Display your basic VO prices and be proud of them!

Display your basic VO prices and be proud of them! That’s the advice DirectVoices would like to give to voice over talents.

To be taken seriously you have to answer the question everybody asks in any transaction, how much does this service cost?. Don’t get nervous about it. Rates are not written in stone, you have to respect what you announce but the ultimate price can be negotiated when considering the many factors that are involved in any voiceover job. Consider this: rates are a door opener, they are the starter of any business relationship.

 We give you the possibility to display your basic rates so that you can open up the negotiation with the client. For each voice over genre you are able to set what you charge for a recorded minute and also set a minimum starting price for a project. DirectVoices have done this because we know from experience with many contractors in both Europe and the Americas that being open about your prices simply attracts business.

As a VO artist you might be nervous about this and it is recognised that it is difficult to be precise when you are trying to put a price together for a project. Yes, you are right, rates can vary due to numerous factors and the context of the project. However, being open about your rates will potentially open the door to more enquiries about your services. Displaying your basic rates will demonstrate that you have nothing to hide, that you are confident with the prices that you charge and that you believe that your rates represent the level of professionalism that you would bring to the project. Clients will respect you for this.

Put yourself in the customer’s shoes. Each client will have a budget that they are working with and they will have a limited time frame to seek the right VO artist for their project. Whether you like it or not, price is going to be a big influencer and if you are not displaying your basic rates then they are more likely to move on to a VO artist that is.

Think of pricing as the oil that lubricates the market. Making the client aware of your prices will break the ice and then it’s all down to the nature of the project and what you agree with them. That’s why we stress that using basic rates or starting prices is the way forward.  The reality is that the price for your voice over will have many variables depending upon the nature of the project and the voice seeker will know this. Why?  Because we brief the voice seeker before they actually get in touch with an artist and we put a disclaimer: “rates on display are a preliminary ballpark price for the voiceover job. So the final deal price can vary depending on different variables and needs to be agreed upon with your selected voice talent”.

In other words, putting a price tag doesn’t mean you will have to be locked into a rigid rate card, the opposite usually happens. It’s about answering the first and most basic question that a customer asks in every transaction: how much does this service cost?  If you are open about it, by providing a ballpark quote, it will be easier to get contacted by a prospective client. Remember that attracting a first-time client through a dialogue should be your priority. Just consider the Customer Lifetime Value, a universal business rule that, in our industry, translates into this:  it can cost up to 5 times as much to draw a new customer to your offering than it does to sell a new service to an existing customer.

To reiterate, DirectVoices gives you the opportunity to put in prices for a recorded minute and a starting price for a project and you can do this for each specific VO genre. Remember, this is a starting price and not a fixed final price. It’s a bit like the price you see on the meter when you use a taxi. You know it’s going to cost more than that and the taxi driver is just setting out a price for the start of the journey.

When a client uses DirectVoices they will know that the prices you showcase are just the start of the journey as well. Clients aren’t naive and most of them have probably worked with VO artists before and know what to expect. They will come to you prepared to negotiate on price so you need to be ready to negotiate as well. Be prepared to ask questions about how the audio is going to be used, will it be used for TV, radio, internet etc? Will it be used for a well-known brand? This will demonstrate to the client that you know your industry, that you know your worth as a VO artist and this will increase their confidence in your abilities.

Including a minimum starting price on DirectVoices is not only the most direct way to a conversion but it will also stop the ‘price dumpers’ and ‘low-ballers’ of this world. They can see your rates clearly so it should stop time-wasters.

Clients looking for top VO talent will be drawn to DirectVoices for a number of reasons:

• They will find VO artists who are displaying their basic prices so they will know if they fit into their budget.

• They don’t pay any agency commission or fee to DirectVoices. They will deal with the VO talent direct.

• Other sites never mention price so clients are more likely to use a site that does

By having a presence on Direct Voices and being open about your rates you will be giving yourself the opportunity to be in a marketplace that will attract voice seekers ready to do business. One of the appealing features of DirectVoices for clients will be the ability to deal with the VO artist direct and not face the hassle that you get with other sites that are a showcase of voices without price tags on specific services. This strategy will result in increased traffic to  voice talents as clients begin to realise that with one click they can start discussing their project with a VO talent.

Being on DirectVoices with other VO artists who are displaying their prices creates healthy competition and you shouldn’t be afraid of that. Competition supports business. This doesn’t mean that you have to get into a price war!

DirectVoices is for professionals only that’s why it will screen voices before they are allowed to stay on this membership site. Professionals know what reasonable rates are. Clients want choice, a price that fits in with their budget but above all, they want to work with a talent that will do a great job for them.

Your comparative advantage is not on the price, but on your voice, which is unique, that’s where you have to focus: great  demos, good studio quality and a proven track record.

There is a massive opportunity on DirectVoices to build long lasting relationships with clients so creating a memorable profile on the site, displaying your best work and your minimum prices will attract the right type of customers.

Are your ready to show what you are worth to your clients?

Sign up now by clicking https://plaza.directvoices.com/