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British male VoiceOver

A Ghost(ing) Story - Voiceover Style

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A Ghost(ing) Story - Voiceover Style

A Ghost(ing) Story - Voiceover Style

By Chris Tester - British Male Voiceover Artist

A Ghost(ing) Story 👻

Whether you're a freelancer, consultant, or business owner, it can be dispiriting when someone suddenly stops responding to your messages.

Being available for last minute jobs is essential for my business.
Voiceover often comes near the end of the production chain, so I HAVE to quickly respond to clients' needs.

When that level of consideration isn't reciprocated,
I'll be honest, it really sucks 🤷‍♂️

I know as a service provider, I'm not the most important cog.
And I also know deadlines make things frantic and busy.
But I didn't know professional courtesy was so expensive?

To mitigate against it, I'd recommend:

1️⃣ Setting clear expectations and deadlines: Make sure your client knows what to expect from you and when.
This helps to establish trust and accountability.

2️⃣ Communicate regularly: Keep your client informed about your progress and any potential roadblocks. This builds a strong relationship and reduces the risk of being ghosted.

3️⃣ Follow up: If you haven't heard from your client in a while, don't be afraid to follow up with a polite reminder. This shows that you're proactive and professional, and can help to keep the lines of communication open.

Do you just take ghosting as a cost of doing business?

#business #videoproduction #ghosted #communication #freelancelife

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Being a voiceover artist is easy….right? 




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Being a voiceover artist is easy….right? 




Being a voiceover artist is easy….right? 




By Chris Tester - British Male Voiceover Artist

Being a voiceover artist is easy….right? 




・You don’t have to be on camera. 

・You don’t have to learn your lines - one one will mind you having your script in front of you.
・They can’t see you, anyway! 

・You don’t have to be on a set or work long hours.

Right? Well, no, actually. 
Not quite, I’d venture. 


Being able to tell a story as a voiceover artist - whether you’re in front of a camera or not - means you have to convey all your emotions and your journey as a performer, through your voice alone. 

Making sure that you can be clearly understood when speaking, means countless breathing exercises, articulation drills and tongue twisters - which all need to be done before you get anywhere near a microphone. 


Once you’re in the studio, getting that right take in the bag that the director will be happy with, can take many (and I *mean MANY) different takes. 



It takes a lot to make the listener keep listening. So you definitely want someone who knows what they’re doing to tell your story. 



#VoiceOver #StudioLife #ItTakesWork

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Hey documentary filmmakers and producers - are you tired of the same boring narration?

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Hey documentary filmmakers and producers - are you tired of the same boring narration?

Hey documentary filmmakers and producers - are you tired of the same boring narration?

By Chris Tester - British Male Voiceover Artist

[smooth sexy voice] Hey documentary filmmakers and producers - this blog post is for you 👇🏼

Are you tired of the same boring narrations? Give your film the spark it needs with a voiceover that's bold, funny, and full of life. Or dead and dark, like Dracula.

Yes, this is a shameless sales post, and the voice I’m ‘selling’ is mine.

So, where were we? Oh yes: Are you tired of the same boring narrations?
That's where I come in!

I'm all about bringing energy and excitement to your documentaries. No more monotone narrations, it's time to bring your story to life in a big way!

My goal is to help you create a film that not only informs, but also captivates and inspires your audience. So, let's make some magic happen together…

Who's ready to elevate their documentary game with me? 🎙️

End of salesy post. Now, please form an orderly line towards my DMs. Thank you.

#voiceover #narrator #documentaryfilm

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Don’t look at what your voiceover competitors are doing

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Don’t look at what your voiceover competitors are doing

Don’t look at what your voiceover competitors are doing

By Chris Tester - British Male Voiceover Artist

Don’t look at what your voiceover competitors are doing.

Actually, ignore that.. LOOK at what your competitors are doing.

‘He must be crazy’ ‘This guy sounds unhinged and confused’

Yes, you might be right. But hear me out:

Look at what your competitors are doing - and then do things completely differently to them.
Because, how do you expect to stand out when you’re trying to emulate what everyone else is doing?

Especially when you’re copying what your competition is doing. You’re making it way harder for yourself than it needs to be.
Your competition might be miles ahead of you, their audience is used to their style, and they’ve spent months if not years building trust and brand recognition.

