Vox Daily

Ever wondered how you could get a free link on the Voices.com home page?

We've just created 3 new opportunities to get your name front and center.

Want to find out how?

New section on Voices.com home page

Over the weekend, we added a new section to our home page called "What's New" that features three comments, updating a couple of times per week. These comments are representative of feedback submitted to our blogs, podcasts and also success stories.

Which comments are posted on the home page?

Throughout the week, we go through our blogs and choose the most interesting, insightful and exciting comments, rewarding the commenter by featuring their thoughts and providing a link to their Voices.com website from our home page.

How does it work?

Blogs

1. Find a blog that you like
2. Visit one of the blogs and read an article
3. Leave a comment

Podcasts

1. Pick a podcast
2. Listen to an episode
3. Comment on something you heard about in the podcast

Success Stories

1. Connect with someone at Voices.com on a project that needs some voice over work
2. Send us an email using this form and share your experience
3. See your story published on the Buzz blog

Ready to roll?

Looking forward to reading your comments as they come in and hearing your success stories!

Best wishes,

Stephanie and the Voices.com Team

This weekend we'll be going live with a number of new and exciting updates to Voices.com.

A BOOMING MARKETPLACE

More Jobs Posted Than Ever

Largest category of activity is Business Presentations
Fastest growing category is Internet
Fastest growing budget range is $500-$1000

More Jobs Paid Through SurePay

Get paid faster - Average time to getting paid is 3.4 days
Get paid more - Average price per job is up to 83% in the previous 3 months
Get paid more often - Volume of SurePay transactions is up by 65% in the previous 3 months

NEW PROFILE FEATURES

Cool New Website Themes

We've designed several new themes to help you personalize and brand your Voices.com website. There are 22 elegantly designed themes to choose from and they'll be available in your Profile section, under Themes.

Increased Online Storage

Display even more of your very best work. You now have more online storage. Preferred members now have 50MB to work with and Premium members have access to 100MB of file space for the highest quality MP3 files for your voice-over demos. Add some new voice-over demos now.

HELP & TRAINING

Premium Support

Premium members of Voices.com now have a special email address that can be used for even faster response times and more personalized attention. If you're a Premium member, keep your eye on your email box for this special notice.

Frequently Asked Questions

There are even more solutions added to the Knowledge Database and Frequently Asked Questions. In the Help section, located at the top of every page, you'll also find new PDF documents including comprehensive overviews of SAG, AFTRA, ACTRA and EQUITY.

WEBSITE USABILITY

Sitemap

Sitemaps have been around since the advent of the Web and used primarily as a way to list all the pages on a particular website.

Nowadays, sitemaps have other purposes such as organizing web content by topic, showing the search engines which pages you have created and developing a linking structure that emphasizes specific areas of your website over others.

View the updated Voices.com Sitemap, then leave your comments on this article.

Client Experience Report

This 12 page report focuses specifically on how clients (buyers) use Voices.com to search for, audition and hire voice over talent (sellers) as well as the most important factors taken into account during the hiring process. The research included 1372 responses and is available online or download as a PDF.

Website Usability Survey

We've been gathering feedback and have been overwhelmed with positive responses. You've told us we're doing a lot of things well, you like the simplicity of the website, ease of navigation and clear communication.

With over 100 feature requests and suggestions on how Voices.com can be even better, we've got our work cut out for us for the next few months.

If you haven't had the opportunity to fill out the survey, you can do so now.

PRICING

It's been 7 weeks since we previewed these important updates including the new features, benefits and pricing for Voices.com. Many of you have taken advantage of freezing your rates.

First, check your PayPal account to see if there is an active subscription to Voices.com. If you have one, then you are already set-up. If you don't have a PayPal subscription set-up, then you can create one by purchasing through our webstore.

Should you have any questions, call us toll-free at 1-888-359-3472 or send us an email.

WRAP-UP

We're confident you'll like the fresh look and added features. We're honored to serve you and look forward to your continued success!

Best,

David, Stephanie, Carol, Laurynda, Erica, Lin and Wesley.

What have you been up to this week?

I spotted a few of you updating your MySpace and Facebook feeds with recently won voice over jobs and hope to hear from you here and spread the good news!

What have you been up to this week? Read this interview first and then comment with your news.

Hey Doodlebops!

Earlier this week, I happened to read an update in one of our voice talent member's, Scott "Scooter" Fortney's MySpace feed that said he had just accepted the role of Bus Driver Bob in a new audiobook series about the Doodlebops.

I am quite familiar with the show and immediately asked if I could feature Scott Fortney here on this week's edition of Who Got the Gig. He agreed and I have this interview to share with you.

VOX: How did you get the job? Was it through an audition, direct contact via search, etc?

SCOOTER: I found the job in my Voices.com leads. The Velocite Group and one of their affiliated companies, Toybox Innovations, posted a job for several characters for their newest children’s read-along book. They were looking for voices for all of the Doodlebops, as well as Jazz and Bus Driver Bob.

VOX: Did you need to do a voice match or custom demo or did they hire you based upon one of your demos?

