Things you might want to know when looking to hire a voice-over artist…
If you need to hire a voice-over artist for a narration, documentary, radio or TV commercial, website video, guide, e-learning module, YouTube film, explainer, on-hold messaging system etc., it’s not always a straightforward task to be able to find the right voice-over (or “v/o”) for your specific requirements. This BlogPost acts as a basic introduction to help you locate and book the best voice professional for your needs.
Why Would You Need to Book a Voice-Over Artist?
There are a number of reasons for wanting to book a voice-over artist. For example, you might require a professional voice-over for a promotional video. If you have a product or service you wish to sell or promote, a video or short film really needs a professional voice-over to narrate it. Hiring a v/o can enhance the whole tone of the video andturn a script into a unique sounding masterpiece, as well as helping viewers engage with the promotion. This can greatly contribute towards generating the desire to purchase your product or service. Simply put, a voice-over will reinforce the message of your promotional video or film, help make a lasting impression, and leave the target audience thinking about the product or service long afterwards.
A voice-over does not just provide vocals for promotional videos and the like. There is an extensive range of other services for which v/o’s are used, such as radio broadcasting/presentation, narrations, podcasts, generic announcements, on-hold messaging, imaging/branding, gaming and so on. When you listen to the radio, if the speaker commands your attention, either as a broadcaster/presenter or the voice on a commercial or station ID, the message is more likely to resonate and remain with you. This also applies to television commercials, promos, continuity and generic announcements. A creative script and clear speaking, professional v/o conveying the right message makes for a winning combination.
Employing a voice-over artist to narrate a script enables the listener to engage positively, with what is being said. A compelling, professional voice-over helps contribute to the creation of a successful narrative or advertisement. More than this, a voice-over can captivate listeners of podcasts, viewers of youtube videos, website promos and via many online platforms in general, in addition to radio and television commercials – the possibilities are endless.
What You Should Know When Booking a Voice-Over Artist
One of the most important factors to consider when seeking a voice-over artist is experience. To book a v/o without experience in the industry can be risky. When hiring a voice-over, ask yourself, “will my intended audience engage with this voice?”. With experience comes expertise and professionalism, which in turn ensures that the service you will receive is both engaging and appropriate for the intended listeners.
Another consideration when booking a voice-over artist is clarity. If you haven’t hired a voice-over before, it’s important that you not only book someone with experience, but also someone who has a clear and appealing voice. This will ensure that, no matter the reason you’re appointing the artist, the script will be conveyed in a clear, professional manner, and will be easy to understand. When promoting a service or product, you may have only one shot at getting your message across to potential customers, and if the words or meaning are unclear, this can undermine what you’re trying to say and may result in an unsuccessful promotional campaign. To avoid booking a voice-over artist who might not be able to accurately communicate what you’re wanting to say, always ensure that you listen to demos and examples created by the person you are considering for the project. This allows you to sample their voice beforehand. The best artists will invariably have many different demos and examples of their work readily available for preview.
How to Book a Voice-Over Artist
There are a number of voice-over agents and agencies online, worldwide. As it’s important that you find the correct voice-over artist for your specific needs, agencies can be a simple and effective medium by which to locate many talented, professional v/o’s in one place. A generic online search for “voice-over” coupled with keywords such as “booking”, “agencies” or simply “voice-overs”, can streamline the process of finding the “voice” you’re looking for. You don’t need to search the entire internet to discover the perfect talent!
Another efficient method of seeking a professional artist is by simply searching the internet for an individual and definitive voice-over “type”, using specific keywords such as “rich”, “smooth”, “deep”, “corporate”, “promo”, “cool”, etc. to find the exact voice characteristics you’re looking for. Some of the best v/o’s are independent and not necessarily registered with or exclusive to online agencies. This will mean that you have personal and direct contact with your chosen voice-over artist, many of whom operate from their own professional recording studios, thus creating a positive one-to-one relationship, enabling you to use the artist again whenever you require the same or similar vocal style.
Greg Marston – Professional International Voice-Over Artist
Greg Marston is a professional voice-over artist with more than 25 years experience. He’s worked in virtually every sector of the radio, broadcasting and voice-over industry, and is renowned for his clear, rich and versatile vocal delivery, which can be adapted to a diverse range of scripts. He has represented many clients and has voiced for some of the world’s best known brands. When booking Greg, you can be assured that the service he’ll provide will be authentic, original, appropriate and engaging for your promotion and listeners – the target audience.
You can sample a wide range of Greg’s work before booking him. This will enable you to ascertain that his vocal services will meet all your requirements. These demos can be found by clicking the link provided. Once you hear the samples, you’ll understand why Greg Marston is well known in the industry for his unique vocal style, which has been used to represent an extensive range of clients over the past three decades.
Whatever your voice-over requirements, Greg Marston offers a complete and professional service.
Now you’ve found and made an initial enquiry of the voice-over you’ve chosen to book for your promotion, commercial, narrative, documentary etc., what do they need from you to begin voicing the script?