What works for them may not work for you at all.

I’m not suggesting to completely ignore your competition. Keep an eye on what they're doing, but don't copy them.

Stand out, be unique and make a name for yourself.

Are you more of a 'copycat' or a 'one-of-a-kind-unicorn'?

#unicorn #copycat #competitors #voiceover

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On the hunt for the perfect voice for your next audio book project?

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On the hunt for the perfect voice for your next audio book project?

On the hunt for the perfect voice for your next audio book project?

By Chris Tester - British Male Voiceover Artist

Are you on the hunt for the perfect voice for your next audio book project? (say yes, and read the rest 👇🏼)

Here's why you should give the job to an experienced voiceover artist:

Versatility: Voiceover artists have the ability to bring a wide range of characters and emotions to life through their voice. They can easily switch between different accents, ages, and genders to give your audio book a dynamic and engaging listening experience.

Professionalism: we are trained professionals who know how to use our voice to its full potential. We can hit the right notes, use the right pacing, and give the right inflections to bring your story to life in a way that will keep listeners engaged.

Attention to detail: Voiceover artists take their craft seriously, and they will pay close attention to the script to ensure that every word is delivered with precision and accuracy. This means your audio book will be of the highest quality, with no mistakes or mispronunciations.

Save time and money: Hiring a voiceover artist will save you time and money in the long run. Instead of having to spend hours recording yourself or others, a voiceover artist can do it in a fraction of the time and with better results.

Branding: I can also help to create a consistent and professional tone for your audio book, making your brand more recognisable to your listeners.

Bonus: Because let's face it, you don't want your audio book to sound like a bad karaoke performance. Hire a pro and make sure it sounds like a hit! 🎶

So let me help you take your storytelling to the next level. Click on the button bellow to start 👇🏼

#audiobook #audible #voiceover

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Are you ready to take your business to the next level? Enter: explainer videos

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Are you ready to take your business to the next level? Enter: explainer videos

Are you ready to take your business to the next level? Enter: explainer videos

By Chris Tester - British Male Voiceover Artist

Are you ready to take your business to the next level?

Enter: explainer videos.

Let me explain explainer videos..

Not only do they increase website traffic by an average of 20%, but they also boost conversions by 30%.

And with the rise of video content all over social media, it's no surprise video marketing is becoming a must-have for businesses of all sizes.

Don't believe me? Check out these stats:

• 85% of businesses use video as a marketing tool (HubSpot)
• 90% of consumers say that product videos are helpful in the decision-making process (Animoto)
• 64% of consumers make a purchase after watching a branded social media video (Tubular Insights)

Investing in explainer videos can help set your business apart and give your audience a clear understanding of your products or services.

But guess what else you need? A convincing voice to narrate your video. Can you see where I’m going with this?

Answers in the comments 👇🏼

#ExplainerVideo #corporateVideo #voiceover

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Feeling petrified about your upcoming podcast guest appearance?

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Feeling petrified about your upcoming podcast guest appearance?

Feeling petrified about your upcoming podcast guest appearance?

By Chris Tester - British Male Voiceover Artist

Feeling petrified about your upcoming podcast guest appearance?

These simple tips will help you sound confident and composed on air - even when you're not feeling it 👇🏼


1. Practice beforehand: familiarise yourself with the topic you will be discussing and practice speaking about it out loud. This will increase your confidence and reduce the chance of stumbling over your words.

2. Speak clearly: use a moderate pace and a strong, clear voice. Avoid speaking too quickly or too slowly, and pay attention to your volume and inflection.

3. Take deep breaths: breathing deeply can help you relax and calm your nerves, which can improve the sound of your confidence. Take a few deep breaths before you begin speaking to feel more composed.

4. Use good posture: Sitting up straight and keeping your head up can help you feel more confident.

5. Speak with conviction: believe in what you are saying and don't be afraid to show your passion and enthusiasm. This will help you sound more confident and engaging. The listeners will really buy into you...


And a bonus tip: use vocal variety. Varying your pitch, volume, and pace can help keep your audience engaged and make your words sound more convincing.

For example, you could use a softer, more thoughtful tone when you are presenting a nuanced argument, or a louder, more energetic tone when you want to convey excitement or enthusiasm.