SCOOTER: Velocite was looking for voices close to Moe, Rooney and Deedee (the Doodlebops); however, they asked that voices for the other characters suit the images in the PDF version of the book which they attached to the job. I always make a point to view or listen to any attached files, because that effort will be obvious in a custom demo. When I looked through the PDF, I felt most comfortable auditioning for the role of Bus Driver Bob, so I created a custom demo with several takes. Never knowing for sure just what the client is looking for, it’s wise to give them several choices. Velocite liked the first take, and Bus Driver Bob was off and running –er, driving.

VOX: Was it hard to do or did the voice just come out of you?

SCOOTER: When I sit down to do a new character voice, I have a general idea of what I think it should sound like. In most cases, I just start reading with “that voice in my head,” and, yes, it does just kind of flow out of me. Before I go “live,” I usually spend some time talking in that voice (drives my wife and kids crazy). The trick is to recreate that voice when you’re chosen several days or even weeks later. To do this, I open the audio file that won the job and hit the loop playback button; after several minutes or much longer, the voice comes back to you. Then, of course, you hear it in your head when you're trying to get to sleep at night. Seek help if your characters enter your dreams and interact with each other!

VOX: Were you familiar with the character before you auditioned? Did you audition for Bus Driver Bob specifically?

SCOOTER: No, I wasn’t familiar with Bob, but I was a little familiar with the Doodlebops; at least knowing something about the show gave me a clue as to how to approach the job.

VOX: When are the audio books going to be available on the market? Will they be sold through Audible or will they be released on CDs in stores?

SCOOTER: It’s still early in the game, as far as my relationship with the client, but from what I understand the CDs will be in stores worldwide; they also sell them on the Toybox Innovations website at www.toyboxinnovations.com.

VOX: What have you found to be the most interesting / satisfying aspect of this job?

SCOOTER: Most importantly, I love doing character voices, especially for children; so just the thought that I’ll be helping to entertain and teach children is the most valuable part of this job. I’ve been doing character voices and impressions since I was a little boy, so these sorts of jobs are a great pleasure for me. An added bonus: I have a 2-year old little girl for whom I can’t wait to play these audio books!

VOX: Is there anything else that you'd like to share, Scooter?

SCOOTER: Relating to this particular project, no, I don’t think so. However, I would like take this opportunity to tell you that while I have been with Voices.com, I have tried one other voice over site. That site made me really appreciate Voices.com. Without mentioning the site, I will tell you that I was bothered by their practice of discouraging voice actors from auditioning for “too many” jobs! To me, that makes no sense. I can honestly tell you that about half of the jobs I have won were jobs that I thought I might not “fit.” I tried anyway! That’s because I believe in the notion that you have to go to bat thinking positively every time. I used to have a sign in my office that you may recognize: “Babe Ruth struck out 1330 times, but he also hit 714 homeruns.” I added two words to that: “Keep swinging.”

~~

That's excellent advice... keep swinging!

If you have something you'd like to add please leave a comment!

Best wishes and happy weekend,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Joe_Potato

You know that Spring is in the air when there's a new look and feel...

Whether it's the sight of green grass after the snows, longer daylight hours or a birdsong whistling through the trees, you know there are brighter days ahead.

All of the waiting for change and renewal was worth it. Here's just a taste of the renaissance about to burst at Voices.com.

In response to your feedback and requests for more profile themes, we've been working on just that!

There are 22 new themes in total. In April, expect to find these fun themes available for use in your account! Let's take a look, shall we?

AQUA

Just an Ordinary Day

This is the default theme, so if you haven't selected one, this is what your website theme is. This theme incorporates slick simplicity that gives you freedom and confidence ensuring that your Voices.com website is professional, elegant and trendy.

Big City Baby

Whether you live in the big city or within you beats the heart of a metropolitan, this theme in its cool shade of blue, complete with a cityscape silhouette, identifies you as being a cosmopolitan talent with the profile to match.

Adventures in Voice Acting

Does your voice sound like fun, crisp, and loves adventure? Check out this alpine theme and soar above the rest. If you are a skier you'll doubly appreciate this breath of fresh air and enjoy the mountain view and unparalleled prospects at Voices.com.

Surf's Up

Riding the wave of voice over on the west coast? Glide your way through the rat race and surf till your heart's content by choosing this oceanic theme. Perfect for Californians and those who live the life in laid back coastal regions around the globe.

GREEN

The Emerald City

The wizard doesn't live here, but you can! If you like the big city feel but prefer greener pastures, this theme will suit you just fine. A living city, feel the energy that emanates from this emerald gem. Great for those of an eco-friendly disposition.

Ferns

Do you remember the animated film Fern Gully from the early 90s featuring Robin Williams? Return to the rain forest, Batty-free, and enjoy the tranquility of nature's delights with this beautiful array of greenery. Go green.

God's Country

Keep with the nature theme, launch into spring, and feel the earth move under your feet with the sound of music. Heaven knows it's not easy being green! Here's a theme that will inspire and uplift while differentiating your profile from those of other voice actors.

Green Tiles

Notice how a little glitter can bring out the best in a hue? This neat green tile theme is simple, direct and doesn't ask any favors. Bathe in the pristine sanctuary of this no-frills, no-nonsense option and get your voice over storefront working hard for you.

