webinar "Direct Marketing" . What is Direct Marketing? How can you use Direct Marketing to complement your Agents and use of Pay-to-Play sites? These and many more questions will be answered. Sign up here! Thursday, July 22nd @8PM ET: the Marketing 201 webinar, "4 Words that K*** your Marketing" . In this 60-minute webinar, we will discuss how to think like an effective voiceover marketer and avoid self-destructive marketing strategies. HAPPY HAPPYS Happy Ice Cream Day and International Chess Day ! QUOTE OF THE WEEK It's not the questions that get us in trouble - it's the answers... Tom Brokaw Tom Dheere is the VO Strategist , a voice over business & marketing coach since 2011. He is also a voice actor with over 20 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.

Let's Talk About Your Inbox (And a Tool I’ve Researched) Before we dive in, I want to be transparent. The links to Sanebox in this post are affiliate links. That means if you decide to subscribe, I’ll receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Now, full disclosure: I have not personally used Sanebox. As The Voice Over Strategist, my job is to analyze tools, strategies, and systems that can benefit your business. I've done a deep dive into Sanebox—its features, its reputation, and its direct application for a freelance voice actor's workflow. I feel comfortable recommending it as a potential solution for one of the biggest productivity drains we all face: email overload. This is my analysis of why Sanebox appears to be an excellent fit for the business of voice-over... The Opportunity Cost of a Cluttered Inbox Think about the first hour of your workday. How much of it is spent sifting through emails, deleting junk, and trying to find the truly important messages? Every minute you spend on administrative email triage is a minute you're not auditioning, marketing, or recording. In business terms, that’s a significant opportunity cost. Many of us rely on the built-in "Focused Inbox" from Outlook or Google. While better than nothing, these tools are generic. They don't understand that a casting call from a new agent has a higher strategic value than a 15% discount on software. They apply the same broad rules to everyone, which isn't good enough for a specialized freelance business like ours. A Look at Sanebox's Features From what I've learned, Sanebox isn’t just another filter. It appears to be a robust productivity system designed to solve these specific problems. Based on the challenges voice actors face, these are the features that stand out as the most strategically valuable. 1. SaneReminders: Automated Follow-Ups This is a powerful CRM-like feature. How often do you send an invoice or a follow-up on a big audition and have to manually track if you got a response? With Sanebox, you can CC or BCC an address like tuesday-10am@sanebox.com . If no one replies by that time, Sanebox will automatically bounce that email back to the top of your inbox. For a solopreneur juggling clients and payments, this kind of automation is a strategic advantage. 2. SaneBlackHole: A True Unsubscribe We all get added to lists we never signed up for. Instead of searching for the tiny unsubscribe link (which sometimes doesn't even work), you can drag an email into the SaneBlackHole folder. From that point on, you will never see an email from that sender again. It’s a simple, effective way to permanently silence noise. 3. Intelligent Sorting (@SaneLater) The core of Sanebox is its AI, which learns your  priorities. It analyzes your email history to see what's important and automatically moves newsletters, receipts, and other non-urgent items into a @SaneLater folder. This means your primary inbox is reserved for high-priority communications. You can then process the @SaneLater folder once a day, turning a constant distraction into a single, manageable task. 4. Security and Privacy Many email tools require access to the content of your messages. According to Sanebox, their system is different. It only reads the email headers  (to, from, subject) to do its sorting. The body of your emails, which could contain confidential client scripts or financial information, is never read or stored on their servers. From a risk management perspective, this is a huge plus. The Bottom Line: An Investment in Time The average Sanebox user reportedly saves 3-4 hours per week. As a business owner, your time has a clear ROI. If a tool can give you back that much time to focus on revenue-generating activities, it's worth a serious look. While I haven't used it myself, my research indicates that Sanebox is a well-regarded, secure, and strategically sound tool that directly addresses the pain points of email management for freelancers. Try It and Be Your Own Judge Don't just take my word for it. The best way to know if Sanebox is right for you is to try it! Sanebox offers a free trial, and because this is an affiliate promotion, they've offered my blog readers a $15 discount  if you choose to subscribe. Click here to start a free Sanebox trial and get $15 off. If you decide to try it, I'd love to hear about your experience. Want More Tools In Your Voice Over Toolkit? Stop guessing which microphones, hardware, software, and books are worth your investment! I’ve built a curated resource page with the professional tools I trust to save you time and help you make smart decisions for your business. Please note: As an affiliate partner, I may earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Get my curated list of essential VO tools here. Keep Going - Watch this next: 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! Looking for help navigating the entertainment industry? Check in and Stay on Track... Don't know where to start? Let's chat. Grab 15 minutes free - let's see what your business needs... As the VO Strategist , Tom Dheere has provided voice over business & marketing coaching since 2011. He's also a voice actor with over 30 years of experience who has narrated just about every type of voice over you can think of. When not voicing or talking about voicing, Tom produces the sci-fi comic book Agent 1.22.

