Karen@KarenCommins.com

Karen Commins

Award Winning

Atlanta Audiobook Share-rator™

Marketing

25 ways to get publicity and traffic to your web site

I subscribe to a fantastic e-zine called The Publicity Hound written by Joan Stewart. In each week’s issue, she posts a question to “help this hound”, and the question this week was from another voice talent who wanted to know how to drive traffic to his web site. I answered with 20 suggestions on Joan’s blog but am including my answer here these ideas may help other people. Also, I am adding 5 more ideas that I didn’t include in my original answer.

As another voice-over talent, many newcomers to the industry ask me the same question. I have written essays on my blog in which I point out that voice-over is a business that requires a marketing plan. Like any business owner, the talent should determine where s/he fits in the marketplace and develop a marketing plan that targets the primary prospects on a steady and consistent basis.

Numerous ways exist to contact the prospects and depend on a person’s time, budget and creativity. If the goal is simply to drive traffic to a web site, obviously, getting a link to your site published in a popular e-zine like The Publicity Hound will do the trick!A web site is just one aspect of a marketing plan. In order to increase business and develop sustained relationships, the voice-over talent must be persistent in taking actions, such as:

1. Creating and maintaining a personal web site

2. Making phone calls to casting directors, producers, directors

3. Networking at industry meetings and events

4. Sending direct mail (postcards, newsletters, etc.)

5. Auditioning for one or more agents

6. Joining on-line casting services and submitting auditions

7. Writing postings in forums to show your expertise

8. Sending e-mails when you see opportunities such as those posted on CraigsList

9. Writing articles that can be reprinted in on-line e-zines

10. Exchanging reciprocal web links with complimentary sites

11. Listing your site on free web directories

12. Speaking at industry or community events

13. Presenting training classes

14. Placing industry advertisements in printed and web-based directories, CraigsList, etc.

15. Including your web site on the signature lines on your e-mails, on your business card, and on every piece of correspondence both on- and off-line

16. Sending imprinted products with your web site to your clients

17. Starting a blog on your web site and post comments on others’ blogs when you have expertise

18. Publishing a regular e-zine to maintain contact and requesting people to forward it

19. Asking for and rewarding referrals from satisfied clients

20. Posting testimonials of satisfied clients on your web site

This list is by no means all-inclusive, and most items don’t apply only to those in voice-over. By implementing one or more of these ideas on a regular basis, a person could spur traffic to his site and potentially increase his business.

Of course, I could have added a few more things, like:

21. Establishing a pay-per-click campaign

22. Generating press releases to announce your news

23. Getting feature stories written about you in the newspaper (a feature story is so much better than an ad! Just ask my friends and fellow voice talents Susan Berkley and Mary McKitrick if you don’t believe me)

24. Sending clippings of news stories of interest to your contacts

25. Joining an on-line networking service

26. Using search engines to locate potential contacts and querying them directly

27. Starting your own podcast

28……

I only promised 25 ideas but got carried away! When you aren’t working, you are working on obtaining work, using the tools and technology at your disposal and through whatever means you feel comfortable. It’s meaningless if someone simply visits your web site. I think a better goal is to think of ways to make connections with your prospects so that you can develop on-going business relationships.

 

Shining the light on pitches to prospects

One need only look at my voice-over studio to know that I am in love with Paris. The Eiffel Tower is my favorite thing in the world. I wear a gold Eiffel Tower charm on a bracelet, and I have numerous Eiffel Tower figurines in my house. The highlight (no pun intended) of my collection is a tall, lead crystal Eiffel Tower that sits on a lighted mirrored base. The base has colored LEDs, so the sparkling crystal shimmers in a rainbow of color as the base slowly turns.

A dear friend didn’t know that I had bought this crystal Eiffel Tower when I was in Las Vegas. As a birthday present, she surprised me with a smaller version of the one I had bought. It even sits atop a lighted mirrored base just like the one pictured here.

Granted, the peddlers swarming beneath the Tower’s four lacy pillars wouldn’t know those things about me as Drew and I exited the Tower on a recent visit to Paris. They would only know that I had been up in the Tower, and they should have noticed that I was carrying a shopping bag. Since it was dark, they may have been unable to discern that the shopping bag was from the Eiffel Tower, indicating I had purchased souvenirs at the Tower gift shops.

Just like at the Great Pyramids, these people all rush up to you, shoving their wares in your face and shouting prices at you. In addition to the ever-popular Eiffel Tower key chains that we have seen (and bought) on previous trips, the new craze was hand-held, flashing, lighted Eiffel Towers. A girl who loves the Eiffel Tower as much as I do and already has 2 lighted crystal Eiffel Towers is a likely target market for such a thing. At the time, though, I was most interested in dinner since it was very late, and we had to get up early for our flight home.