Experiment with different vocal techniques to find what works best for you and the message you are trying to convey.


Are you planning to make a podcast guest appearance soon?

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Time to get my crystal ball out... Here are my predictions for the voiceover industry

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Time to get my crystal ball out... Here are my predictions for the voiceover industry

Time to get my crystal ball out... Here are my predictions for the voiceover industry

By Chris Tester - British Male Voiceover Artist

Happy 2023! Time to get my crystal ball out...

The voiceover industry has seen significant growth in recent years and this upward trajectory is expected to continue.

Here are my predictions for the future of the voiceover industry:

Voiceovers will become increasingly important in the marketing industry, for brands to tell their stories and connect with their audiences.

More people will be using voiceovers to advertise, market, and promote their products or services.

There will be an increase in demand for high quality voiceover artists who can deliver a professional sounding product in a timely manner.

There will be more opportunities for voice actors to work remotely and freelance, allowing them to have more flexibility in their lives while also increasing their earning potential.

Voiceover and AI technology will continue to merge, allowing for more sophisticated and seamless audio creation. (this is a big one!)

Voiceover will become even more common in video games, allowing players to interact with in-game characters and environments. This will open up new opportunities for voice actors to work on various projects within the gaming industry.

More and more products, services, and apps will be created for voice-based interactions. This means that there will be an increased demand for voiceover actors to create the audio content used in these products and services.

Do you work in audio, gaming, or voiceover production? I'd love to hear your own predictions in the comments.

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Are you planning to release an audio book in 2023?

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Are you planning to release an audio book in 2023?

Are you planning to release an audio book in 2023?

By Chris Tester - British Male Voiceover Artist

Are you planning to release an audio book in 2023?

Then, perhaps you're after the perfect voiceover artist for your project?

Here are a few tips to help you find the right fit:

1) Research and listen to demos: Listen to voiceover artists who have experience narrating audio books, then determine which one sounds the most appealing for your project.

2) Consider the genre:
When choosing a voiceover artist, select someone who is comfortable and skilled in narrating the type of book you have written.

3) Look for versatility:
A good voiceover artist can adopt a variety of vocal styles, from character voices to accents and emotions. Find an actor who has experience performing in different roles.

3) Consider availability and turnaround time:
It’s important to choose a voice artist who can complete your project on time.

4) Don't be afraid to ask for references: It's important to find a voiceover artist who is both reliable and professional. Ask for references from previous clients so that you can get an idea of the quality of their work.


Choosing the right voiceover artist for your audio book can be a daunting process. Make sure to research and consider all these factors when selecting an artist, so you'll have a successful experience from start to finish!


Can I help you with your audio book voiceover? Send me a message to find out how it works.

#audiobook #audible #voiceover

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Can someone's voice persuade you to buy something?

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Can someone's voice persuade you to buy something?

If you've ever been convinced by a salesperson's pitch, then you know that a person's tone and cadence can have a huge impact on your buying decisions.
But why do we respond to certain voices in one way, and not another?

And what makes some people's voices more persuasive than others?

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What's the best online course you've done?

What's the best online course you've done?

What's the best online course you've done?

By Chris Tester - British Male Voiceover Artist

What's the best online course you've done?

Mine was Ali Abdaal's on video editing in Final Cut Pro.

In just over two hours, I went from novice to someone who could actually put together something that looked - alright.

Yes, it took a lot of subsequent practise.
But getting a clear overview of the key features, and learning those CRUCIAL keyboard shortcuts was a game changer.

The course led to the creation of my Youtube channel,
my own courses on Skillshare,
my video case studies,
my Linkedin video,
my Tiktok account (56k?!)

Learning some basics about video editing also made me a better voice actor. Understanding the logic behind cuts from a production perspective informed choices I would make in my vocal delivery.

And the best thing about it? I watched it all for free on a trial for Skillshare - though I'm now a subscriber and teacher on there too.

So what course would you recommend?

#onlinelearning #videoproduction #elearning #videoediting #skillshare

What's your relationship with your voiceover competitors?

What's your relationship with your voiceover competitors?

What's your relationship with your voiceover competitors?

By Chris Tester - British Male Voiceover Artist

What's your relationship with your voiceover competitors?