For us voice actors, this summer SUCKED . The conversations I've been having with voice actors of all genres and experience levels are definitely worth addressing. While we'll start with a focus on audiobooks, the problem is widespread. From commercials and corporate narration to e-learning, many of us are seeing fewer auditions and lighter calendars. It's not just a vibe; it's a tangible shift that's causing a lot of anxiety. And as the VO Strategist, I believe that when faced with a problem, the first step is to diagnose it correctly. Panicking is not a strategy. Understanding is. Deconstructing the Slowdown: A Problem on Two Fronts I believe we're fighting a war on two fronts. The slowdown in audiobooks and the slowdown in the rest of the VO industry are related, but they may have different primary causes. Reason #1: Market Saturation is Squeezing the Audiobook Industry The brilliant Emily Lawrence  recently conducted a survey of 114 audiobook narrators to get hard data on the slowdown there. Click the PDF below to see her survey results. While her findings showed that established, full-time narrators were mostly okay financially, there was a definite crunch for many others. Her theory isn't about technology, but about talent—specifically, an overabundance of it. In her words, " The market is simply saturated. " This issue has been building and was supercharged by two key factors: A Post-COVID Influx:  Many people flocked to voice over professions during the pandemic, dramatically increasing the number of working narrators. The Hollywood Slowdown:  During the 2023 strikes and the ongoing slowdown in film and TV, many on-screen actors took refuge in voice over, adding a wave of highly skilled professionals to an already crowded field. Emily also explains why her data shows female narrators are more affected . It's a numbers game. As she puts it, " ...there are simply way more women pursuing careers as actors and so competition is always more fierce, audiobooks were just so niche before we didn't feel it until now. " It’s a classic case of supply and demand: the supply of talented narrators has outpaced the growth in demand for new titles. Reason #2: Tariffs Are Pausing Commercial Production But that doesn’t explain the slowdown in commercial or corporate work. I rarely narrate audiobooks anymore, but I've felt the pinch, too. So, what's going on there? Let me put on my amateur economist hat for a second. I believe the slowdown in the voice over industry proper can be largely attributed to tariffs. Scrabble tiles spelling out the word tariffs And it’s not just about budgets, it’s about the products themselves. "Tariffs?! What the hell are you talking about, Tom? What does a tax on imported goods have to do with my voice over business?" Everything. Here's how I connect the dots: Tariffs Create Supply Chain Chaos:  Tariffs are taxes on imported goods. For a company that relies on parts from overseas, this can make a critical component suddenly unaffordable or, in some cases, unavailable. Production Becomes Uncertain:  Let's say you're a car company. A new tariff is placed on the microchips you import for your new electric vehicle. Suddenly, your entire production line is in jeopardy. You don't know if you can get the parts you need or what they'll cost next month. You Can't Advertise a Product You Can't Make:  Faced with this massive uncertainty, what does a smart company do? They hit the brakes. Why would you spend millions on a national TV ad campaign for a car you might have to pause production on? How can you advertise a product that might not even be on the shelves for customers to buy? Advertising Campaigns Are Halted:  This is the key. It's not just that the marketing department has less money to play with. It's that the fundamental reason for the advertising—a product ready to sell—is now a question mark. Commercials don't get made. Ad campaigns are put on ice indefinitely. The projects that require our voices simply vanish because the products they were meant to sell are stuck in a state of limbo. The chain reaction is direct and devastating: Tariffs ➔ Supply Chain Uncertainty ➔ Paused Product Production ➔ Halted Advertising Campaigns ➔ Less Work for Voice Actors. I have also seen a slowdown in eLearning, telephony, and almost every genre I regularly work in. Nobody is sure what to do with their money right now! Your Strategic Response: How to Thrive in a Slow Market Whether it's market saturation in audiobooks or tariffs in the commercial world , the result is the same: market uncertainty and less work to go around. You can’t control macroeconomic policy or the number of actors in the market. But you absolutely can control how you respond. 1. Diversify Everything Now is the time to diversify your client base, your genres, and maybe even your skill set. If you're 100% reliant on national commercials, the tariff crunch will hurt. If you have a healthy mix of commercial, corporate, and perhaps e-learning clients, you're more resilient. 