Julie Williams' new 2008 version of How To Make Money In Voice Overs

[WayneLHenderson]

Just received my copy of the 2008 version of Julie Williams' How To Make Money In Voice Overs training set, and am listening to disc #5 at this time! Although haven't made it through all of the discs yet (just give me another 12 hours or so), I wanted to share some thoughts, and ask for your thoughts as well.

This is a totally revised, re-recorded, and modernized 5-disc set of Julie's classic How To Make Money In Voice Overs program. The packaging and design is excellent. Of course, with Julie being a very experience voice actress, the sound quality is fabulous.

I've heard two other versions of her HTMMinVO programs, the first one on cassette that I bought way back in the day from Dan O'Day's O'whole catalog. I about wore those tapes out soaking up the info that Julie Williams was sharing about voice-overs. At that time, I was an underpaid weekend on-air radio talent in Southern California, and found the voice over world intriguing. Later I got one of her CD versions of the same program, with more updated information.

Well, now it's 2008, and we've got social media, web 2.0, internet marketing, affordable home studios, voice123.com and voices.com, teleseminars, etc etc. The 2008 version of HTMMinVO covers all of these new aspects to voiceovers. Julie also shares a lot of the common-sense wisdom that she has learned over her years doing and training voice-overs. There's also some great interviews with VO experts.

For me, this truly is the corner-stone in Voice-over audio training programs, and I plan on listening to all-or-part of these cds at least once a month. For me, there is just something in the way Julie explains it all. Ever since my old cassette version of the HTMMinVO training package, every listen gives me additional voice-over information, motivation, and inspiration! Worth EVERY penny (or whatever currency you use in your country)!

Wayne

[Claired]

I just got my copy too.

The title is "how to make money in voice-overs even if you don't live in N.Y or L.A"
And it delivers exactly what the title says, so if you're not already making huge money from your voice, then this training set is a must have (and we could always do better, right?). By the way, this is true for N.Y and L.A voices too!

First of all, I want to say that Julie is a delight to listen to, her voice is velvety and her personality very engaging. At the end of the 5th CD when she says goodbye, I just wanted to scream "No, don't leave me!!!!"

I would recommend that you listen to the CDs with internet access in front of you, so you can check out the websites and demos as they are talking about them. This is particularly useful on the web-design section or voice-hunter section for example.

Cd1: General introduction
This one is very much for beginners. I still listened to the whole thing because I find useful to do a check once in a while of what I know/don't know, what I may have forgotten or over looked.
Frank Maranzino interview: to help you set up your home studio.

CD2: Marketing
This was a lesson I really needed, even though my friends consider that I am good at marketing. They would change their minds if they listened to this. There is sooo much more I need to do! I was particularly fascinated by Jason Sikes' interview and work. I will definitely use him to design my websites soon!
Stephanie Ciccarelli from voices.com, interview: how to get the most out of subscription sites.

CD3: -part 1: Larry Maizlish, voice seeker interview.
I found myself nodding during the interview, ok, ok...then "What!?" came out of my mouth. I won't tell you why (you'll have to buy the CD, it's only fair), but there's a good chance that something that he'll say will surprise you and change the way you audition forever. Definitely worth listening to.
-part 2:more marketing tools that I am not using yet, and must...

CD4: -Kristine Oller interview, career strategist. Another great interview of a great person. I will definitely use her services when I move to LA
-Gabrielle Nistico from voicehunter.com. Another interview that really taught me something.I had never really considered radio imaging, silly me!

CD5: Rob Skiglimpaglia interview. this one covers some legal aspects of owning a voice over business in the US.

Overall:
value of this set: priceless! A must have if you are serious about developing your voice over business.
It's very enjoyable to listen to, it will motivate you to do the things you know you should be doing but are not, and it will give you ideas on how to develop your business to the next stage.
Depending on where you are at, you may not be ready for all of this and you may want to keep listening to this and little by little, at your own rhythm, implement these marketing tools one after the others.

Enjoy!

[voice of vicki]

Review of Julie William's 2008 CD study course:
"How to Make Money in Voice-overs, even if you don't live in NY or LA"

by Vicki Amorose
voiceofvicki.com


Julie Williams provides a thorough overview of the current voice-over industry, with emphasis on how to survive and thrive in this highly competitive field. I am a voice talent living in the Pacific Northwest, drawn in by the subtitle; 'outside of LA and New York'. In the smaller markets, a voice talent must be an informed business person. And because the voice-over field is constantly moving forward, Julie packs this course with resources and recommendations to make sure we are not trailing behind.