You know, the ones who are always trying to outdo you and get ahead of you. The ones who are constantly trying to get their foot in the door before you do.

Or you think they do...

Well, here's a thought: maybe those voiceover actors are not your enemies.
Maybe they're just another person who wants what you want — to succeed, to be happy, to create something meaningful in this world.
Maybe there's room for both of you to succeed, and maybe there isn't.

But what if it wasn't about one of you winning and one of you losing?
What if it was more like a dance?
Or like a conversation?
Or a game where everyone wins but no one is really sure how?

The truth is we don't have much control over our competitors — but what we do have control over is the way we interact with them.

• We can choose to see them as enemies
• or we can choose to see them as allies,
• we can choose to fight them or we can choose to help each other;

Ultimately, no matter what happens, we will always be responsible for our own actions and results — not anyone else's.

So, try approaching your competitors with genuine curiosity... You might even learn something from them.

#business #competitors #voiceover

Intrusive Thoughts

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Intrusive Thoughts

Intrusive Thoughts

By Chris Tester - British Male Voiceover Artist

Intrusive thoughts…

We all have them.
Especially when it comes to ‘content’.

I’m not interesting enough
I’m not talented enough
I’m not entertaining enough

Each post risks showing up our imperfections.

But I’d argue that THAT is what makes the most interesting content.

If your content is just all about the ‘wins’, you’re gonna have problems:

1) Posting wins gets repetitive quickly
2) It stops people getting to know the real YOU.
3) It makes you LESS memorable.

The best content isn’t about you.
It’s about allowing your audience to see THEMSELVES within your story.

The ups and downs
The lessons learnt
The battle - the drama - picking yourself up and going again.

I’m not saying post only for pity or feel like you have to overstate.

But don’t be afraid to share the journey.
It will inform other people’s journeys.
Assure them that THEY are not alone.

That’s what carries real value.

#contentcreation #socialmedia #voiceover #storytelling #personalbrand

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Do your voiceover clients give you room to breathe?

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Do your voiceover clients give you room to breathe?

Do your voiceover clients give you room to breathe?

By Chris Tester - British Male Voiceover Artist

Many people come to me knowing exactly what they want.

- They’ve written the words.
- Chosen the music.
- They might even have recorded a temp voiceover to signal pace, tone an inflection.

The more of these things in place, the clearer the brief, the quicker the job.

All things for which I’m sincerely grateful

But it’s almost always leaving something on the table.

My most interesting work?

That’s done when all the information has been processed - then we forget it.
Leaving room for instinct to play.
Rather than plotting how a project will go line by line, I’m allowed to focus purely on the moment, the audience, the emotion - and then I play from there.

Unexpected things happen.
Inflections, pace and emphasis might not always go where they were ‘designed’ to be.
But an audience doesn’t respond to design - they respond to emotion.
And when every little detail is micro-managed, that can be the first thing squashed in a creative project.

I’m not advocating dispensing with briefs at all - quite the opposite.
But I love those clients who allow time for just one take with the handbrake off during a session.
It shows a willingness to be open, to engage creatively, to be surprised.

It makes me feel seen as a creative, not just a nice voice.

So how do you carve out a creative space?

#creativity #videoproduction #creativeservices #voiceoverartist #clientrelationships

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Let's Go From 10 to Zen - Voiceover Style!

Let's Go From 10 to Zen - Voiceover Style!

Let’s Go From 10 to Zen - Voiceover Style!

By Chris Tester - British Male Voiceover Artist

Let’s go from 10 to Zen 👇🏼

Monday got you all revved up to anxiety level 10?

Me too. Life stresses… work worries… - we all want to kick them up the derrière.

I don’t profess to have all the answers, so I'm not going to lie and sugar coat this.
Occasionally, I can be quite a stressy person - but only because I'm a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to work and wanting to succeed in life.

Everyone gets stressed on a day to day basis, it's just part of life, and sometimes no matter how hard you try, you just can't kick that stress/mood away. It's just a bad day.

Often though and 99% of the time, there are ways to beat that pressure and just blooming enjoy life and this beautiful world that we live in (easier said than done, I know).