2. Marketing is Non-Negotiable When everyone else gets scared and goes quiet, that's your opportunity to be seen and heard. Don't stop marketing. In a tight market, top-of-mind awareness is priceless. The clients who are  spending money need to be able to find you. 3. Shift from "Price" to "Value" In a recessionary environment, competing on price is a race to the bottom. Instead, you must frame your services as an investment with a clear return (ROI) . Show your clients how your professional voice over will make their project more effective, enhance their brand, and ultimately help them weather their own financial storm. You're not an expense; you're a solution. The current slowdown is real, and it’s unsettling. But it’s not a black box. By understanding the forces at play—both technological and economic—you can move from a position of fear to one of strategy. And strategy is what will see you through to the other side. Want More Tools In Your Voice Over Toolkit? Stop guessing which microphones, hardware, software, and books are worth your investment! I’ve built a curated resource page with the professional tools I trust to save you time and help you make smart decisions for your business. Please note: As an affiliate partner, I may earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Get my curated list of essential VO tools here. Keep Going - Watch this next: Think Like a Freelancer Want to stream as many How-To videos as you want? Get a Video Subscription - use code FORWARD  for 20% off your first month! 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! Looking for help navigating the entertainment industry? Check in and Stay on Track... Don't know where to start? Let's chat. Grab 15 minutes free - let's see what your business needs... As the VO Strategist , Tom Dheere has provided voice over business & marketing coaching since 2011. He's also a voice actor with over 30 years of experience who has narrated just about every type of voice over you can think of. When not voicing or talking about voicing, Tom produces the sci-fi comic book Agent 1.22.

Behold! I give you... My brand-spanking-new VO Gear & More Recommendation Page for Voice Actors! A Quick (but Important) Detour: The Affiliate Bit This is an affiliate page. What does that mean in plain English? It means that I've curated a list of products and services that I genuinely believe are excellent for voice actors, from beginner to advanced. If you click on a link on the page and end up buying something, I might  earn a small commission from the vendor. BUT  – and this is a crucial "but" – this does not cost you a single penny extra . The price you pay is exactly the same whether you use my link or go directly to the vendor's site. Unless, that is, there's a special discount for using my affiliate link. For example, if you use this link to sign up for Quickbooks, you get 90% off for the next three months! What Goodies Await You? I've tried to break it down into sensible sections to make things as easy as possible. While I can't give you a live tour here in this blog post, let me walk you through the highlights and the kinds of stuff waiting for you when you click through: a pair of headphones hanging off of a microphone with a computer monitor in the background Capturing Your Golden Tones: Microphones First up, we're talking about the absolute essentials. The foundational building blocks of your voiceover kingdom. This section is dedicated to the Microphones  that will capture your golden pipes. We're talking options for different budgets and different needs – maybe some trusty USB mics for those starting out, and some more high-end XLR options for the pros. You'll find recommendations to get you sounding crisp and clear. The Brains of the Operation: Interfaces and Hardware Once you've got your mic sorted, you need something to plug it into. So, the next logical step is the Audio Interfaces and Mixers  section. This is where you'll find the gadgets that convert your glorious analog voice signal into digital data your computer can understand. Options here range from simple interfaces for solo artists to more complex mixers if you're planning on interviewing podcast guests or using multiple mics. Listen Up! Accessories and Software Sound is important, but so is hearing what you sound like! This section features recommendations for headphones suitable for tracking and editing, and potentially some monitor options if you have the space and budget for speakers. Let's not forget the environment! Your recording space plays a huge role in the quality of your audio. This is where you'll also discover tools and materials to help tame echoes, reduce background noise, and create a professional-sounding recording environment, whether it's simple foam panels or more advanced solutions. Beyond the core gear, there are always those handy extras that make life easier. This includes recommendations for pop filters (save your mic from those plosives!), microphone stands, cables, and software recommendations for your voiceover business. Level Up Your Skills: Books A book cover with a judge's gavel on it These books? They changed my life. Some of them hit me so hard, I actually felt nauseous because they forced me to face some tough truths. If you’re serious about leveling up your voiceover game (and your life), you NEED to read books like Voice Over Legal by Rob Sciglimpaglia. And Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki? This one gives you the financial smarts you didn’t know you were missing. A lot of these books aren’t just for voice artists—they’re for anyone who wants to