Karen Commins

Do you perform in your underwear?

19 July 2006

I subscribe to several voice-over lists. The subject question is actually a current and very active topic on one of them. Many people have answered the question, but I will never be among them. If you haven’t already posted an answer, I hope I can give you some new things to consider before you press the Send button with your reply.

It’s not like these lists are some little private gathering where you can whisper secrets among close friends. Sure, camaraderie exists if you’ve been a list member for a long time, but you don’t really KNOW the other list members. You may have regularly contributed to an e-mail list or forum, but would you know someone from that list if they walked into the room?

Answering or reading such messages is a huge waste of time. If you have some down time, you could be doing any number of productive things to advance your career like calling a client, updating your database, modifying your web site, recording new scratch tracks for practice, learning to apply filters in your editing software, etc. You could be doing things to otherwise improve your life like communicating with family and friends, taking a walk, learning to play a musical instrument, decluttering your office, planning a trip, etc. Of course, you could just sit and be for a few minutes, reveling in the quiet, doing absolutely nothing other than enjoying being alive, perhaps meditating and visualizing the kind of life you want for yourself!

In addition to the time-wasting nature of the topic, you never know who might read your words later and form an opinion about you. Would you answer this question if you knew that your clients or potential clients were reading your messages? How about if your parents or your significant other were to find your post? Would they be hurt or shocked by your response to something that you thought was just silly banter? Any of these people could read what you write on-line because your words live on into perpetuity!

I wrote in a recent post

Nothing is more powerful on this planet
than the words that you think and speak.

This concept was driven home to me in the small yet powerful book The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom by Don Miguel Ruiz. Rather than paraphrasing the beautiful wisdom of the book, I’ll quote from the cover:

Be Impeccable With Your Word: Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.

Don’t Take Anything Personally: Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won’t be the victim of needless suffering.

Don’t Make Assumptions: Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness, and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.

Always Do Your Best: Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse, and regret.

The Four Agreements may sound simple, but they are difficult to implement on a daily basis. Just realizing the power of your words is a life-changing step! When I first started in voice-over, I would laugh and say I would do any job where the check would clear. Now, I decline to perform jobs when I don’t like the words that would be coming out of my mouth. They may be someone else’s words, but I would be the one saying them. If I’m using the power of the word against someone else or against my own beliefs and values, then I won’t take the job.

Since I don’t want to use the power of the word against myself, I don’t want say things that might hurt my professional reputation in others’ eyes….like answering a question in a public forum about how I’m dressed when I perform my job. If someone wants to know how how I look when I work in my studio, they can see the picture of my stunning soundproof studio on my web site.

Answer the question, if you feel so inclined. However, I won’t interested in the answer.

A missed opportunity to help others

16 July 2006

Twenty years from now,

so throw off the bow line,
sail away from the safe harbor,
catch the trade winds in your sails.
Explore. Dream. Discover.
Because that what life is about.

–Mark Twain

I love quotes. When I saw this one on Thursday, I thought I would use it to encourage other people to follow their dreams, whether that dream was a starting a career in voice-over, learning to speak French, adopting a dog, visiting a foreign country or bungee-jumping off a bridge. We all have special gifts, talents and skills. No one sees the world the same way, and we’re all here for a purpose.

I think part of my purpose is to help people.

On Thursday, though, I was just thinking about my voice-over business and, more particularly, my web site. Thursday is the day that Drew and I attended an internet marketing seminar. The seminar was more of a pressured sales pitch than we thought it would be.

Mark Twain’s quote was used in the introduction to get people thinking about the kind of lifestyle they would lead if they were free of financial worry, which, according to StoresOnline.com, the presenting company, they obviously could be if they would start marketing products on the Internet today. I doubt Mark Twain ever meant that he thought people should part with their hard-earned money at 18% interest in order to buy a company’s package of 6 web sites!

We knew before we went that StoresOnline would be hawking its products, but we also knew that we weren’t going to buy anything. We only went so we could pick up tips from the panel of 11 internet marketing experts who were supposed to speak with us but never did as a group. (We later learned their role was meet with us individually to sell us the web site package.) In other words, we were going to help ourselves. I now see that I missed a huge opportunity to help other people, and I regret that I didn’t take it.