Here are some simple ways I deal with stress:

- Start your mornings with a workout - they're energising and kickstart your day the right way

- Go on runs or walks - a very effective way to clear you mind

- Socialise - the amount of times I've had to prise myself away from my studio to socialise… but trust me, you'll feel a million times better for getting up and having a break. It’s the little things: like popping to your local deli, and having a natter with your neighbour you happen to bump into.

- Have a laugh - laughing and smiling release endorphins which are proven to make you feel happier/are natural pain and stress fighters. So, Google funny cat videos, or go grab a bar of chocolate - they both get the endorphins working!

- Speak to someone - having someone you can speak to about your stress really helps; you should never keep it hidden away. Also, sometimes talking to other people really puts your stress and worry into perspective.

- Music - listening to music is such a mood changer. Find a nice upbeat playlist and have a daytime dance if you feel like it! I guarantee that will release some stress.

And a final reminder: you're only human, you don't have to have it together every single second of every single day.

Do you have any stress fighting tips? What are your favourite ways to combat worry and pressure?

#mondaymood #nopressure #mentalhealth

What To Do When You're Not Booking Voiceover Jobs?

What To Do When You're Not Booking Voiceover Jobs?

by Chris Tester - British Male Voiceover Artist

So you're auditioning as much as you can. You're marketing; you're connecting with the right people. But you're just not booking the jobs. Apart from panicking, what else can you do? Let's talk about that! 

So much time can be spent fighting for the opportunity to audition for new projects, building relationships, increasing the quantity and quality of the opportunities that we have, and so once we have that opportunity to actually audition for a project after being shortlisted. It can be quite destabilizing if we don't book once, then twice, and then and again, and again, and again, and this is when imposter syndrome can really kick in. You start to question your skills, your ability whether or not all the stuff that you're putting out there to everyone is actually true of yourself. 

You start to doubt yourself, and that, in turn, will start to affect your motivation in actually reaching out in the first place and creating more opportunities. So acknowledging that this cycle is not a good thing for your business and also something that we could all be susceptible to, certainly, in my scenario, I've gone through periods of this. I wanted to go through a checklist of things that we can actionably do to be mindful of when we get stuck in this rut of not being able to book to make sure that we're focusing on the right things. 

Let’s move ahead without further ado!

Tip #1:

My first tip is to let go of needing the job. Obviously, you need to work. Otherwise, you can't call it a business. But you need to be mindful of this process—especially when starting out, making that big jump full-time as a freelancer can be incredibly daunting. Especially if you have no structure or backup when possible, balancing the beginnings of your freelance life with either some form of savings that you've accrued or some type of part-time work means that not so much weight is kind of resting purely on your success ratio in your freelance stuff and this will serve as a buffer during the inevitable fallow periods that plague the beginning of a freelance career.

Tip #2:

Number two is to limit destructive self-talk; as a freelancer, you are your own employee, and you need to treat yourself as such. Suppose you tour strips off another employee every time that they fail to convert or they fail to book a job. Then you'd think that that person was an absolute idiot and certainly not a good boss. You need to apply that same criterion to yourself. Constantly chastising yourself for not being good enough isn't going to help. That doesn't mean that you can't reassess the situation or be self-critical but always make sure that the criticism that you do give yourself is constructive. 

Tip #3:

Number three is don't perpetuate a negative narrative. If you're constantly telling, not just yourself. But also your peers or your existing clients or prospects that you're not booking, then that becomes part of your identity. You're hardwiring a negative narrative that will only disempower. You all this will do are motivating you and also make you less attractive to collaborate with existing leads and clients. 

Tip #4:

My fourth tip is to hold an action audit keep a diary of daily actions that you were taking to further your career. Is there anything missing? Are there areas that you are neglecting, and if so, why? The sooner that you can get into the habit of adopting an objective perspective on your business, the sooner you can start taking reasoned action. So if you're failing to proceed with essential tasks in your business, you need to identify that and address that as soon as possible.

Tip #5:

Tip 5 is holding a motivation audit. If you find that there are tasks that you know that you should be doing, but you are failing to do them, then you need to ask yourself. Why? What is making you not do the thing, and what can you adjust to solve these problems? If it's simply down to a lack of time, then you need to prioritize, adjust your time scale, or you need to outsource some things. Maybe if you're constantly feeling overwhelmed, then focus on just the one important thing that you can do that day. 