stop screwing around and start crushing it. My New Best Friends: Approved Partners I know how freaking confusing it is to figure out what actually works for your voiceover biz. That’s why I’ve partnered with these brands—they get it, and they’ve got the goods. Whether it’s high-quality gear, killer training, or marketing support to make your career blow up, these partners have you covered. And a lot of them offer sweet discounts, so you don’t have to break the bank to get your hands on the good stuff. Trust me, this is the real deal. Go Forth and Gear Up! So there you have it! A brief tour of what you'll find on the partnership page. I've poured through many options and picked out things that I believe offer good value and performance for voice actors at every stage. So, go ahead! Click the button below, have a browse, and see if anything catches your eye (or ear). Remember, no pressure to buy, but if you do find something useful and purchase it through my link, you'll be supporting this little corner of the internet dedicated to all things voiceover. If you have suggestions for other gear, books, or software, tell me! I'll be happy to check them out and add them to the page as appropriate. Happy hunting, and may your recordings be ever clean and clear! Keep Going - Watch this next: Make Working From Home Work Want to stream as many How-To videos as you want? Get a Video Subscription - use code FORWARD  for 20% off your first month! 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! Looking for help navigating the entertainment industry? Check in and Stay on Track... Don't know where to start? Let's chat. Grab 15 minutes free - let's see what your business needs... Through VO Strategist , Tom's provided voiceover business & marketing coaching since 2011. He's also a voice actor with over 25 years of experience who has narrated just about every type of voice over you can think of. When not voicing or talking about voicing, Tom produces the sci-fi comic book Agent 1.22.

Your VO Business is a Business: Treat it Like One at Tax Time Let’s be honest, nobody loves  tax season. For freelancers and solopreneurs, the arrival of 1099s can bring a unique wave of anxiety. But I want you to reframe your thinking. Taxes aren't just an obligation; they're a part of your business strategy. Understanding the landscape of voice actor tax deductions  is one of the most powerful things you can do to manage your cash flow and keep more of your hard-earned money. Before we go any further, let’s get this out of the way: I am a voice over strategist, not a CPA or tax professional.  This article is not legal tax advice. Its purpose is to help you get organized and prepare you for a productive conversation with a qualified professional who can give you advice tailored to your specific situation. First Things First: The Non-Negotiables If you're filing your taxes as a voice actor for the first time, it can be intimidating. But getting organized is the key to lowering your tax burden. Before you even think about specific deductions, make sure you have these bases covered: Hire a Professional:  If you don't have a CPA who specializes in freelancers or small businesses, find one. Ask for referrals from colleagues. The ROI on a good CPA is immense; they will save you far more money than they cost. Track Everything:  You can’t deduct what you can’t prove. Use an app, a spreadsheet, or accounting software to meticulously track all your income and, more importantly, all your business-related expenses. Keep those digital and paper receipts organized! Understand Schedule C:  As a sole proprietor, you will most likely file a Schedule C (Profit or Loss from Business) with your Form 1040. This is where you list your gross income and subtract your business expenses (deductions) to determine your taxable net profit. Common Voice Actor Tax Deductions to Discuss with Your CPA Ready to start itemizing? Here are some of the most common expense categories for voice actors. Home Studio & Office Expenses Your recording space is the heart of your business. As such, many of the costs associated with it are deductible. Home Office Deduction:  If you have a dedicated space in your home used exclusively for your VO business, you can claim this. You and your CPA can decide between the simplified method (a standard rate per square foot) or the actual expense method (deducting a percentage of your mortgage interest/rent, utilities, insurance, etc.). Studio Gear & Software:  That new microphone, interface, computer, or DAW is a business expense. These are typically "capital expenses." Depending on the cost, your CPA may advise you to either depreciate them over several years or deduct the full cost in the first year using the Section 179 deduction. Utilities:  A portion of your home's utility bills—like electricity and internet—can be deducted based on the percentage of your home used for your business. Marketing & Professional Development You have to spend money to make money. The costs of finding work and improving your skills are legitimate business expenses. Website & Subscriptions:  Your website hosting fees, domain name, P2P subscription fees, CRM software, and email marketing services are all 100% deductible. Demos & Headshots:  The cost of producing your demos and getting professional