Since we weren’t going to buy anything, we didn’t do any research on StoresOnline prior to attending the event. We didn’t know that the company keeps changing its name, has been sued countless times around the world due to its shady business practices and has been the subject of TV investigative reports.

However, we did know while we were sitting there that:

The first hour was a complete waste of time as StoresOnline got right into their sales pitch. I told Drew we were burning daylight, and we would leave if they didn’t provide some real content soon.
We were uncomfortably cold; the temperature became noticeably colder — to the point of being frigid — when the supposed current client began speaking. They couldn’t risk anyone falling asleep! I did tell one of the “consultants” that I was aware of their little ploy to drop the temperature, and there was no reason it had to be 60 degrees. He denied it was in their control.
No breaks were given.
The “training” was not organized like a true class with objectives, summaries and time for questions. They would not entertain any questions during the presentations!
The constant push for 6 web sites was extremely odd. It’s enough work to get one site up and running and fully optimized before you tackle a second one. SIX?
We’re getting far better monthly web hosting prices than the special workshop price that we were quoted.
If someone orders a product from a web site and has a problem, they will go back to the web site for resolution. They don’t expect to work with a third-party like the actual supplier (drop-shipper) directly.
Companies who have special today-only offers and finance people ready to show how you can take advantage of those incredible offers are only there to take your money.
If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!

I saw people filling out their finance forms, and I heard the credit card machine. I don’t know how much of that activity was from audience shills who were paid from the company to make it appear to real participants like people were eagerly signing up for these offers. From looking at the crowd, we observed that many people seemed to be in the 50-65 age range, while others seemed to have physical issues that would make at-home incomes very enticing.

As a voice-over artist, my profession is based on giving a voice to people who either can’t or won’t speak for themselves. Someone provides their words to me in the form of a script, but I always have to bring out the author’s meaning to the intended audience. During my years in corporate America, I would speak up when no one else would. My gift is my voice, and I regret that it was quiet during this seminar.

At one point early in the day, we did have a little interaction with the table behind us, and I could have said something to those people to not sign anything that day and certainly not to enter any financing agreement. I could have talked to women in the restroom or to anyone in the corridors at lunch. I could have pretended to get coffee (I don’t drink it) and whispered to the people at the coffee pot that this offer was a rip-off and not to buy anything. I could have passed a paper down my table like in high school with the note that no one needs to start with 6 web sites.

We were seated at the very front and center of the room. As the speaker took a breath and moved to the front of the room (he was standing right next to me 90% of the time), I could have stood up and announced to everyone there, “6400 dollars for six web sites? Are you CRAZY?” I’ve certainly got the voice to carry in a large room without a microphone. I could have done it, and we could have walked out. I wonder how many people would have followed us.

I could have done any one or all of these things. I did nothing except listen for information that could help me increase traffic to my own web site, have a nice lunch and skip out early to beat the traffic home. It was all about me that day, but it shouldn’t have been. I have discovered that any time I can be of service to others without any expectation of reward is when the reward is greatest. This episode at the seminar is a good reminder of that fact.

One refined and snappily-dressed lady who works in commercial real estate walked over and talked to Drew and me at lunch. She was proud of her new web site, and fortunately, she started telling US that the seminar prices were too high! Maybe she was trying to look out for us just as I should have looked out for others.

While I missed the opportunity to help others in person, I am posting this entry because I hope that my words will help someone in the future. In the event that I have the chance to attend such a presentation again, I can assure you that I will research the company ahead of time. I will utilize the gift of my voice and network with participants so that they can make informed decisions.

The keys to a successful business

14 July 2006

Yesterday, Drew and I, along with a couple hundred other people, went to an all-day Internet marketing seminar at a major Atlanta hotel convention center. We both are researching some new business ventures, but we were primarily interested in learning about driving traffic to our existing web sites. If someone is offering a free teleconference, webinar or seminar on a topic in which I’m interested, I take advantage of every opportunity to learn something new. Even one bit of useful information can give me a competitive advantage.