ORANGE

Floral Passion

Slip into this sumptuous vision of absolute beauty. The sultry sun kisses the skyward reaching petals of the rose, lush and ripe with anticipation of the new day and the opportunities it brings. Got some spice in your voice? Try Floral Passion.

Peachy Keen

Farmers Market, Georgia Peach, Nature's Candy, whatever you like! Pick one right off the tree to personify and infuse your profile with the robust vitality of orange. This theme will make your taste buds applaud and captivate visitors.

Polka Party

Grab your partner and try this fun, spirited pattern on for size. The dots are jumbo, retro and oh so funky! The next time you want to make your web presence move to the beat of a different drum, consider the orange polka dots theme.

Orange Tiles

The sister theme to the Green Tiles, this theme is vibrant and sassy, with a touch of saffron. Reflect your talent and make use of the 'acoustic' qualities embedded in its sensible, durable ceramic finish. Try it out and see what happens.

PINK

Precious Pink

Be dazzled by the exquisite splendor of this delicate pink flower. This delicious flower stands out and will help you to stand out too. Gentle, warm and gorgeous, try this theme to bring out your sensitive, feminine side in a professional manner.

Swoosh, there it is!

For the ladies out there who like chic, clean expressions of girl power, this flirty theme allows you to let your spunky side shine and hoists your voice to new levels of empowerment. Take this one for a spin and embrace sheer fun!

Pink Tiles

Soft, subtle rosey tones make for another delectable palate. If you liked the tile concept but were looking for something a little more on the feminine side, Pink Tiles fits the bill and is a brilliant choice. Dress up your profile with a quiet gracefulness.

Tulips

Who could say no to tulips in springtime? These little beauties will set the tone and give a youthful glow to your website at Voices.com. Step aside, roses! Tulips are where it's at. One click of the mouse could change everything.

WHITE

Bubblicious

If you like bubbles this will make your day and provide a squeaky clean garnish for your website! The mercury inspired metallic edge is a gender friendly design and is usable on both male and female voice talent profiles.

Chalkboard

Overachiever? Want to get your point (and your voice) across in style? Attract the sort of clients you desire and the type of voice over work you excel in. Perfect for the teacher's pet in you. If you like this one, you'll love what's going to happen this year!

Computer

Do you crave technology? Brand your website in the image of your computer. This neutral, sleek design has technical genius written all over it. If you're serious about your gear and want to show it, pick this theme as your template of choice.

Gradient

For all of you mathematical types, allow us to introduce "Gradient" for your viewing pleasure. Why have one shade of gray when you can have sloping pathways of color that celebrate the kinetic prowess of your art? To what degree are you interested ;) ?

White Tiles

How's this for a conclusion to our tile quartet? Swathe yourself in this neutral, tidy theme. This silvery template presents you with an argentine visage and creates a subtle boldness to promote your voice over services online.

Which One Will You Choose?

Do you like the new designs? Which one best represents you? Add your comments below.

Stephanie

Feeling gross, yucky, icky or have no voice at all?

There's something going around again and an email request prompted me to write some tips for soothing a sore throat.

Try these 12 tips at home -- they work!

1. Do not talk

Really, don't talk. It sounds impossible but if you have the support of those around you and they are open to reading notes you jot down or playing charades, you can do it.

2. Do not talk on the phone

The phone is one of those wonderful technologies that can literally rip the voice right out of you. If you are feeling sick or even if you are not, it's a good idea to spend minimal time on the telephone as people often speak in more exaggerated tones and volume levels to compensate for the fact that you cannot express yourself visually.

3. Do not irritate your voice by yelling, crying, screaming or nagging

This may be an easy one for you if you lead a relatively tranquil existence or if you live alone. However, if you have kids, clam up and don't use your voice if you're mad and want to yell. Find another positive way to express what you are feeling -- don't take it out on your own voice -- that's counterproductive!

4. If you are coughing don't force it or you may lose your voice

Laryngitis!

Enough said. I had this awful affliction late last week and couldn't speak for a few days. It's nasty, it's inconvenient and it is nearly the worst thing that can happen to you if you depend upon your voice to make a living. As one of my chums related, Laryngitis is the kiss of death for voice actors, and I can see why it's true! I hope you don't get it -- follow the tips on this list and you'll have some ideas on how to stave it off.

5. Drink plenty of fluids

Keep the juice, water and milk coming! Your body is made up a hefty percentage of water and you need to maintain those fluids in order to get better and keep your vocal folds moist. Milk doesn't just build strong bones and teeth, it has hidden benefits such as adding another thin layer of coating to ease the pain. While you're at it, you might want to eat some yogurt or pudding ;) Consider Ginger Ale as another remedy in your arsenal.

6. Stay Hydrated

This may sound the same as the previous suggestion but it's not exactly the same. Earlier I encouraged you to drink plenty of fluids, but plenty is a relative term ;) Being hydrated means that you are constantly replacing fluids that are leaving you throughout the day. Don't just drink with each meal, drink in between meals and whenever you feel you need it.

A good rule might be to have a glass of something moisturizing once an hour when your throat feels like this. Your illness has a way of stripping the moisture away faster than would normally happen if you were well. Drinking more will also prevent headaches and migraines.