The seller’s approach has everything to do with the prospect’s interest. People shouting prices at me just make me want to hurry along to get away from them, no matter how much I might like their item. As Will Newman points out in his excellent article in the Early to Rise e-zine, you often have to use the word because with appeals to your prospect’s emotions if you expect to make sales.

One of these flashing light vendors started walking with us. Like the guy at the Pyramids, I’ll give him points for trying to create rapport with us. He even attempted to follow Newman’s advice to play to our emotions, but he made a critical mistake.

Since this incident happened a few months ago, I have forgotten exactly what he said to me, but I responded that I already had one. Even though I liked the light, I was thinking I didn’t need to spend money on his light when I had the 2 splendid crystal versions awaiting me at home. I also just had stocked up on Eiffel Tower goodies inside the gift shops.

Did he appeal to my emotions in any way? Did he use humor and charm and say something like, ‘Two are better than one, especially for such a handsome couple! You each could have one then!’

Did this merchant explain the benefits of his product to me? Did he use quick thinking to generate a sale and propose that perhaps I’d like to purchase one as a special gift? Did he mention that the lights were exclusive items to the vendors outside and not carried by the Tower shops? (At least I didn’t see them inside the tiny, crowded little shops in the Tower.)

If he had ever suggested to either of us that we could buy this little light for me as reminder of our romantic nighttime visit to the twinkling Eiffel Tower, he probably would have made a sale. I DID like the flashing light, and he had engaged us in some form of conversation as we walked rather than simply shouting prices at us.

No, he employed a different tactic.

He argued with me.

When I told him that I had one, he said, ‘No you don’t!’ When I assured him that I do have one and had received it as a gift, he yelled at me, ‘YOU LIE!’

Okay, so I don’t have a lighted Eiffel Tower that looks and works exactly like the one he was selling. I think his light was something like a plastic flashlight, while my pieces are lead crystal and only light up when placed on top of the mirrored base. Apparently, street peddlers don’t study marketing tactics or read books by Dale Carnegie, but I would think even they should know that you don’t scream at potential prospects and call them liars.

When contacting potential clients about utilizing you as a voice-over talent, you should research them as thoroughly as possible before making the connection. Look at their web sites and read industry periodicals. The cold-call instantly becomes a warmer call when you already know something about the background and current needs of the person or organization. Practice your script, and be ready to tailor your responses depending on the recipient.

Understand that your first pitch to a potential voice-over client is probably not going to elicit a commitment on a project. You’re not trying to sell some little gadget on the street to someone you probably will never see again. You are a professional person who is introducing yourself and hoping to cast the initial rivets in the iron foundation of what will become a towering relationship among your clients. You usually have to make 5-7 contacts before the light even goes on in the prospect’s head that you are a voice-over artist.

Above all, have respect for everyone with whom you contact. You never know the source of that next job. What you put out in the Universe comes back to you. Would you rather spend your time in darkness, generating negative energy toward the prospect who turned you down, or in brightness, radiating positive energy to attract those clients who are looking for your vocal characteristics, your style of reads, your specialty niche and your value-added services?

If you always speak to and about prospects with deference to their needs, sometimes that first pitch will be all you need to forge a relationship of lasting beauty.

5 Thoughts About Self-Promotion in Social Settings

Can you ever go overboard on the self-promotion and networking? If you had asked me this question a few months ago, I would have had a different perspective. You can have all the talent in the world, but talent alone will not win you jobs if no one knows about it. I’m a firm believer that you must learn how to promote yourself and your capabilities often, to the right people and in the best light.

I have gotten most of my voice-over work through my own self-promotion efforts. I am a perpetual student of marketing and publicity books and other resources. I observe what other people do both inside and outside the voice-over industry to see how I might apply the concepts to my business.

I learned from Wayne Dyer that when you ask the Universe, ‘How may I serve?’, the Universe will respond by asking that question of you. If you are constantly in a state of saying ‘Gimme, gimme, gimme’, the Universe will respond by serving up that statement to you. You will feel like you are always striving and never arriving.

The point I want to make today is that the needs of your audience still take priority over your own need to promote yourself. It’s not all about me, and it’s not all about you.

I advise people to tell everyone what you do. You never know where that next voice-over gig may come from. I mention my work while on vacation when people ask about it, and I tell them details when they ask questions. Sometimes I have seized opportunity while on vacation to make a pitch for work, but those times are rare. (I mean it’s rare that I have the opportunity, not rare that I would take it!)

After listening to a lecturer on our recent cruise, I compiled some guidelines about self-promotion when networking in social settings that you may find helpful.On our recent cruise, Drew and I met this guy while we were waiting to return to the ship from one of the islands. He told us he was a lecturer on the ship and proceeded to inform us about living in Hollywood, some famous people he knew, etc. As I have an interest in expanding my business with speaking engagements, I asked whether he lectured exclusively on cruise ships or in other environments. He was only too happy to tell me how he was the best of the best and got the job through an agent.