The company sponsoring yesterday’s event is in the business of selling web sites to people who want to sell products. The marketing principles for a web site promoting a service like voice-over acting and a product line are the same. As with brick and mortar companies, my on-line presence is an extension of my off-line business. I heard some very useful information about improving my search engine rankings and some clever marketing techniques that made the day worthwhile.

Of course, spending a rare weekday with Drew was the best part! 🙂 A nice lunch at the hotel was included in this slick presentation; after all, you needed to keep your strength up if you were going to be able to sign your name on your check or credit card slip when you made your major purchase later in the day.In looking over some of my material and doing my own research, I ran across a free e-book titled Starting Your Internet Business. The book is offered on a site that interacts heavily with eBay merchants and Entrepreneur Magazine, and the book seems to have some good tips about setting up your on-line business.

I was particularly interested to note the comments in chapter 11 about the merchant account. A merchant account is the company that does your credit card processing for you. Voice talent who accept credit cards tend to use PayPal to perform this service, but businesses selling a product need to provide a secure, click-and-go ordering and credit verification system in their interface. If you have a heavy volume of credit card processing, you should consider getting your own merchant account as not everyone has or is comfortable using a PayPal account.

The company presenting the yesterday’s seminar was charging a special workshop rate of $999 for the merchant account. When I say special rate, they said the normal rate was $1800! However, to entice you to sign up at the workshop, the rate was discounted. To report all the facts, I should mention that this rate would apply to all of the sites that you purchased. The presenting company was really pushing 6 sites; I won’t even tell you how much they wanted for the site set-up and monthly programming.

However, Chris Malta, the e-book author, mentioned that a merchant account could be obtained for less than $200!. I’ve been thinking about getting a merchant account for my voice-over business and will look into the sources that he lists. Obviously, it pays to do your homework and shop around for your services. I wondered how many of those people yesterday signed up for the full package, not even knowing what product line they wanted to sell, much less a comparison cost of other providers’ web development and hosting fees. Also, while I’m on this tangent, the presenting company yesterday kept discussing drop-shippers as a source of products, but they never bothered to mention that you probably have to pay to get access to the best directories of suppliers.

I haven’t finished reading everything in the free e-book, but he also talks about some basic business items like a tax ID. At first glance, a voice-over person might not think much in this book would apply to his or her situation. However, lessons can be extrapolated from every book on business!

I particularly wish that every person dreaming of a career in voice-over who plans to write to me would first read chapter 9, The Real Business World. The author wrote that if you only remember one chapter in the book, it should be this one. Malta included 3 typical e-mails that he has received, along with his analysis of each person’s chance for success. If the subject were voice-over instead home business and drop-shipping, I could say that I have received similar e-mails and had similar gut reactions to them. In addition, the drop-shipper who wrote asking to be removed from the directory listed recurring problematic themes that I have noticed from people who write to me for guidance.

While I personally respond to everyone who contacts me requesting information, I also have noticed that 99% of the people never bother to thank me for my time (and time is money, you know!) or give me any indication whether my communication with them was helpful. I make this statement not because my ego needs stroking, but to point out the decline of courtesy in our society. Simple courtesy is a much-desired trait in business and in life.

In short, you CAN make your dreams about your business into a reality….by doing your own research, taking consistent action toward your goals, always learning new things and treating others with respect.

A prosperity mindset will yield better-paying jobs

10 July 2006

I was reading the tremendous ongoing discussion about non-union voice-over rates on the Voices.com VOX Daily blog. Many people rightly pointed out in their comments that the rates are too low. However, some talent questioned how they could ask for higher rates without having their clients go ballistic and/or running for the hills.

I would like to address this question by stating that you have to develop a prosperity mindset. Nothing is more powerful on this planet than the words that you think and speak. (You would think, of all people, someone in the voice-over industry would be aware of this important Universal rule! smile) To change anything you dislike in your life, including the rates you are currently charging your clients, you must first change the thoughts that you think.

If you want to read a life-changing book on attracting prosperity into your life, I cannot recommend too highly The Dynamic Laws of Prosperity by Catherine Ponder.

This book was recommended to me 3 years ago, but I just read it in the last few weeks. It was written by a minister and has references to God and Bible. I’m not a religious person, but I didn’t find the references excessive or offensive. The advice on changing your mindset to one of prosperity and abundance is incredibly practical; already, I have seen results from applying the principles in this book!