Tip #6:

Tip six is to lean on trusted peers now. This is not your mum, and hello, mum, but people who are going through a similar journey with you. So that you can talk to them frankly about problems, you have to reassure yourself that you're not alone in this. As long as these peers are people you respect, then it's great to be able to hear what other people's solutions might be, whether or not they have any constructive criticism or thoughts or hints or hacks about things that have worked for them and if you don't have any trusted peers yet. Then I think this is a good time to probably get some people who are in a similar stage in their journey. But who is doing good work who is trying to do things in the right way? People whose opinions you can trust and get a proper objective point of view from. 

Tip #7:

Tip 7 is to control the controllable. If you have more time because you're not booking this work, then use that time to update your websites, to make sure that showreels are updated, make sure that your profiles are on casting websites are all up to date that your cv, if you have a voice-over cv or equivalent is also updated how are your social and marketing channels looking are the things that you can update there or refresh there are you still consistently marking to new leads and prospects to make sure that more opportunities are coming in.

Tip #8:

Tip 8 is to adjust the end goal. If your target is not something directly under your control, then make sure that you're focusing on the things that you can aim for relationship building rather than the number of jobs that you converted in a particular month. Yes! An audition ratio over a period of time is a useful metric to measure your level of success and proficiency. But sometimes, you just have a duff run of auditions, and that's nothing to do with you. That's just part of the game. 

Tip #9:

Tip nine is coaching and skill-building. Take this opportunity to check in with the coach to make sure that you're comfortable with your reads and approaches and that you're sensitive to any new trends that might have entered the market. Feel relatively secure in your existing skill base, then look about extending it into other genres to have more opportunities coming in. 

Tip #10:

Finally, number 10, check the market. Double-check that you're targeting the right genre of voice over for your voice, not just the one that you would like to work intake stock of where current trends are where you sit in the market as a comparison and maybe double down on your strengths if there's one particular genre that you always do consistently well in then maybe this is the time to do the opposite of the. Last point and actually narrow down and focus on what your core strength is first and foremost so that you can worry less about putting money on the table and more about just getting a consistent level of work a bit of a chain going.

Wrap Up

So hopefully, I've provided with you a few different tactics to implement if you start to doubt yourself if you start to feel demotivated about the fact that things aren't working for you this month. It's the nature of the business, to a certain degree as a freelancer, that your booking ratio is going to go up and down up and down to a certain degree, so although it's always important to keep an eye on the metrics to see how much better that you are getting. 

But resist the temptation to read too much into it and always be mindful of what action you're taking as ever. Thanks so much for watching. Please do like, subscribe, and spread the word about this channel. I look forward to seeing you next time!

Atomic Habits for Voiceover

Atomic Habits for Voiceover

Atomic Habits for Voice Over

By Chris Tester - British Male Voiceover Artist

The different elements that make up a voice-over career aren't mystical. You need to obtain a certain level of proficiency on the performance side, the marketing side, and the technical side, like almost any freelancer. But while the initial part of our careers is typically fueled by adrenaline. After a few months, the novelty of the new we can't rely on that alone to execute our daily tasks. 

James Clear, in his book atomic habits, affirms that, 

“Success is the product of daily habits, not once-in-a-lifetime transformations." 

Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement getting just one percent better every day counts for a lot in the long run. And this is definitely a philosophy that I subscribe to. It's essential to set your goals, as I've covered in these videos already previously. But it's going to be daily consistent actions or habits that will carry you to that destination. Clear goes on to lay out a plan of how you can actually form and construct good habits. So I wanted to look at his four key points and then see how we could apply them to voice-over.

Are you curious to know atomic habits for a voice-over? Let's dig in!

Four Rules to Start Cultivating a Good Habit

The four rules to start cultivating a good habit are: 

  1. Make it obvious

  2. Make it attractive

  3. Make it easy

  4. Make it satisfying

So let's take a look at these in turn and see how we could apply them to voice-over? 

  1. Make it Obvious

For the first one to make it obvious, you really need to be aware that to be vague about your intention is the enemy. Saying I need to do some marketing or I need to work on my performance skills is deliberately vague. They're amorphous, and they're certainly not smart goals, which I've covered previously in another video here. So we need to be specific so for marketing. I want to send five emails to new leads per day. 