headshots is part of your marketing budget. Coaching & Education:  Voice over coaching, acting classes, business workshops, and any other training you take to improve your craft or business acumen are deductible. Conferences & Networking:  The costs for attending industry conferences (like VO Atlanta), including your ticket, travel, and lodging, are deductible. Travel and Client-Related Costs Business Mileage:  Keep a log of the miles you drive to in-person auditions, recording studios, networking events, or client meetings. You can deduct this using the standard mileage rate set by the IRS. Business Meals:  Did you take a client or a potential collaborator out for lunch to discuss a project? You can generally deduct 50% of the cost. Client Gifts:  You can deduct up to $25 for gifts given to any single client per year. Other Common (and Often Missed) Deductions Health Insurance Premiums:  If you're self-employed and pay for your own health insurance, you can likely deduct your premiums. Professional Services:  The fees you pay to your CPA, lawyer, or business consultant are deductible. Bank Fees:  Monthly service fees for your business checking account are a deductible expense. Retirement Contributions:  Putting money into a SEP-IRA or Solo 401(k) is a fantastic strategy. Contributions are often deductible, lowering your taxable income now while saving for your future. Tackling your finances is a huge part of being a successful VOpreneur. Use this list not as a final say, but as a strategic tool to get organized. The more prepared you are when you meet with your CPA, the more effective—and profitable—that meeting will be. QUOTE OF THE WEEK If you can see your path laid out in front of you step by step, you know it's not your path. Your own path you make with every step you take. That's why it's your path. Joseph Campbell 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 Want 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! 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.

A Strategic Approach to Invoicing in Uncertain Times Have you thought about the effect COVID-19 has had on our invoices? This pandemic has had a massive effect on all our lives, and I’ve blogged about how it has affected our day-to-day work, our finances, our mindset, and even our relationships with agents. But one of the most immediate business challenges we face is something that can feel incredibly stressful: getting paid on time. When a client is late with a payment, it's easy to jump to conclusions. But in today's world, the reason might be something you'd never expect. This brings up a critical question for all of us: What is the right way for voice actors to handle invoicing and payments? The Foundation: A Rock-Solid Invoicing Process The best way to deal with late payments is to minimize the chance they happen in the first place. Your invoicing needs to be professional and crystal clear. This isn't just about looking good; it's about risk management. Every invoice you send must include: Your business name and contact info The client’s name and contact info A unique invoice number and the date of issue A clear payment due date (e.g., "Net 30") An itemized list of the services you provided The total amount due and your preferred payment methods A clear, professional invoice removes ambiguity and makes it easier for the accounts payable department (even if it's just one person) to process your payment. A Cautionary Tale for Crazy Times Let me tell you about a situation I just dealt with. I’ve had a fantastic client for the past few years who has always paid well and on time. Then, they vanished. Multiple invoices became overdue. I started my follow-up process with emails and phone calls. Nothing. I even went to what I thought was their office here in NYC. It was closed. My mind started to prepare for the worst. I managed to find a different phone number, and the client picked up immediately. He apologized profusely. It turns out he had contracted a severe case of COVID-19 that laid him up for weeks and almost killed him. I’ve been assured the overdue invoices will be paid soon, and I believe him. The lesson here is profound: you truly never know what is happening on the other side of the invoice. Your Overdue Invoice Action Plan: Patience, Persistence, and Process There are many reasons why your invoices may be overdue right now. The business may be temporarily closed, the check may be lost in a delayed mail system, or they may be so understaffed that payroll is taking longer to process. What do you do? Be patient and thoughtful, but also persistent. Do Your Research First:  Before you pick up the phone, visit their website and social media profiles. A quick check can confirm they’re still in business and might give you clues about what’s going on. Start with a Polite Email:  A simple, friendly reminder is the perfect first step. Assume it was an oversight, not a malicious act. Pick Up the Phone:  If an email doesn't get a response, a phone call is your next move. Isn’t it weird how much more phone-call averse we’ve gotten these days? A call is more personal and harder to ignore. Connect as a Human:  It’s okay to call a client just to ask how they’re doing. Everyone is going through a lot right now. A simple check-in can strengthen your relationship and