Going the extra mile
Aside from the love of making sounds with my noise box at the end of a microphone, my main driver behind what I do is to make sure the client is super happy with their project. I’ve always been an incessant people pleaser so it’s just second nature for me to take on any job and do it with a smile and after perusing voice over more seriously, it’s definitely come in handy
Making a good impression and getting your name out there is really important. So certainly at the start of your career, I’ve found ‘going the extra mile’ where you can to be priceless. If I included 1 revision in my quote, but the client wanted a second, I just went ahead and did it. If I had a client who kept making changes to the script or was giving conflicting directions, I’d happily spend the time trying to understand and make changes where needed. Even if a client haggled a little on my already rock bottom pricing, I’d usually just say yes. I found this the quickest way to get great reviews and boost my reputation for being someone people liked working with.
But once you find your career is starting to move in the right direction and you’e dealing with bigger clients and better pay . . . how far is that extra mile? I think it’s always something I’ll struggle with as there’s always going to be small part of me that thinks I might not be quite good enough, or that I’m landing these gigs through sheer luck so I’m a bugger for under pricing anyway. However, once you’re happy with the amount of experience you’ve gained and feel that you want to get more serious, it’s also just as important not to be taken advantage of. So it might be worth some time to just sit and have a clear idea in your head about where you draw the line between making a good impression and giving too much.
It will always depend on the individual client and project you’re working on of course. I mean, if Apple want to book you for several gigs and ask for you to include a few extra revisions than you’re used to . . . you’re not going to argue! But I have come across some clients who don’t really understand what goes in to voice over and will make you doubt your rates. The important thing is to not under value yourself OR your time.
Don’t be afraid to turn down work if you don’t think it’s worth it. Know what you’re worth and don’t take anything less!
Sing too loud, talk too much and take care x