7. Have a cup of something warm that is non-drying

Do you like drinking tea? If you do, it's a great time to get your herbal teas out of the cupboard and find the one that is most suited to driving away infection and soreness. Lemon, chamomile, and ginger are three great choices. Honey is a nice sweetener that won't create more fuss.

8. Don't eat anything scratchy, gritty or spicy

It goes without saying but if you're eating something gritty, coarse or spicy, your throat is not going to thank you. Stay away from foods that mettle with your efforts to get back on the path to good health.

9. Boil some water and breathe in the steam

Give yourself the spa treatment and inhale some beautifully condensed H20! If you have a water mister or humidifier turn that baby on full tilt and take it all in.

10. Get plenty of rest

Resting doesn't necessarily mean lights out but it does mean refraining from activities you don't need to participate in until you get well. Take some time to be quiet, sit still and see what happens.

11. Keep warm

Keeping your neck area warm is a good idea. If you have a heating bag, scarf or sweater, put it on. A massage wouldn't hurt either, would it? Gently massage your neck and pamper it a bit by allowing your voice do do absolutely nothing.

12. Sleep

Snuggle up, get toasty warm and call it a night early to get those optimum hours of rest before midnight. If you go to bed for 9 p.m. or even 10 p.m. you'll feel the difference.

Bonus #1: If you need to clear your throat, do not cough, simply swallow. This is a good habit to develop when you are healthy too, especially if you are in a recording session and either can't cough or prefer not to.

Bonus #2: STAY OFF THE PHONE! It's one of the best things you can do for your voice. The less you talk, the more time your voice has to heal and help your body to combat whatever it is that is making you sick.

Do you have a tip you would like to share?

Leave a comment!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Przemyslaw Rzeszutko

To continue on our verbal trail we've got a link to a site that lists one hundred of the most often mispronounced words in the English language.

Want to take a guess as to which words are mentioned?

We grew up speaking, reading and dissecting the English language.

Many of us think that we have a firm grip on the English language and the vast majority of us take for granted that English is one of the hardest languages to master.

Constructing sentences, conjugating verbs and employing the usage of proper grammar is easy in theory but sometimes the application doesn't hit the mark as this list will show.

Check out the 100 Most Often Mispronounced Words in English at MyDictionary.com.

If you had to pick 3 words based upon your own research (from the most often mispronounced words that you've heard) which words would round out your list?

Leave a comment!

Best,

Stephanie

Image via MyDictionary.com

If you live in the United States, you're likely aware that there are a handful of regional accents across that great country of yours, many of which are immediately recognizable before even three words are strung together.

We've found a map that details the boundaries of each of the major regional American dialects.

Where do you fit in?

There are eight different geographical areas marked on that map each with its own unique linguistic characteristics.

Accent Quiz

You may recall that a while ago we took part in a fun quiz that helped you to identify which American regional accent you had.

By virtue of where we are located in Canada's Great Lakes region, the accent that best matched our way of speaking was the "Inland North".

The results for Inland North said:

You may think you speak "Standard English straight out of the dictionary" but when you step away from the Great Lakes you get asked annoying questions like "Are you from Wisconsin?" or "Are you from Chicago?" Chances are you call carbonated drinks "pop."

Accents Associated with Public Figures

If you take a look at Wikipedia.org, there is an entry dedicated to American English Regional Differences.

In the entry, the sounds of American speech are also identified with a number of public figures:

Ted Kennedy speaks with a Boston accent, while Jimmy Carter speaks with a Southern coastal accent. Chuck Schumer speaks with a New York accent. The North Midlands speech is familiar to those who have heard Neil Armstrong, John Glenn and Hillary Clinton, while Bill Clinton, Al Gore and Robert Byrd speak with South Midland accents. Comedians Mel Brooks and Ray Romano retain typical New York accents while Jack Black and Pauly Shore have the standard sound of southern California.

Have you noticed that you have a regional accent?

If so, have you found a way to use it to your advantage or have you had to overcome it?

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

Have you seen Jerry Seinfeld's animated feature with DreamWorks called "Bee Movie"?

If so, take a couple of seconds to read this post and leave a comment with your thoughts!

Bee Movie

Bee Movie has recently come out on DVD.

Late last week, I had the opportunity to watch the movie and listen to the voice overs, keeping my ears tuned for Jerry Seinfield, Matthew Broderick, Renée Zellweger, Patrick Warburton, and Chris Rock. Casting was by Leslee Feldman.

Plot Synopsis

If you haven't seen the movie, it's about a bee named Barry B. Benson (Seinfeld) who has recently graduated, and to the delight of his parents (Bates, Levinson), is ready to enter the workforce at Honex, the bee colony's only source of employment in the hive.

Bees working at Honex are responsible for a number of tasks with each worker specializing in one very particular position focusing on doing their small job well to keep the honey machine rolling. Although he respects this system, and his friend Adam Flayman (Broderick) is all set to take part, Barry has other ideas.

Challenging Authority

Barry isn't one to listen to authority and decides to leave the hive and check out what life is like in the world outside of the hive, skipping out on selecting a job in the process.

He takes flight with some pollen jocks (huge, burly bees that go around pollenating the flowers) and subsequently gets separated from the group which results in a few interesting incidents (one involving windshield wipers) which eventually compel Barry to break a critical bee rule: Do not talk to humans.