open the door to a conversation about business naturally. Some of your clients would love to hear from you so they can commiserate. This is how we build lasting business relationships. Remember, it’s all about being a good human and collecting good humans. A little empathy can go a long way—for your career and your peace of mind. NEWS AND NOTES Monday, September 7th – Sunday, September 13: My birthday is coming!!! To celebrate, I’m giving you a $13 discount on every video in the VO Strategist Shop from now until Sunday, September 13th. Be sure to use the promo code TOMSBDAY2020 and you can use it on every video. Videos include ‘Working From Home’, ‘How do I Market my Demo?’, and the latest video, ‘Managing your Money like a VO Pro’. Thursday, September 10th @8PM EST: My next Business and Money 201 webinar will be ‘Cost/Benefit Analysis’. In this one-hour webinar, we’ll talk about how to determine how & why you generated your voiceover revenue and how to repeat what worked. This webinar is capped at 25 attendees and sells out fast. September 11-13: eVOCation is this week! Click here to sign up. There’s still time but barely! Thursday, September 17th @8PM EST: My next Marketing 201 webinar will be ‘The Sales Funnel’. In this one-hour webinar, we’ll talk about what the Sales Funnel is and how to push voice seekers through it. This webinar is capped at 25 attendees and sells out fast. NEW WEBINAR!!! Sunday, September 27th @2PM EDT : “The Practical Voice Actor: How To Make Informed Decisions About Your Voiceover Business” In this brand-new workshop, you will learn how to develop your decision-making skills so you can move your voiceover business in the direction you want it to go. You’ll also learn to determine what questions you need to ask yourself and how to find the right answers in order to be the voiceover artist and business you truly want to be. It’s only $40 and virtual seats are limited. Click here to sign up! November 6-8: Mini-MAVO is getting closer! This year I will be presenting “Rates, Negotiating, and Billing”. Sign up here ! HAPPY HAPPYS Happy Alpaca Day and Sourdough September ! QUOTE OF THE WEEK It isn't the burdens of today that drive men mad. It is the regrets over yesterday and the fear of tomorrow. Regret and fear are twin thieves who rob us of today. Robert Hastings Tom Dheere is a voice actor who has narrated thousands of projects for hundreds of clients in over a dozen countries. He is also a voiceover business & marketing consultant known as the VOStrategist and produces the comic book “ Agent 1.22 ”.

Don't have time to read? Listen via Soundcloud. We all do them. We all obsess over them. We refresh our inboxes hoping for a booking confirmation. But are we really thinking  about our voice over auditions the right way? Too many voice actors treat auditions like lottery tickets. They throw a read against the wall, cross their fingers, and hope it sticks. That's the A Chorus Line  "God, I hope I get it!" mentality. It's based on hope, not strategy. Hope is not a business plan, at least not an effective one. I think of auditions differently. Once I send off an audition, I don't give a rat’s ass what happens next. Why? Because I have no control over what happens next. " Once I finish an audition, I don’t give a rat’s ass what happens next. " - Tom Why Every Audition is a Business Investment You’re not just auditioning for one specific project. You're auditioning for every potential project  with that end-client, producer, or casting director. Each audition you submit is a marketing touchpoint that demonstrates your value on multiple levels. It’s an investment in future opportunities. You’re showcasing your acting skills, yes, but you’re also auditioning your recording space, your ability to follow directions, and your overall professionalism. When you reframe it this way, you realize the stakes are higher than just one gig. You're building your brand, one mp3 file at a time. How do you ensure every audition provides a positive return on investment (ROI)? By demonstrating your value. 1. Showcase Your Professionalism Before you even touch your microphone, read the audition specs. Then read them again. If they ask for two takes, don't send three. If they ask you to slate, slate exactly as they requested. If they specify "no processing," then for the love of Zod, send a raw file. The Strategy:  Following the specs TO THE LETTER is the easiest way to get past the first round of cuts. When a casting director is sifting through 200+ auditions, do you know what they do first? They delete everyone who couldn't follow simple instructions. By ignoring the specs, you're telling them, "I can't take direction." From a client's perspective, that's a massive red flag. It’s a huge business risk. If you can’t get it right on a low-stakes audition, how can they trust you during a high-stakes, live-directed session with their own client on the line? 2. Showcase Your Versatility Your commercial audition should not sound like your eLearning audition. Your audiobook read shouldn't sound like a monster truck rally promo (unless it's a very specific kind of audiobook). This might sound obvious, but it’s a common mistake. Different genres have different rules, energy levels, pacing, and objectives. Your job is to demonstrate that you understand the context of the copy. The Strategy:  Honoring the genre shows the client that you've done your homework. It proves you understand their  world and their  needs. A client hiring for a medical narration needs to hear precision, clarity, and authority—not a warm, folksy storyteller (most of the time). When you nail the genre, you’re not just a voice actor; you’re a problem-solver who makes their job easier. 