You may say you wish you could attract clients who have bigger budgets. The difference between a wish and a goal is that a goal is written down. While I have other business-related books to recommend later, I love the book Write It Down, Make It Happen: Knowing What You Want And Getting It by Henriette Klauser. The author gives countless delightful examples of how people used the power of their words (and remember, nothing is more powerful!) to chart a roadmap for their lives. I think this is a great book to start getting you to think in possibilities.

The best program I have ever heard on goal-setting was delivered by Brian Tracy. Click here if you’d like to order his CD titled 21 Success Secrets of Self Made Millionaires

If that program doesn’t sound enticing enough, take a look at the others on that page and see if something else strikes your fancy. Whether you listen to Brian Tracy or some other speaker, you can always have the opportunity to improve your thoughts and your mind whenever you are in your car or by loading the CDs on your iPod or other .mp3 player. I recently listened to a teleconference with celebrated speaker Zig Ziglar, who is still going strong and on top of his game at almost 80 years young.

He said he doesn’t listen to the radio when he’s in his car but instead tunes into Audio University, or his name for audio learning programs. He concentrates on improving his mind by listening to various audio programs on all manner of topics. Sometimes he learns something new, while other times the programs serve as a refresher to something he needed to remember.

I, too, like the philosophy of Audio University. I’m bored listening to the same Kelly Clarkson songs played over and over and over on the radio every 6 minutes, and I can’t abide the endless negativity and fear-based reporting found on TV. Give me a good audio program on my iPod any day! Enriching my mind will in turn enrich my bank account!

I was cleaning up some clutter, which is another thing that holds us back and probably another blog topic for another day. I found a notepad from a conference at which Louise Hay spoke on 10/18/03, just days after I lost my dad. I wrote that she said:

Struggle, pain and suffering have created nothing.
Be here for the joy of it.
Atmosphere within and around you should be one of constant joy.

I also wrote that she said to:

* Make a list of delicious memories from the past, things that make you feel good.
* Make a list of how you would love to live.

Also during my clutter clean-up, I found a Christmas card, and I will leave you with the sentiment from its cover:

Gratitude is one of the sweet shortcuts

to finding peace of mind and happiness.

Can podcasting be integrated in corporate training?

1 July 2006

This post is my recent response to a training e-zine about using podcasts to deliver content to a remote workforce.

I applaud the reader who wishes to use podcast technology in his or her company’s training efforts. However, like any training vehicle, the trainer must evaluate whether the technology is the most effective means for communicating the message.

I read that CapitalOne and IBM have successfully integrated podcasting into their corporate training environments. I believe that part of their success depended on the fact that both companies equipped their mobile users with iPods.

In the example given of a sales and customer service force consisting of 130 people, I would imagine that not everyone has the same level of computer skills. I also think that they may not have portable players or same level of expertise in using them. Your employees may have some resistance to using their own portable devices for playback of company training messages. Your IT or finance department may not have the resources to purchase the same device for everyone. The IT department may have instituted security restrictions that prohibit downloads of .mp3 files or the connection of personal devices to corporate computers.Deciding to provide audio content means other training issues must addressed. How will you demonstrate the process of accessing the audio files and copying them to myriad laptops or portable players? Who will provide support when the employees experience problems? Since the recordings would be internal training products, how would you notify the employees that new audio content is available?

For these reasons, I recommend that you fully involve your IT department in your plans. In implementing this change, I suggest that you post .mp3 files on your intranet in conjunction with a blog or user forums. A blog is short for web log. Once the software is configured, designated authors can rapidly post content to a web site without knowledge of HTML or any intervention from your IT department.

I realize that your remote staff probably does not have any more time to spend at a computer. Blogs can be maintained and archived by date and categories, so the remote workforce can quickly see new postings and find relevant past articles. In the blog, you could post your short time-sensitive updates, product development updates, answers from instructor-led sessions and other items that require more frequent updates and interaction with your sales force.

You can set up the blog so that comments are allowed, which enables your remote workforce to respond to the postings with questions and comments. The questions and comments might highlight areas requiring additional explanation that would be suitable for audio content. The blog could advertise new audio content as it is available.