It is through a heroic rescue that Barry meets Vanessa Bloome (Zellweger), a florist who has a soft spot for talking bees. Once she gets over the initial "Oh my gosh, I'm talking to a bee and he's talking back to me", she develops a friendship with Barry that nearly drives her boyfriend Ken (Warburton) insane.

Turning Point

Along the way, Barry discovers that honey is sold in stores... that's a problem because the bees make honey and he quickly realizes that their product is being lifted from under them by celebrities and profited by without the bees receiving any compensation whatsoever.

A lawsuit ensues and the courtroom is where the voice acting takes a brilliant turn with the introduction of the defense lawyer, Layton T. Montgomery, voiced by John Goodman, who is absolutely hilarious!

Several other cameo roles including celebrities Sting (as himself), Larry King (as Bee Larry King), Ray Liotta (as himself), and add another dimension to the animated feature. Oprah Winfrey (Judge), Kathy Bates (Janet Benson), Barry Levinson (Martin Benson), Rip Torn (Lou Lo Duca), Tress MacNeille (Jeanette Chung / mother / cow) and others were also instrumental to the success of the film.

It All Hits the Fan

Barry B. Benson and the bees win the lawsuit and the bees become extremely lazy, breaking down very intricate and notably significant aspects of the eco-system as is related to the act of pollenating (something the bees stopped doing as result of winning the case).

Vanessa's store has to close because there are no flowers, Central Park becomes a shadow of itself and all kinds of issues transpire...

Resolution

Only the bees can save the world from this crisis, so they band together and solve the problem by going back to work.

To cap it off, Barry and Vanessa open up a new part of her shop that offers flowers, legal advice for insects and sells bee-approved honey.

Now that you know the story, I want to highlight some of the voice acting elements.

Voice Acting Review for Bee Movie

Jerry Seinfeld: Exceptional voice acting and a great first role for an on-camera actor / standup comedian entering into the realm of voice acting. The voice is undeniably Jerry but he is definitely working it as a bee. Congrats, Mr. Seinfeld.

Matthew Broderick: Convincing and strong as supporting role. His personality was well suited to the role.

Renée Zellweger: Was not what I expected to hear although I heard hints of strength and the true "Renée" throughout when she was speaking in her lower range. It seemed as though she was holding back.

Patrick Warburton: Very funny, fit the role of muscly, slightly jealous boyfriend quite well. His humor was spot on and you'll never think of yogurt the same way again.

Chris Rock: Mosquito with a jazzy groove. You could tell it was Chris Rock but his interpretation of the role was zesty, the character was unique, and was able to stand alone.

John Goodman: Blow the doors down, powerful, electric and showered the booth with an ever-so-convincing southern drawl. Worth watching and waiting for. It was clear that he was having a lot of fun with this role.

Have you seen Bee Movie? What were your impressions of the voice acting?

Leave a comment!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

P.S. Did anyone catch the bilingual English / Spanish voice over following the graduation before the transition to learning about Honex?

What did you do this week in the wonderful world of voice over?

Find out what this guy was up to and why he looks so darn happy here at VOX Daily.

Welcome to the third Friday of Who Got the Gig!

I heard from a very proud, blessed and ecstatic teacher, Pat Fraley, that one of his students, Chris Fries, had landed some work recording a voice match for Hollywood actor Thomas Hayden Church, a line to be featured in an upcoming movie trailer!

Congratulations Chris :)

Pretty exciting stuff, isn't it?

In your downtime this weekend, or between holiday activities if you're celebrating, let us know what kind of voice over work you've been up to or anything that you are looking forward to next week.

Leave a comment!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

P.S. Voice Over Instructors... do not be afraid to toot some horns! Let us know about the voice over work your students are up to -- that's how I found out about Chris Fries and his Thomas Hayden Church voice match -- get your students featured on the next "Who Got the Gig".

Image © Chris Fries

When you direct people to your website, the goal is to be hired, is it not?

What happens when you have multiple websites to choose from and don't know which one to send your clients to?

Check out 4 questions you should ask yourself before you invite people to visit your business on the web.

Promoting your website is easy, but for those of you who maintain a number of websites to promote your voice, you need to make a decision as to which site you will consistently be referring your clients and potential buyers of your services to.

When deciding which website to use to promote your business, make the decision based upon which website best meets the following criteria:

1) Looks most professional
2) Best represents your services
3) Easiest to use
4) Provides a means to accept payment

Let's take a closer look at each of these criterion:

1. Looks Most Professional

How would you describe the visual identity of each of your websites?

Do any of them look dated, like a mishmash of fonts, misrepresent you, or include unrelated images? If you feel that one of your websites looks ragged in comparison to another, it may not be the best site to send prospective customers to.

After going through the motions, one of your websites should rise to the top as the best candidate to ensure your success -- remember that one.

2. Best Represents Your Services

Do your websites immediately let people know what you do for a living?

Which of your websites gives the best impression of what your capabilities are and quickly puts customers at ease? Can people readily listen to your demos, or, are they difficult to locate, listen to and share with others?

Pick the website that has the most obvious and consistent branding as well as features the bulk of your work. Earmark it as a finalist in this exercise.

3. Easiest to Use

How easy is your website to use?