The course is like a well described "To Do" list of self-marketing for voice-over. It was good to go down that list --see things I have done well, note things that could use improvement, and highlight things I had better get started on tomorrow! This is current information coming from someone who is in the middle of it all. Julie's sincerity is apparent. I felt that she herself employs all the marketing tools she describes, and I appreciated her tone of 'we're all in this together'.

The interviews are great. Her guests are people 'outside the booth' who are integral to our business, yet we rarely have access to their insights and opinions. (I soaked up all the ideas on career planning from Kristine Oller!) Julie could easily start a second career as an interviewer. Her questions get right to the point and really draw out the needed information from these experts.

I listened to all 5 hours in one day. It was like listening to a long, enjoyable radio program on one of my favorite subjects--growing my voiceover business! The price is well worth it--cheaper than a workshop and you can refer to it whenever you need a kick in your biz. I gained more than marketing advice from this course, I gained perspective on my career.

Very few voice talents do not need to market themselves. For the rest of us, Julie Williams is a huge help.

[stu gray]

How to make Money in VoiceOvers even if you don’t’ live in N.Y. or L.A.
A Review

How to make money if Voiceovers…is 5 cds PACKED with valuable information for the Voiceover Pro - at whatever level you might be.

I remember being told that if you invest in a product to improve yourself, and you get One good idea that you can implement, you have made a great decision on your purchase.

I have two plus pages of ideas to implement for my VO business after listening to “How to Make Money in VO…”.

This Audio Presentation/Course is terrific!!

I could not believe how up to date all the information is in these CDs. As I listened, I heard that there were at least two earlier versions of “How to make Money in VO…” previous to this one.

Well, Julie has lined up an all star cast to really give Voice Talent a genuine look at the industry ,plus, the most benefit for their money.

Who is in this program? Stephanie Ciccarelli, Jason Sikes, Frank Maranzino, Larry Maizlish, Krisitine Oller, Gabrielle Nistico and Robert Sciglimpaglia (say that one 5 times fast!). These interviews are filled with marketing tools and information that are so helpful to up and coming talent. I thought about who I believed was the most “useful” interview for me, yet looking thru my notes and ‘potential tools’ to implement, I learned something from every interview.

Julie’s experience in VO shows as well; she brings together so many marketing ideas from the ‘30,000 foot view’: SEO, Websites, an honest short take on Unions, legal aspects of the business, setting up your studio…I could go on and on, but I need to go back and listen again to hear what I missed the first time!

[imaginator]

** contributor's note: julie's original brief suggested a review of "100 words or so". but since a hundred words would barely cover the full title and a table of contents, i offer the "director's cut" review with the blessings of the lady herself. rg

How To Make Money in Voice-Overs (even if you don’t live in N.Y. or L.A.) –
Review by Rowell Gormon / voices2go.com

"Some of your potential clients," says Julie Williams, "are paying good money to people who aren’t as talented as you!" With this 5-CD toolkit, this seasoned voice actor/instructor and her expert guests provide specific ways you can put the odds more in your favor...even as you sit there alone at your computer.

This is not one of those vague, fluffy pep talks that leaves you inspired, but with no idea what to do next.

Some of Julie’s experts are voice actors themselves. All find ways to balance the listener’s perception (and mis-perceptions) with the hard realities of the market and, more importantly, how to work the system.

Disc One, while being more an overview than I expected, has valuable specifics on demo construction that shows your true "niche" sound, not "what you’d like to sound like." And studio head Frank Maranzino, whose credits include work at Skywalker Sound, avoids generalities citing home studio products by name with the pros and cons of affordability and performance (and you do not need a Lucasfilm budget!).

Disc Two’s highlight is website designer Jason Sikes. You’ll not only learn why you need your own website (not just a page on someone else’s), but what you must show visitors so they want to stay and explore. There are specific low-cost/no-cost ideas to help search engines find your site by using it as a networking tool. Stephanie Ciccarelli (Voices.com) touches on using internet job posting sites, and gaining a "support network" via blogs and internet communities.

But Disc Three was exactly the stuff I was hoping for. Larry Maizlish at VoicesOnline.com started as a voice actor, but knows both sides of the process -- how to find contacts...making sure they’re the right contacts...how to contact the contacts...and what too many voice actors do that won’t help their chances when answering auditions! He offers specific ideas of how and when to use email, snail mail, phone, gifts, or a simple "thank you". His method of ditching "cold calls" in favor of what he terms "warm calls" is probably the single most valuable concept I got from the set, since I personally hate cold calls. He cites ways of putting "networking" to work for you – letting others brag on you, so you don’t have to!

