By now you either have some experience of being an actor or a broadcaster. You have done your voice training and made your voicereel. So what next?
Get yourself a good professional photograph as agents and some "pay to play" directories allow you to upload one. There are a number of voiceover directories which allow you to list your audio for free. They include Voice123, Voices.com, VoiceoverDirectory.com and Bodalgo.
However many of the free sites may not generate much work for you (or they may restrict how their site functions until you pay a fee.) Some also require you to record an audtion for every job that you bid for, thereby encouraging voice talent to constantly lower their fees to get the work.
The BigFish Media Voiceover Directory is found on the free (or organic listings) on one page one of Google for the highly-competitive keywords of voiceover, voice-over, voice artist, voice talent etc. That's why we charge a small annual fee to be listed.
We have dealt with the technical aspects of setting up your own home studio in other blogs on this site, but should you invest in your own home studio? Do you even have the space and peace and quiet for one?
Alternatively try to find a local studio (or another voiceover artist who lives close to you) who may let you use their studio for a reasonable price. Then at least you can find out if you are employable. If you find that you are getting lots of work it's time to invest in your own voiceover booth!
So what next? Contact local radio stations and video production companies. It is a time-consuming marketing exercise, but by the time you have a dozen jobs under your belt you will know what your strenghts are. Maybe it is obvious to someone else in the industry if not you.
If you get booked for lots of local radio adverts but no e-learning then maybe this is what you are best at and should focus your energies on pursuing radio and TV commercial work.
Unless you are exceptionally talented - and very lucky - you will probably have to get 2 or 3 years experience of the voiceover industry under your belt before an agent
In the meantime keep at it and update your voice reel as you should improve with practise. You should also not bother to approach advertising agencies as they only deal with the best voiceover talent via voiceover agents
And remember, there are very few full-time voiceovers - most combine being a voiceover artist with production, writing, acting or radio or TV work. Or even a real job!