When comparing your websites, check to see which has the easiest, most consistent navigation and features everything you need to showcase about your talent to get the gig. Test the audio player and note how simple it is to use, how long it takes to load and if the player is user friendly to all visitors.

Whichever site is easiest to use is the winner here. Write it down.

4. Provides a Means of Accepting Payment

Can you accept payment online?

Most important of all, doing business online is doing business, and that means being able to accept payment for work you have procured.

Customers expect to find methods of payment when shopping and love doing business painlessly with merchants who have the ability to accept payments by credit card, PayPal, and other direct means over the Internet, for example in our industry, Voices.com's SurePay.

They also desire the security of knowing that they are in good hands all the way through.

Getting the financial aspect over with quickly and the delivery of a quality product in a matter of hours (perhaps longer in some cases) is very attractive to both the buyer and seller. Also, knowing that both buyer and seller are protected is a great benefit, especially when doing business for the first time together on the 'net.

Which of your websites does you the service of making sure you are paid every time? Add that one to your list of favorites.

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Jury

After some quick tabulations the verdict should be clear.

Do you know which of your websites will ensure success and voice over excellence for you online? Identify it and start promoting it like crazy!

Best,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Alex Slobodkin

Ever heard of the Buzz blog at Voices.com?

What goes on there?

If you haven't popped by, you're going to get quite the surprise!

Maybe you've encountered the Buzz blog before because you contributed a story.

Perhaps you've even heard rumors about it!

What is Buzz?

Buzz is a blog at Voices.com and is the proud home of some of our customer success stories.

Each entry on the blog features a customer of Voices.com and shares unique experiences they have had using the web service.

Voice actors submit to Buzz regularly to let us know about their experiences, but what you may not have known is that clients also participate, revealing information about their talent evaluation process, the person they worked with and why Voices.com is their service of choice when it comes to hiring the perfect voice every time.

Check out these case studies conducted by Laurynda.

To read all submissions, including the case studies, click here.

Do you have a story to share?

If you have a success story that you'd like to share about your Voices.com experiences, be sure to visit the Buzz blog and let us know!

Cheers,

Stephanie

P.S. You can subscribe to Buzz to get updates as they occur to keep on top of the latest success stories and case studies. Just enter your email on the Buzz blog to subscribe.

Blogging has become easier and more attractive in recent years to a number of people who run their own businesses.

While many use blogging as a tool for self-promotion, it is also a fantastic way to comment on things that are happening of interest to you on other blogs or websites, creating community and bonds through niceties I'd like to call blogging and citizen journalism etiquette.

Today we'll talk a bit about the use of images on blogs, in newsletters, and on websites.

For our purposes there are three kinds of images:

1. Images you own already
2. Images for sale
3. Images owned by other entities

IMAGES YOU ALREADY OWN

If you took a picture of something, designed an image or are the image subject and have the image in your possession, you can use it for whatever you like.

For instance, I could upload a headshot that I've had taken or graphics from the Voices.com website and I'd be in the clear. Why? Because we own them.

Here's an image that David designed for our website.

IMAGES FOR SALE

Images you have bought or licensed are good examples of work that is not your own but now belongs to you to use in an agreed upon manner.

Think of it like when you are recording for a client and they want a full-buyout. If you have bought the full rights to an image, you can use it indefinitely for any purpose, but if you have only licensed it, you may have some restrictions with the usage, including how you can use it, where, when and for how long.

Here's an image I bought specifically from a seller on iStockphoto.com to demonstrate this point. The rights belong to the artist Andrey Volodin. I have a standard Content License Agreement to use this image of the Easter Bunny surrounded by eggs:

IMAGES FROM OTHER ENTITIES

As a professional voice actor, you wouldn't want someone using your audio demos off of your website without crediting you as the source, would you?

Alternatively, if they said you were the origin of the clip or voice over and had the courtesy to link to your website, it would be OK, wouldn't it?

You'd be getting publicity (priceless) and recognition for your talent while also being given a link that may bring you new business.

Below is an image I have found owned by someone else, a different entity.

To properly acknowledge where it came from, all I need to do is check for any restrictions of use, and if I don't find any, mention where I got it and include a link to the source. You can mention those details either in the body of your text or at the bottom as a footnote.

If you read Voice Over Times, you have likely noticed that all of the material is sourced and includes a link back to the source. Similarly, any iStockphoto artist whose image we have purchased and featured is credited as per the iStockphoto requirements at the bottom of each VOX Daily post.

The image I am about to show you is from a website I have become very interested in called Etsy, a marketplace for all things handmade.

This image, specifically, is from an Etsy seller's shop called Sweetbeets, a company that makes letterpress cards with childhood themes for birthdays, baby announcements, and cards that are "just because".

I look forward to writing about other aspects of blogging and journalism etiquette. Next, we'll look at the value of links.

Did you enjoy this article?

Best wishes,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Christine Balderas (blackboard image)

Do the people you just auditioned for know who you are?

If you didn't slate your name, chances are they don't remember!

Discover more about slating and how the simple act of slating your name in an audition or on your voice over demo can go a long way.

Slate, Please

Slating your name, whether in person or online, is part of the auditioning process.

What does it mean to slate your name?