Everyone can listen to the audio content when sitting at their computer. At a minimum, you could publish instructions so that everyone would be able to burn the files to CD and could at least start listening to some content in their car. Those employees who know how to copy the audio files to their own devices can do so and build buzz for the portable training efforts.

Your audio content could be focused on new training topics as needed and the monthly talk show that you envision. In your talk show, you could interview and feature people from different facets of the company. You may even think about replacing all of the internal newsletters and funneling that content into your talk show program. Another interesting use of audio content might be a short segment which summarizes all of the blog entries for the week.

Once you have decided to create audio content, you have a couple of options for creating the actual file. (Technically, the file is not a podcast unless it is automatically syndicated over the Internet.) If you plan to produce your recordings in-house, make the commitment to invest in a quality microphone and software which will allow you to record and edit the audio files.

Spend the time to learn the software so that your recordings sound polished. You are competing for the attention of busy people, and your recordings should sound as good as anything s/he would hear elsewhere. You may wish to integrate music and sound effects into your recordings. Like any training delivery method, you wouldn’t want to transmit your content to the learning community unless the message was clearly articulated and easily understood. The audience could become confused and frustrated listening to audio with poor sound quality

Outsourcing the audio file creation process to a professional voice talent can relieve you of the production burden and provide you with more time to develop your scripts. A professional voice artist can perform your script fluidly and flawlessly as though she is an employee of your company. You can locate a voice actor for your project by using on-line search engines and casting services or by calling a local talent agency. You can request that voice talent submit a short audition from your script so that you can select the voice that is most compelling for your copy.

As a bonus, some talent may have previous work experience in your industry and would bring that credibility and authenticity to your project. For instance, I hold a Master’s degree in computer information systems and have over 20 years experience in the IT field, while a fellow voice talent friend has a similar background in molecular biology.

Rates for talent affiliated with unions are published at www.sagaftra.org. However, podcasting per se is not listed on the charts since it is a new medium. Rates shown are for the talent only and do not reflect any costs for studio rental. Non-union talent have varying rates depending on the scope of the project. You may be able to negotiate a contract based on the frequency and length of recordings required.

I and many other voice actors record in our own studios and are able to send you an .mp3 recording with crystal clear clarity in short turn-around times, usually within 24 hours. While I can’t speak for other voice talent, my fees include my studio production time. I also work with my clients on script revisions to ensure that their message conveys the intended meaning.

I would advise that you keep the length of your initial recordings to 15 minutes or less. You will need to evaluate each part of the process to determine the best method to produce each recording, and your remote staff must get accustomed to receiving audio training.

A Voice Actor’s Business Address Won’t Be on Easy Street

30 June 2006

Two events happened this week that are tied together. First, as I frequently do, I received a call from someone who wants to get started in voice-over. As is so often the case with these types of phone calls, the person told me that other people have told her that she should do something with her voice, so she is eager to start her career in voice-over. She wanted to know if I could recommend teachers in Atlanta. I gave her my referrals, and the call concluded.

People ask me this same question so often that I have created an advice page and a recommended book list on my web site to address the answers. I never discourage anyone from pursuing their interest in a career in voice-over. I think if something interests you that you owe it to yourself to explore it. You don’t want to go through life with regrets wondering how your life could have been different if only you had [fill in the blank].

In addition, it’s not my place to tell you the challenges and pitfalls that await you in this career. If you are serious about voice-over (or anything else, for that matter) and have a passion for it, the challenges along the journey won’t matter to you. You will view them as opportunities to grow and experience new things.

However, I also believe that you shouldn’t do things just because other people tell you that you are good at it and should do something about it. People tell me all the time that I am a fantastic marketer and that I should work for an advertising agency. While it’s true that I love marketing, I only love it when doing it for myself or when I can offer unsolicited advice to someone else! If I had to depend on my marketing skills to earn my living, I doubt I would enjoy it so much.

I also am great at math, and I have a natural aptitude for logic. I spent years working as a programmer and LAN administrator because I fell into it easily and then thought it was the right path for me. I wonder why I would think it was the right path when I always felt stressed out and miserable. I knew that I was not being true to myself. Only when I listened to my heart and realized my life-long dream of becoming a voice-over actor did I find peace and fulfillment.

