Everyone’s voice over journey is different. It may take some people a few months to cut their demo and other people a few years. Some people want to go after voice acting full time, while others like it as a side gig. Some folks are animation and character wizards, while others prefer corporate, commercial, and narration work. The variety is what makes VO so special and unique to you!

But regardless of where you are and where you want to be, every voiceover journey demands these ten steps for success:

1. Write down your goals. Do you want to book 10 jobs a month? 20? What kinds of jobs? How will you know where you’re going if you don’t…you know…know where you’re going? It’s so important to make your goals concrete—write ‘em down!

2. Make a list of the actionable steps you’ll take. “I’m going to be a voice actor” can seem a lot more vague than, “I’m going to reach out to five e-learning production houses daily to market my demo.” Make sure the steps you take to achieve your goals are measurable and actionable—SMART goals, folks!
[su_spacer size=”10″]
3. Give yourself a reasonable timeline. Success doesn’t happen overnight! Normally, most TVAS students take 6-12 months to cut their demos, and then from there, you get out of your VO career what you put into it! But be reasonable with yourself and give yourself time to plant the seeds for your career. Rome wasn’t built in a day, after all!

4. Organize and prioritize your steps. Study the craft and the performance first, then voice over technology—like recording software and equipment, then business and marketing. You can’t do anything if you don’t first start with the craft!

5. Take action! Decide and DO! It’s one thing to think about reaching out to producers—but thinking about it won’t book you jobs! Send that email! Make that phone call! Take Nike’s advice and just do it!

6. DO THE WORK. PUT IN THE TIME. Be CONSISTENT. This is an absolute must. The more consistently you audition, reach out to producers, and market yourself, the more consistently you’ll book work. You get out of this what you put into it!

7. Be patient. You’re building all-new skills and a business! It can be very easy to get frustrated—maybe you feel like you’re spinning your wheels and nothing is really happening. Be patient! Heck, you’re building a business and doing all the performance and working on marketing that business and attending classes to sharpen your skills…it takes time! Embrace the process. It’s a marathon; not a sprint!

[su_spacer size=”10″]
8. Ask for help along the way and course-correct as needed. Learning to reach out and ask for help when you need it is one of the most powerful tools in your VO arsenal. TVAS has built an incredibly knowledgeable, caring, and supportive network of pros and students, all eager to help each other succeed. If your audio editing process is slowing you down, there is someone out there who’d love to help you fix it! If you’re struggling with a certain genre, our coaches are here to help! We are all rooting for you—asking for help does NOT mean you have failed; it means you’re in tune with your strengths and weaknesses and need to partner up with someone who can help you succeed! And guess what? You’ll be able to return the favor for someone who needs your expertise!

9. Immerse yourself in the industry. Know what’s trending in each VO genre—listen to commercials! What kinds of reads are popular right now? What kinds of reads aren’t popular? Follow industry news and keep up with what the pros are talking about.

10. Have fun! This is the best part, but we tend to forget it once we get into business mode! You get to give it your all in the booth all day! That booth is your creative sandbox—go play!