Setting out to be independent, to enjoy the freedom of controlling your own destiny is exhilarating. But, the thrill and thoughts of freedom have to be tempered by the reality of getting your voice over business setup. There are a lot of things to consider and do. This can all seem a bit overwhelming as you set out on a new career path.

Learning how to start a voice over business the right way can save you a lot of time and money. There are lots of rookie mistakes people make that can hold them back from winning clients and thriving in the voice over industry. This article will help you get started.

Getting Started

Before you start to jump in and start doing lots of things it is worth developing a plan. We don’t advocate creating a massive plan. Just a simple one pager will do. Businesses, if single person ones, that plan are over 60% more likely to succeed. That means taking time to think about your goals, not just as a business but your life goals. If you align your life goals to your business you will be more motivated to succeed.

Life goals not only involve planning your finances, your pension and disposable income. Your life plan involves what you want to do with your life. Quite a big question, but if you can think of it as what would I look back on in my life and be remembered for.

A good place to start is to sketch ideas out first. Then when you have these the next question to answer is how can my voice over career help me reach my life goals. By marrying up your life goals and your business goals you are well on your way to succeeding.

Have a Winning Mindset

When you’re in the middle of trying to get your voice over business of the ground it can be overwhelming. Everybody at this point can suffer from self doubt and question if they are doing the right thing. This is in fact one of the defining points for many people as to whether they quit or go on to succeed.

Instead, trust in the power of your own pursuit. Trust that by showing up on your behalf, and taking bold, consistent action toward what you want, that energy is going to come back to you in clear and surprising ways.

Because here’s the reality:

You can either stand up for yourself and passionately pursue what you want, or you can throw up your arms and say “why bother?” and nothing will change.

Developing a successful voice over business starts with your mindset. Your point of view serves as a filter and guide for how you engage with your business as well as your personal life. A positive mindset, combined with talent, skills and business knowledge, is a powerful way to develop an interesting and dynamic voice over career.

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Choosing to live in that mind-set and implement strategies that grow from it leads to a successful and fulfilling voice over career. As a voice over actor you live on projects. Now you can let fear rule the fact that as each projects comes to an end you have to have another job. Or you can embrace the methods that strengthen how you build bridges and effectively see each project as a stage to the next. Building a voice over business also means finding and winning clients that use you on a regular a basis.

There will be times when you fail, when you fall over. As a child we know we have to do these things to learn and develop. We do not fail we merely learn. Each setback is not a setback it is a point of reflection for you to learn how to improve. Seize this mind-set and you will make more connections, build more relationships and get more work. Do this and your voice over business will quickly thrive

Put things in Place

Everybody approaches starting a voice over business differently. But the building blocks for any successful voice over business, in fact any business are the same. The most important part about starting out in any new career is to learn about the market, the opportunities and the challenges. If you do this then you are already prepared for some of the challenges ahead and to seize the opportunities when they present themselves.

Here is a list of some of the things you need to get in place for your voice over business.

Branding, branding, branding

Before you start getting a logo designed or business cards printed just stop and take to develop your brand. You need to stand out in a crowded market and that means putting over you personality, skills and identity clearly. If you just look like another voice over, or worse look unprofessional, you are unlikely to get work or repeat work. It is vital to create a good first impression and look like you offer a high quality service.

• Business plan.
• Logo and brand identity.
• Website.
• Business email.
• Business cards.
• Financial plan.
• Bank account.
• Social media presence – register on Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin.
• Home recording studio.
• Home recording equipment.
• High quality demo reels.
• Home recording software.
• Marketing plan.
• Marketing system.

That might look like a small list, but in fact there is a lot to do in getting all of that in place for your voice over business.

Create Your Own Unique Brand

Your personal brand is important …but what are you really doing to develop yours? If you’re serious about getting ahead, you’re probably taking action in a haphazard, no-method-to-your-madness sort of way. But the truth is, that’s not good enough.​

Companies all over the world create a brand identity to communicate who they are and what they represent. In a similar way personal brands like Oprah, Beckham, Jay Lo, JK Rowling and many others brand themselves.

To stand out in a market, a business must develop its own brand identity, based on identifying how it fits to the market and to customers. A brand must be packaged and communicate so is different from other products.

Developing a brand is equally important for a person as it is a business. A personal brand needs to be as carefully crafted if it is to provide a strong connection to potential clients.

Personal branding gives you a unique position in an often crowded marketplace. It also provides a distinct visual identity that is easily recognisable.

Branding on a business level is common, but today branding is becoming just as important on a personal level. After all, you will have to compete with many other to win the attention of clients. Clients though do not make decisions rationally, they are influenced by perceived value and this is based on how people package and brand themselves. Improve your personal branding to stand out and deliver a high quality professional image.