The Perfect Client Scenario

The client has contacted you because they like your work and they want to engage your services. This is the best scenario for you as an independent voice talent.

You know you have arrived in the VO industry when this happens! This client has contacted you direct without having to be actively marketed to and they want you to be the voice for their project. This is great news.

So how do you deal with the client in this situation and what kind of questions should you be asking?

Here are a few suggestions:

1. What is the nature of the project?, How and where will the voice over be used? and What is the estimated word count? – These questions will help you to determine timings and price.
2. What is the deadline?
3. What audio format do they require and how should you deliver it to them? Do they want mp3 files or wav files and do they want it to be emailed or delivered using FTP?
4. What are the client’s contact details and will they be the person to contact for any future questions or is there somebody else you need to be dealing with?
5. Will any background music or special effects be required?
6. Agreement on the budget with the client and how payment will be made? This is an interesting one and where you should be ready to talk about your terms and conditions. Some VO artists will like complete payment up front, others will ask for 50% up front and the rest on delivery, others might invoice after the project but this tends to be with long-standing clients where a mutual trust has already been developed. Decide upon your terms and conditions and implement what you will be comfortable with.
7. Any specific directions for the style of the voice over – tone of voice, conversational, corporate etc?
8. Agreement on any changes/re-takes after the recording so that price can be finalised?

Another great question to ask is where the client heard about you. Did he come across your website or was he referred to you by somebody else? It’s always good to know these things so that you know which marketing efforts are working best for you.

After the project is completed, the client is happy, and you are happy as well because you have been paid, then a nice little touch is to send a client a thank you card/note. It doesn’t need to be over the top. Just something along the lines of thanking them for the business and stating that it was s good project to work on. There are several established VO artists out there that do this and yield the benefits of repeat business by doing so.

What are your thoughts? What kind of questions do you ask your clients? Have you ever sent a thank you card to a client? Share your thoughts here.