Now we could just set a specific time to execute this task, and again in a separate video, I've touched on how I use time blocking to be able to manage my day-to-day calendar. But another way of doing this is by using habit stacking, where you attach your new habit to a pre-existing one. 

So, for example, if you always start your workday by making coffee and as much as I prize my hydration, I do that more often than not. Then you can say after I make my coffee, I will send my five emails, and then you could start chaining various habits together. So after I finish my recordings for the day, I will learn one new keyboard shortcut on my door, or after I’ve checked my Instagram, I will make sure to comment on three other people’s content. Notice also the benefit of linking these habits by location. 

So if you’re doing one habit on your phone already, then make your other habit also on your phone. If it’s a computer-related task, then link it to a computer-related task and so on. If you’re stuck thinking about what useful habits you want to cultivate in the first place, then think about where you spend your time and where. Therefore, a new habit might suggest itself from that exact location. 

  1. Make it Attractive

The second rule is to make your new habit attractive. It is where a technique called temptation bundling comes in. Essentially, as an incentive for doing your new habit, you attach it to another habit that you really want to do. As a personal example, I like playing beat saber for half an hour in the morning because it’s a good cardio workout. 

But to do that, I always have to go and work out with my free weights beforehand. But more specifically, during my workday, I’ve paired doing my work emails with playing FIFA on the Playstation. If I don’t do my emails, I won’t be able to further or bury United’s quest for European domination and that stakes for you. 

  1. Make it Easy

The third rule is to make your new habit as easy as possible, what James clear calls a gateway habit, rather than setting a really ambitious goal for you to send a certain number of emails or learn a certain number of keyboard shortcuts. Instead, when you’re first implementing a new habit, only do it for one minute a day. So if we apply that approach to email marketing in one minute, you might have enough time to Google a specific company and maybe identify who it is that you reach out to and maybe log their details and that’s it and when establishing that habit that’s all that you need to do. 

And yes, that is ridiculously simple, but that’s why you also have no excuse not to do it. Of course, we want to extend the amount of time you spend on that habit, but the first most crucial thing is to be consistent. 

  1. Make it Satisfying

And the final rule to tie it all together is to make it satisfying now clear affirms that the human brain is evolved to prioritize immediate gratification over delayed satisfaction. So what is immediately rewarded is more likely to be repeated. And as we’ve already seen, temptation bundling is a way of attaching gratification to execution. But another way of getting that immediately successful hit is habit tracking. 

If you’ve ever consistently filled in a journal or if you’ve ever continued to log in your exercise process, or if you’ve ever used one of those language apps that congratulates you on chaining together consecutive days of exercise or practice. Then you’ll have sense the reward that gives you knowing that you’re not breaking the chain. 

Of course, life will interrupt at some point, and all chains will be broken but when that eventuality occurs clear affirms the importance of never missing twice. You get back on the metaphorical horse the very next day, and you reaffirm the identity that you’re trying to cultivate even if the time you actually spend doing the habit is a fraction of your normal time. 

I found this personally myself when doing my weight training. It’s been the bad workouts where I’ve only done it for half my normal period of time, and my form has been bad, and I’ve really felt kind of icky about it, but I’ve still done it. And therefore, I felt that I’m someone who does work out five days a week regardless of how good that quality of workout actually is rather than entering into a spiral of, oh, I’ve missed a workout. Therefore, I’m not my best self so. Consequently, I might as well give up entirely. 

So in voiceover, even if circumstances mean that you have very limited time to get back on the wagon, just getting back to doing even one minute of a vocal warm-up and one minute of marketing still reaffirms your identity as a voice actor who does marketing and warms up vocally every day. 

Now it’s this final point that I personally found most revelatory for my career switching from a voice actor who wants x, y, and z to one who is x y and z. I take huge pride in the identity that my habits have given me, so I’m more motivated to maintain them. Of course, this is a much abbreviated version of what’s covered in James clear’s book, and I do recommend that you read it yourself. 

Conclusion

Hopefully, I’ve demonstrated how you could start applying this to a voice actor’s career, and you’ve got a few new techniques that you can start playing around with. If you found this helpful video, please do like subscribe and share. And I look forward to seeing you next time!