One of the most terrifying words in the English language finds itself immersed in six letters… ‘Change.’ There is that phrase, ‘No one likes change’; it can manifest itself in many ways. A recent study shows that unless the pain of the environment served exceeds the fear presented by change, the majority of people will remain in an unhappy situation despite a bleak future. This article looks at change, where it presents itself, and where we must always be adapting within voiceover. You can also read more about change within voiceover here.
Adapting Your Voiceover Business and Following The Seasons
Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall make up our calendar year for seasons. Together they fill twelve months but alone only three. We all have seasons we prefer and points in the year we like more than others. The world of a self-employed voice actor is often a lot like this. We have seasons where work can flow in abundance; typically, this is a season we like. Then we have seasons where the work has abruptly dried up, and this would be a season we do not like.
Voice Talent Within the Seasons of Change
When we think of our natural resources, we have an armory of tools at our disposal to combat the working climate. Winter comes, which invites hats and gloves; summer comes bringing out the shades and sun cream. So, when we feel overwhelmed, overworked, and unappreciated, what are our voiceover tools? Well, there are a few things:
One. Offset some of the work: Perhaps hire someone on Fiverr to do some of your editings and consider hiring a virtual assistant to help you manage your time, inquiries, and scheduling.
Two. Plan everything in and commit to it: Be specific and committed to your working hours, do not start earlier, do not finish later, and certainly do not let something slide. Every session in your calendar needs you to be intentional with it.
So, what about when things are not going well and the workload has dried up? What do we do then? Here are a few things:
One. Do not worry at all: It is normal to have quiet moments, especially around the holidays. An excellent tip to use during this situation is to save some projects for moments like these. Perhaps you were working on your own audio drama? Now is a beautiful time to continue with that project.
Two. Catch up on the mountain of admin work you have: Do not wait until the last minute to submit your tax return. If you have time, do it now. You can also catch up on your invoicing, social media, and online marketing. If you are quiet, drive in some new customers and get busy again. Learn more about voiceover marketing here.
Conclusion
As a species, we can often look at the seasons through a negative lens. But to maximize our efforts we must take a different perspective, as beauty can be found in all seasons. Yes, the winter is painfully cold but look at how the beautiful sun rays glisten off the snow or how in fall, those once green leaves explode with a blast of color hitting every shade in the spectrum. Similarly, the life of a self-employed voiceover artist is exactly the same.
When we are busy and the cash flow is strong, free time is what we long for, but that does not take away from the amazing fact that money is coming in. When things are quieter, enjoy the rest! Moreover, catch up on those other projects that have been on ice for months. Adapting within voiceover can be tricky. Thinking of it like the seasons of the year helps us understand that the process is completely normal.
Adapting Within Voiceover by Alan Shires – Actor, Voiceover Artist, and Presenter at www.alanshires.co.uk.