Simply put, it's reading your name aloud prior to performing the audition copy so that the casting director, or decision maker, knows who they are listening to. A slate can also foreshadow what the listener will hear as well as potentially surprise the listener depending on how the slate is executed.

Fringe Benefits of Slating

One side benefit of slating your name is that people in the press or podcasters will instantly know how to say your name.

Having a slate could help to prevent gaffes (mistakes) and embarrassing moments for people trying to contact you, promote you, hire you over the phone or reference you on a program.

As someone who works in public relations, I appreciate hearing slates for names I haven't encountered before, especially if the pronunciation isn't typical or if the name is of foreign origin. I've had my last name mispronounced, misspelled and confused so many times it isn't funny, so when I tell you to slate, it's definitely in your best interest.

People, whether in the media or otherwise, mean well and they want to say your name right the first time:

Slating at Live Auditions

When you are auditioning in person it's safe to say that you yourself will provide the slating.

The slate can be as brief as stating your name, or, your slate could also include the name of the character you are auditioning for if there are multiple roles on the table.

What Makes for a Good Slate?

There are a couple schools of thought where slating is concerned, for example, do you slate in character? as yourself? etc.

Voice over expert Pat Fraley has some excellent ideas on this topic. Pat is one to take his own medicine and has an awesome slate preceding his voice over demos. Check them out here.

Slating for Online Auditions

Now, when you are auditioning online using digital audio recording technology, you have a couple of options:

Slating Options for Online Auditions

1. You can slate your own name
2. Enlist a colleague slate your name

Many voice actors who incorporate slating into their promotional and auditioning techniques choose the second option and have one of their VO pals, usually of the opposite gender, record their name in an MP3 file that they then use to introduce their demos and auditions.

In the majority of instances, the slate works in your favor... however, sometimes the talent who slates your name ends up getting the job!

This is why it is wise to work with a voice actor of the opposite sex.

I've heard of people opting to have their name slated by a voice actor who has a different accent altogether from their own. For instance, if you are in the US, consider a talent from the UK of the opposite gender to slate your name.

Above all, the slate is supposed to prepare the audience and enhance your performance, not take away from it.

Do you have any thoughts about slating? Any wacky experiences you'd like to share?

Leave a comment!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

P.S. As is mentioned in the comments below, David Rodwell has donated a sound effect for slating. You can download the slate sound effect here. Thank you David!

©iStockphoto.com/Jarek Szymanski

As an Internet company who truly values the feedback we receive from our customers, Voices.com conducts on-going industry and market research to ensure that we are meeting your needs, whether you are using the site to find voices or to showcase your services.

This report focuses specifically on how clients (buyers) use Voices.com to search for, audition and hire voice over talent (sellers) as well as the most important factors taken into account during the hiring process.

Most Important Factor When Hiring a Voice Talent

Factors That Influenced Your Decision

46.6% Demo was the only factor
43.6% Both the demo and the quote were the factors
7.8% Proposal, Quote and Demo were factors
3.9% Demo and Talent Website were factors
17.4 % Stated other factors influenced their decision

Do You Prefer a Custom Voice Over Demo?

How Many Auditions Did You Review?

Did You Receive Too Many Auditions?

Want To See More?

Download The Client Experience Report Now!

What do you think? Any comments?

Best wishes,

David and Laurynda

To wrap up our week of online resources, tools, services and hidden gems we've put together an exhaustive list of industry-specific resources that we hope you'll enjoy.

Groups and Message Boards

• Voice Acting Hub
• Voice Acting Alliance Facebook Group
• Voice Acting Alliance
• VO-BB
• Voice-overs.com Forum
• Yahoo! Voiceovers Group

News

• Voice Over Times
• Hollywood Reporter
• VoiceOverXtra

Blogs

• 100% Organic Podcast
• A Voice Above the Crowd
• audio’connell
• BigBry’s Weblog
• Bob Souer
• Bobbin’s Blog
• Brian Haymond
• Dave Courvoisier
• Do That Voice!
• Doc Phillips
• Has The Voice
• Hip Chick Voice Blog
• Jeffrey Kafer
• Kara Edwards
• Liz de Nesnera
• Lou Zucaro
• MCM Voices
• Purrs ‘n Roars
• Rognog Blog
• Voice Over Studio
• Wayne Henderson

Podcasts

• 10+ Podcasting Resources, Tools and Services
• Voice Over Experts
• Vox Talk
• Voice Overs On Demand
• voxmarketising
• Avi Melman's Cartoon Podcast

Books

• Definitive Guide to Voice Over Success on the Internet (Stephanie Ciccarelli)
• The Art of Voice Acting, Third Edition (James Alburger)
• The Voice Actor's Guide to Home Recording (Harlan Hogan)
• Secrets of Voice-Over Success (Joan Baker)
• Voice-Overs, A Practical Guide (Bernard Shaw)
• How to Make a Million Dollars with Your Voice (Gary Owens, Jeff Lenburg)
• Talking Funny for Money (Pamela Lewis)
• Step Up to the Mic (Rodney Saulsberry)
• VO: Tales and Techniques of a Voice-Over Actor (Harlan Hogan)
• You Can Bank on Your Voice (Rodney Saulsberry)
• Making Money in Voice-Overs: Winning Strategies to a Successful Career in Commercials, Cartoons and Radio (Terri Apple)
• Voiceovers (with CD): Techniques and Tactics for Success (Janet Wilcox)
• Greatest Cartoon Voice Tricks Ever Smuggled Out of Hollywood: Audio CD (Pat Fraley)
• Word of Mouth: A Guide to Commercial Voice-over Excellence, 3rd Edition, Completely Revised and Updated (Susan Blu, Molly Ann Mullin and Cynthia Songe)
• Proven Voice-Over Techniques (Julie Williams)