Sometimes I hear from people who say, “I’ve wanted to do this all of my life!” Unfortunately, a more common theme that I hear when people call and e-mail me about going into voice-over is that they want to escape from their current circumstances. I often hear desperation in their voice, which is not an attractive quality. They see voice-over as a glamorous and easy way to make money. This business looks as easy as talking, and hey — they already know how to talk….sign me up!

In my first sentence, I promised that this post would discuss two related things. The second thing was that I read Stephanie Ciccarelli’s excellent article on her VOX Daily blog. Stephanie pointed out that the newcomer’s misguided sense of the industry is fed by our media, which portrays celebrity voice actors having an easy life of working minimum hours for maximum pay.

Stephanie’s comments centered around the voice-over sessions that TV viewers are shown. A viewer may think that a voice-over actor suddenly creates a new character voice on the spot. The best character voices are those for which the actor has been practicing and knows the character’s entire history. Trust me – after studying character voice development with Pat Fraley, a man of 4000 voices, I can tell you that truly memorable character voices don’t just come out of nowhere because you can’t replicate them, and you couldn’t sustain the listener’s interest in them.

The VOX Daily post did not address one very crucial aspect that is also overlooked by the wannabes who call and e-mail me for information in starting their new exciting career. Voice-over is a BUSINESS like any other. As a business person, I am responsible for the success of my business. In addition to being the sole commodity of the business (which is a lot of time and energy in itself!), I am in charge of all executive decisions and implementation plans regarding advertising/marketing/public relations, purchasing, accounting, information technology, publishing, art and legal matters pertaining to the business. In my copious spare time, I help out in the mail room.

I have also noticed that newcomers tend to request information and contacts without performing their own research. They are eager to start making the BIG bucks and don’t want to waste time doing mundane things like listening to demos of established talent, reading books, taking classes, practicing and developing their cold reading and interpretation skills, studying the marketplace, creating a business plan, etc.

My husband Drew is a senior software engineer for a large HR/payroll company. In the 2+ decades that he has been in the computer industry, no one has ever asked him how to get started in that profession. People realize that certain educational requirements must be met to gain an entry level position. Years of experience are necessary to move up in salary. In addition, Drew isn’t in the public eye when he’s working, so people can’t SEE him at work. I guess sitting all day at a computer screen wouldn’t look exciting anyway.

Of course, now that most people have a computer, many people seem to think they could do what he does just because they have a computer at home. Even when I was a LAN administrator, people would ask me questions rather consulting the help screens in their software. I usually had to read the help screens in order to find the answers. People would then ask me how I knew so much!

I digress a little bit only because I see people stampeding to the voice-over industry because they think it’s a source of easy money for virtually no work, just as people think that writing computer software or maintaining a computer network is easy simply because they know how to send an e-mail message.

Drew is also a professional photographer. When he has been on assignment, many people have asked him questions similar to those that I hear from the voice-over wannabes: How did he get started? How did Drew land the current job he was on? Who can that person call about getting similar jobs?

Drew has a theory about the shortcut mentality that seems to plague the performing arts. He thinks that people see someone else making money at an enjoyable activity that they think they know how to do. A photographer is just taking pictures? I could do that! You mean people actually make money for talking, and that field is called voice-over? What fun! I could do that! Drew thinks that if someone discovered a profession in which people could make money for breathing, walking or sitting on your sofa drinking beer and watching TV, people would be flocking to join it.

Stephanie asked: Can just anyone be a voice actor? In answer, I have quotes from 3 people:

A man is what he thinks about all day long. Ralph Waldo Emerson
Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart . . . Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens. Carl Jung

A man to carry on a successful business must have imagination. He must see things as in a vision, a dream of the whole thing.
Charles Schwab

For me, voice-over is a dream come true, and a business that thrives because of my imagination. I think we are all endowed with special talents, gifts and skills, and we see the world in a different way. Anyone can be whatever their heart truly and deeply desires, including becoming a voice actor. I just wish that more people would make conscious choices and realize that doing things for the wrong reasons will not bring fulfillment.