Kristine Oller (Disc Four) must have a spycam in my studio, because she describes my cluttered existence exactly! And her claim that a cluttered work envirornment causes creative and emotional stagnation is spot on! Fortunately, she offers several ways to start immediate change without throwing everything out in the street! She shows you how to think of Time, Money, and Energy as your 3 Main Resources, and how each can affect the others. There are specifics on "How Do I Get The Next Job?" covering how to ask for guidance, information, and help, in ways that allow people to want to help you.

Another revelation on Disc Four was Gabrielle Nistico of Voicehunter.com. While her specialty is Broadcast Imaging (something I would not consider myself right for), she offers advice on contacting potential clients that is useful to any voice actor: when to sell something, when not to sell anything, what makes your message remembered and not immediately tossed. She also reveals that Imaging itself is not just the powerhouse, gravel-voice shout machine some of us think of. Acting and Animation talent, she maintains, are great for Imaging as many producers start looking for something new.

The final disc covers legal issues you might not think you need to know as an individual performer. But Attorney/Voice Actor Rob Sciglimpagla has specific, practical warnings about liability, collections, registering a "trade name" (different than a trademark), and why a Limited Liability Corporation (LLC) is a legal safety net some of us "Sole Proprietors" should consider. He cites things you can benefit from immediately without spending a dime...did you know an email trail is acceptable evidence in court?...and how to best use your money wisely when you do need an attorney.

Julie doesn’t hesitate to add her own experiences, and when views differ it is in a reasoned, genial atmosphere of give and take. Her expert panel offers good advice, applicable to a wide range of listener experience and income. They also point out you ignore certain industry standards at your peril.

"How To Make Money in Voice-Overs..." covers more than just the marketing angle I had expected. That said, it is wisely designed to make sense for listeners in various stages of a voice-over career. Even topics you may be tempted to skip contain practical specifics to give you an advantage in the expanded voice market the internet has made possible – so that marketing is no longer just "who you know"...but "who knows YOU!"

[Viewpoint]

WARNING: Unless you are a seasoned voiceover talent, do not attempt to listen this 5-CD set in one day ~ like I did. WOW! I’m still spinning from information overload.

Julie Williams' new CD set, How to Make Money in Voice-Overs Even if You Don’t Live in N.Y. or L.A., is a buffet of relevant material sure to please everyone interested in the voiceover field. She serves up full course portions of information about:

Artist qualifications
Demos
Leads
Coaching
Professional growth
Home studios
Unions
Agents
Marketing
Business management
Networking
Clients’ perspective
Finding your niche
Creating opportunities
Transitioning from your “day job” to full-time voiceover work
Pay ranges
Contracts and legal matters
Pertinent websites
Self-assessment
Where to seek advice
Perseverance

A lot to digest, but it’s all pure chocolate ~ Simply Satisfying!

Julie’s sincere, enthusiastic, and rapid-fire style of projecting valuable tips, techniques, and suggestions, along with her enlightening interviews with industry experts, will help you avoid pitfalls and roadblocks, and give you the tools to be successful and prepared to handle the evolving and competitive field of voiceovers.

Recurring Themes (with loads of ideas and suggestions):

· Your demo is your most important up-front investment ~ a client will make a decision about hiring you within the first 3-5 seconds of listening to your demo.

· Being unique makes an impact and is significant for clients to remember your name.

· Networking: It’s not who you know so much as who knows you.

· Success through service: Offer something unexpected and contribute to the principle of giving and giving back ~ you may be surprised at the returns.

· Being a voiceover artist can be fun and have its rewards, but also takes a lot of WORK!

Julie practices what she preaches, and she shares her own marketing methods and how important it is to utilize the skills of professionals. She reveals that she does not produce her own demos, and even though she’s been in the voiceover business for more than 30 years, she still takes a coach with her to recording sessions.

I was not disappointed with How to Make Money in Voice-Overs Even if You Don’t Live in N.Y. or L.A. Although Julie begins the first CD conveying what will be discussed and finishes the last CD with an excellent summary, I would suggest including a written table of contents (by CD number). I’m confident people who purchase her CD set will keep this beneficial smorgasbord of voiceover wisdom close at hand as one of their primary reference tools.

Thanks, Julie ~ Best wishes with success of your valuable product!

[WayneLHenderson]

I share further thoughts on Julie's How To Make Money in Voice-Overs on the just released, episode #07 of the Voice-Over Journey podcast at The Voice-Over Journey podcast , as well as in iTunes.

Wayne