3. Showcase Your Talent Great, you've followed the specs and nailed the genre. Now comes the fun part. Now you have to act . Your job is to bring the copy to life in a way that is both authentic and aligned with the client's goal. This is where you separate yourself from the pack. The vast majority of auditions will be competent but forgettable. They will be "safe" reads. The Strategy:  A strong acting choice is a calculated risk. It's about finding a unique perspective or an emotional connection within the copy that others might miss, without contradicting the specs . Maybe it's a slight pause, a change in inflection on a key word, or a subtle touch of humor. It’s the "special sauce" that makes a listener sit up and say, "That's the one." Good voice actors are, first and foremost, good actors. Your ability to make compelling, intelligent choices is the ultimate skill you're selling. QUOTE OF THE WEEK “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan 'Press On!' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.” ―Calvin Coolidge 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 - stream VO How-to Videos! Paid Links Grab Studio Gear VO Strategist Book Club 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. 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! 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.

What exactly is Direct Marketing? Here are some definitions I found on the Interwebs: The business of selling products or services directly to the public, e.g. by mail order or telephone selling, rather than through retailers A promotional method that involves presenting information about your company, product, or service to your target customer without the use of an advertising middleman An advertising strategy that relies on the individual distribution of a sales pitch to potential customers. Mail, email, and texting are among the delivery systems used. Contacting and influencing carefully chosen prospects with means such as telemarketing and direct mail advertising Based on those definitions; every time you call, email, or send a postcard/demo/schwag to a voice seeker you’re using direct marketing. To Market, or Not to Market? How often should you be using directing marketing? It depends. Some voice talents love it, others hate it and avoid direct marketing at all costs. Those voice talents tend to rely on representation or online casting sites to find work and that’s totally valid, but I think you’re leaving money on the table if you don’t use direct marketing at least some of the time. The Proof is in the Paycheck I did the math (as I always do) and in 2018, 77% of the voiceover revenue I generated came from direct marketing to production companies, recording studios, and end-clients like eLearning companies by way of research or referrals. The rest came from representation and online casting sites. Is Self-Marketing the Right Strategy for You ? Seeing that number might make you think you should drop everything and only do direct marketing. But the best strategy is always the one that fits your  business, your  goals, and your  personality. To help you figure that out, I shot a video that gives an honest look at the pros and cons of self-marketing vs. other methods. It's called "Is Self-Marketing The Best? An Honest Answer." If you're wondering where to focus your marketing energy for the best ROI, this video will give you the strategic clarity you need. You can stream the full video right here. NEWS AND NOTES Thursday, July 11th @8:oo PM EST: “Business and Money 201” Webinar, ‘Cost/Benefit Analysis’. In this one-hour webinar, I’ll talk about determining how and why you generated your voiceover revenue. Wednesday, July 17th @8:30 PM EST : The Summer Series continues with my webinar ‘Agents, Managers, and the Union’! Here’s the blurb: When entering the voiceover industry, most aspirants have the same questions: How do I get an agent? What’s the difference between an agent and a manager? Should I join the union? Tom Dheere will answer these questions and many more in Agents, Managers, and the Unions. Thursday, July 18th @8PM EST: Marketing 201 webinar, ‘The Sales Funnel’. In this one-hour webinar, I’ll talk about what the Sales Funnel is and how to push voice seekers through it. HAPPY HAPPYS Happy Chocolate Pudding Day and Sunglasses Day ! QUOTE OF THE WEEK Nobody likes the person who goes to the potluck dinner and brings nothing but a fork. Amy Snively Tom Dheere is a 20+year veteran of the voice over industry who has narrated thousands of projects for hundreds of clients in over a dozen countries. He is also a voiceover business & marketing consultant known as the VO Strategist and produces the comic book “ Agent 1.22 ”. Subscribe to my weekly blog and the monthly VO Strategist Learnin’ Stuff Notice! #voiceacting #VoiceTalent #VoiceoverBlog #marketing #MaleVoiceTalent #directmarketing #voiceovers #voiceover