Training and Coaches

• Bernard Shaw
• Bettye Zoller
• Bob Bergen
• Connie Terwilliger
• Cynthia Songe
• David Bourgeois
• Debbie Munro
• Deborah Sale Butler
• Elaine Clark
• Ellie Devers
• Frank Frederick
• Joan Baker
• Johnna Gottlieb
• Julie Williams
• Marc Cashman
• Marc Graue
• Pat Fraley
• Penny Abshire
• Peter Rofe
• Rodney Saulsberry
• Sunday Muse
• Voice Coaches Network
• Voice Over Coaches

Business, Advertising and Marketing Resources

• 100+ eBusiness Resources for Voice Over Talent
• 80+ Online Marketing Resources
• Internet Marketing Plan for Voice Actors
• Ultimate Business Plan for Voice Actors
• Creating a Visual Identity for Your Voices.com Website
• Branding 101 for Voice Talent
• Running Metrics : Are You Returning Profit to Yourself?
• Report on the Voice Over Industry 2007

Rates

• Voice Over Rates
• Download the Voice Over Rate Sheet PDF
• SAG Rates PDF
• AFTRA Rates
• Non Union Rates in Canada

Unions and Industry Affiliations

• SAG
• An overview and the history of SAG
• AFTRA
• An overview and the history of AFTRA
• ACTRA
• An overview and the history of ACTRA
• EQUITY
• An overview and the history of EQUITY

Have a Link of Your Own?

Add your favorite links below.

Ah, Friday at last...

We know what you were up to last week...

What kind of voice over work did you do this week?

Leave a comment and join the party!

It's the weekend and the second run of Who Got the Gig!

Before you head into next week, be sure to let us know what kind of work you've been up -- we'd love to help you celebrate life's little triumphs along the way.

What kind of voice acting work did you do this week?

Leave a comment here with your news!

Cheers,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Oktay Ortakcioglu

What if you could instantly increase your visibility online in a matter of clicks?

Today, you'll discover links on how to select a domain name, how to register your domain, online advertising, ad management tools, press release distribution services, search engine marketing, online directories and lastly blog search engines and blog directories.

Tools to Pick Your Domain Name

123finder.com - Enter keywords, set the maximum number of characters you want, and see what it comes up with.

BustAName.com - Enter words to see the possible remaining combinations and suggestions.

Domain-Generator.net - Gives tips and advice on how to pick a name, has a random generator and keyword checker.

Dot-O-Mator.com - Put in up to 15 each in the prefix and suffix columns and see what combinations are available.

Dyyo.com - Helps you find the few 4-letter domain names remaining.

Geek.name - Displays domain names that are unregistered as suggestions, offers a thesaurus for your keyword.

MakeWords.com - See randomly generated domain names and check out which are available. Pick other languages, search for keywords and more.

Nameboy.com - Enter two words and see what is out there and get suggestions.

SnapItNow.com - Enter words, choose category, define if you will allow hyphens and more.

Tools to Register Your Domain Name

DomainsNorthwest.com - A bit pricey at $10.95 a year, but a very straightforward site that’s easy to follow.

DomainSite.com - Offers registrations for $7.99 year with Google Apps thrown in.

Dotster.com - Known for easy account management.

Dynadot.com - ICANN accredited domain register at only $7.99 a year.

eNom.com - Offers a range of domain reseller tools.

Fabulous.com - Specializes in creating paring pages for all of your domain names.

GoDaddy.com - Probably the best known registrar in the market today. Has received some criticism in the past years, but it’s still quite cheap.

Melbourneit.com.au - An Australian domain registrar and also offers a name assisting tool.

Moniker.com - Offers registration along with buying and selling services.

Name.com - Domain registrations on the cheap side, with some extra services thrown in for free.

NameCheap.com - $9.29 a year per registration with lots of free services added in.

NetworkSolutions.com - One of the oldest companies in the domain name registration market, their prices are a bit high compared to others.

Rebel.com - Register domains and monitor your domains registered at other companies.

Register.com - Another one of the old school registrars that’s been around for ages.

SnapNames.com - Has domain auctions as well as registrations.

Triple.com - Offers reasonable registration rates with a free domain lock.

Tucows.com - Originally known for being a home of many freeware and shareware programs, now it also offers domain registrations.

Webmasters.com - Allows you to register .vu = Venture, .fm = Family, and .st = Site TLDs.

Webnames.ca - A Canadian registration service with free domain and email forwarding.

Great Ways To Advertise Yourself

AdBrite.com - Target by categories, keywords, geographically, or by demographics; offers up multiple ad formats for all budgets.

AdGridwork.com - Free advertising for your site. By placing ads on your site, your ad shows up on other network sites.