He gave us a brief history of his life including his acting background, which prompted Drew to tell him about my voice-over career. The guy asked about my credits, presumably to see if he knew my work. When I said I perform a lot of corporate narrations and audiobooks, he made some comment about reading textbooks for the blind, as if he had dismissed me as someone beneath his exalted stature.

I explained to him that commercial audiobooks are an $800 million industry and growing, in part because people are spending more time than ever in horrendous commutes. For instance, the average one-way commute in Atlanta is 34 miles!

The next day, Drew and I were enjoying a perfectly lovely lunch facing the water on another gorgeous Greek island. Mr. Lecturer had already called out to us while we were walking around the town, and now here he was walking along the waterfront, headed straight toward us.

He saw us.

I don’t know why I did it, but, before I could stop myself, the words were out of my mouth: I asked if he would like to join us. Naturally, he sat down. I didn’t know when I extended the invitation that he would spend most of his time sitting at our table and talking to the two crew members who happened to be sitting at the table next to us.

The man found the topic of himself to be endlessly fascinating. He told us about being a contestant on Jeopardy and his history developing game shows. He related stories of speeches past and happy audiences who were mesmerized by his words.

He never asked about us or noticed our needs that day. To be perfectly honest, we really didn’t care about his many past accomplishments because we would never be in a position to hire him. Maybe the retired senior crowd of fellow passengers would find him to be a sparkling conversationalist, but we thought he was obnoxiously boring.

All we wanted to do was sit out in the sun at this amazingly pretty and romantic place that we may never see again and look at the village scenery set against the water. We couldn’t even do that because the guy’s head blocked our view.

So, here are 5 rules for self-promotion when networking, especially while in a social setting:

1) Repeatedly ask yourself ‘how may I serve?’ when progressing the conversation.

2) Don’t talk endlessly about yourself. Other people lead interesting lives, too, and you may find out the answer to question number one by asking questions of others.

3) Don’t put down other people’s accomplishments to make yourself feel better.

4) No matter how talented you are or what you’ve accomplished in life, somebody else is always better or has done more. Don’t make bold, bragging statements like ‘I know I’m the best so they were wise to hire me’. No one wants to talk too long with someone who is a legend in his own mind.

5) Take your audience’s needs into consideration before you make your pitch. Are you on vacation in an exotic location? If so, the chance is very good that no one is interested in talking about business anyway.

 

Persistence is especially needed in marketing

Opportunity is missed by most people
because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.

— Thomas Edison

I have read that one of the fastest ways to achieve your own dreams is to help other people achieve their dreams. I think that universal law is true because what you put out in the world comes back to you. In fact, one reason I started this blog is so I could help other people achieve their dreams of thriving voice-over careers.

However, when I write these articles, I benefit, too. I’m reminded of the days when becoming a voice-over artist were just a whispering in my mind. I think about every step I’ve taken to change that whisper into the reality of being a professional voice-over talent working in my beautiful Parisian-themed studio, and I can see how my consistent actions over time have built upon each other to make this fabulous career that I love. If I give advice to someone else, I re-read it as if I am the recipient and immediately think of areas in which I might improve in my own business.

I really do like to help people who are getting started or otherwise building their careers in voice-over, but I don’t have much time to help people on an individual basis. I’m finding that it’s much easier and faster for me to point anyone seeking my advice here and to my web site.

In this age of incredible technology and abundant information, I also think that people should do some research and have some respect for others’ time. READ AND ABSORB everything you can before you start asking questions. Building a career takes time, and no shortcuts exist. No matter how much I or anyone tells you,

your success is totally up to YOU.

I can’t decide any action you should take. I can’t do the work for you.

I can, however, highlight some lessons that I have learned along the way. When I mentioned the Atlanta attorney in yesterday’s column, I said he was a brilliant marketer. Observant students of marketing would have noted that I said he had repeated his message in multiple media. While his slogan is “One call — that’s all”, his success is due to the frequency and repetition of his marketing message in several formats. He’s not just relying one type of marketing (or even more simply, one call!) and hoping to bring in business. He wants to make absolutely sure that you see him everywhere you look, and you know exactly what he does and what he can do for you.

How can you apply this important concept to your voice-over business to attract clients to you? I wouldn’t necessarily advise advertising on park benches like our attorney friend, but are you utilizing:

  • a personal web site
  • phone calls
  • networking
  • direct mail
  • one or more agents
  • on-line casting services
  • forum postings
  • e-mails
  • articles
  • reciprocal web links and listings on free web sites
  • speaking engagements/training classes
  • industry advertisements in printed and web-based directories
  • signature lines on your e-mails
  • imprinted products

Obviously, my list is not an all-inclusive, exhaustive list of marketing channels and tools; books are filled with great ideas to promote your business. I even have seen ads on eBay for voice-over services. I don’t know how well those people are doing with their listings, but I give them kudos for thinking of a different media outlet in which to advertise their voice-over business.

While it’s great to market using the proven channels that everyone in your industry uses, I had an epiphany while listening to the extraordinary Mastermind Marketing System from legendary marketing guru Jay Abraham. Among the many things I learned from this CD set is that I should observe other industries and use them as a model. If you can market yourself in a way like no one else in your industry, you will more than likely will be a big fish in a big pond!

For instance, I have attended trade organization meetings when I have been the only voice talent in attendance. I have always made several good contacts at such gatherings which led to jobs after successive follow-ups months or, in one case, years later. My postings to web forums unrelated to voice-over have sent immeasurable traffic to my web site and who knows how many jobs.

This week is typical for me in that, like the attorney, I am not waiting for prospects to appear from only one endeavor. I am working on an audiobook pitch to one company, an e-learning pitch to another, a postcard mail-out to one target market, updates to my web sites, auditions from my agents and casting services, follow-ups about work with a TV station and contacts with a meeting planner. While next week’s exact activites may vary, one thing will not change: I will be doing something everyday to improve and increase my business.

I will conclude this entry with two powerful quotes to share regarding the persistence of effort that you will need to build your voice-over career.

Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan ‘Press On’ has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.

— Calvin Coolidge, 30th President of the United States

I know that persistence trumps talent and looks every time. Given how I look and how little education I’ve had, persistence is pretty much all I had to fall back on. I arrived in Seattle in 1973 and decided I was going to work at KING-TV. They were somewhat less excited by this than I was. I called the news director every Thursday morning at ten for four years. Didn’t miss a one. At first they had no interest because I had no college degree. Then because I had no TV experience. Then because they had no job. In July of 1976, they figured out that I was just going to keep on calling. So they gave me the worst job in the newsroom. I loved it.

But long before then, I knew persistence was essential. When a 10-year-old tells his parents he’s going to be an anchor someday, they think he’s nuts. At 20 and out of work, they think he’s foolish. I’ve had a wonderful life because I never once doubted that things would work out. That is the lesson I teach my daughter. Decide what you want and do it. People will tell you that you’re being silly or a dreamer. Ignore them all. Just keep plugging along, make the phone call every week. I know this for certain.

— Aaron Brown, former ABC and CNN anchor as quoted in O Magazine, November 2002

 

Don’t wait for vacation to send a postcard

Sometimes I’m amazed by the synchronicity of events in my life. For instance, this week I have been looking at sites on-line for postcard vendors. I’m planning my next postcard mail-out and have been comparing prices and offerings, as well as requesting samples. I previously have been working with a local printer, but I may be able to get a better deal on the glossy paper from a company that specializes in postcards. BTW, if you want to know why you should include postcards in your marketing mix and how to plan a campaign, I recommend that you download the marketing guide from www.modernpostcard.com.

This morning, I had to wait for a table at breakfast at a trendy restaurant in an artistic part of Atlanta. While I waited, I thumbed through the August issue of Performer Magazine, a free magazine that I never knew existed. The magazine is aimed at musicians, but the article on selling yourself with your merchandise benefitted me. It listed 2 pages of web sites for various promotional products and — you guessed it — postcards.

I want to go on on a small tangent from my discussion about postcards and marketing at the moment. Not only did the magazine article contain just the material I needed about postcards, but the past articles about recording posted in the magazine web site look like they may be very helpful. I’m always interested to learn everything I can about recording. In fact, I just ordered Pat Fraley’s newly-published book about home recording studios. Even though I have a totally wonderful studio, everything I learn from Pat is of tremendous value. I’m particularly looking forward to reading his info about self-direction, audio production tips and travel gear.

Marketing mentor Dan Kennedy’s e-mail message today said, in part, that frequency and recency are important with your clients, so frequent communication is required. In other words, out of sight, out of mind. I think postcards are a great way to maintain regular contact with the whole client list.

I’m also a member of Susan Berkley’s voice-over silver inner circle. Susan is a fantastic, warm, caring coach who truly wants every person she mentors to reach their highest potential. In the program, we have monthly hour-long teleconference with industry guests where we get the inside scoop on all parts of the business, a day for personal contact with Susan and Susan’s weekly e-mail containing advice about furthering our careers. She usually sends the the weekly e-mail at the beginning of the week, but for some reason, it arrived today. Can you guess the subject of her message this week?

POSTCARD POWER

I told you the synchronicity was rather amazing, didn’t I?

Do you still use postcards in your business? I’d love to hear your comments on the subject, as well as any sites you recommend. I’m obviously looking for a vendor! 🙂

 

The keys to a successful business

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.