Terry Daniel’s Post

Good morning! I wanted to wish you all a happy and safe Fourth of July weekend!

Passion is a fire that burns within us, igniting our dreams and driving us towards our goals. Yet, the path to achieving those dreams is often fraught with challenges, setbacks, and moments of doubt. It is in these moments that many succumb to the temptation of quitting. But I firmly believe that giving up should never be an option. Allow me to share my journey and explain why I always advocate for an unwavering commitment to your passions and dreams. #voiceovers

Friday VO Tip: I wanted to go over some simple steps when vetting voiceover coaches. We all know the importance of voiceover coaching. Training is essential if you want to have the best chance to succeed, so here are a few things to look for when searching for a voiceover coach; 1. Make sure the coach or coaches have booked real voiceover work! If not, make sure they have plenty of casting experience! Some former casting agents can make good coaches, too. While some companies out there have a nice curriculum, their coaches are just teachers and have never booked! If I were brand new, I would want to learn from coaches who book! 2. It's important to know precisely what services you will receive and who will provide them. Rob Marley mentioned a company a while back where the coaches and producers were not disclosed to you when you signed up. This lack of transparency is problematic. 3. Make sure they have plenty of recommendations on Linkedin along with testimonials on their website. 4. Be sure to work with coaches who can help you with not only script technique/performance but also marketing! There is not enough marketing mentorship with many programs out there, with the exception of UVT! 5. Work with coaches who will not vanish on an island once the VO training program ends! Please feel free to leave me any questions you might have in the comments section. Thanks, everyone! #voiceovers

Happy Friday! Check out this awesome voiceover character demo! Dustin Naylor is an amazing talent. Garnet Williams wrote the scripts, directed him and yours truly produced it! #voiceovers

Do any of you remember bike safety programs in your elementary school gymnasium when you were a kid? In my school, a police officer with a talking safety bike named Sammy would come around once a year! It was one of my favorite programs and now I am voicing something similar. Here's a brief peek into the recording session. It was a blast because they wanted me to do two different voices. #voiceovers

Thursday VO Tip: When marketing your business via email, keep in mind that the ultimate goal is to schedule a meeting with the prospective client. Although you can land new clients through email alone, you have a better chance of sealing the deal after a live phone call. In addition, make sure to use a captivating yet authentic subject header. Avoid using generic and predictable gibberish like "Looking for VO work." Instead, try something more intriguing like "Would you like to hear how my voice can help you move product?" A question is always more likely to get a response! In fact, I recommend closing the email with a question, such as "Would you have time on Thursday to speak with me?" This will increase your chances of getting a response. Best of luck! #voiceovers

Wednesday VO Tip: Listening is such an essential skill, whether learning the business or when you're recording voiceovers. It should never be taken for granted. Not everyone is a good listener. You may have run across several VO forums on social media, where some talents consistently post the same questions after hearing the answers many times. It's hard to tell if they're just not listening or looking for attention. If a professional voice actor has reached out with experienced advice, be a sponge, listen and take notes. Let's talk VO gigs for a minute! When you're in a directed session with a client, it's never been more important to pay close attention to the direction you're given. From the second the gig begins, not only do you need to perform the script exactly how the client wants it performed but at the same time, you need to do everything you can to keep this client for life! If you struggle with listening or have issues with attention deficit like I do, it's important to work on becoming a better listener. While everyone emphasizes the importance of your voice in this business, the skill of using your ears often gets overlooked. #voiceovers

Monday VO Tip: I covered this in a recent VO marketing class but I wanted to transcribe some excerpts from real conversations involving a few clients who considered switching to an AI service last year due to budget cuts. You'll see that every scenario had a happy ending! Here they are... 1. "John, you always like doing live-directed sessions. How will that continue given that AI voices won't be on Source Connect with you?" Result: STILL my client! 2. "I understand if your budget will no longer work with my rates, but has the work I have done this past year produced results? Client: Good point! We'll find a way to make it work. Result: The client stuck with me and I did NOT have to lower my rates. 3. "Terry, it's nothing personal but we just want to try an AI service for a little while and see if we like it, given our new budget restraints." Me: No problem at all. Let's keep in touch and please let me know how it all works out with this AI service. I would be happy to provide feedback on what they did as well. Keep in mind, that they won't be able to text you during a football game like you and I have done these past few years. They won't be able to make adjustments like I have over the years. And come on, man! They're not as cool as I am! Lol! Result: The client indeed left me for an AI service. He made his triumphant return three weeks later! 4. "We're getting a better deal with this AI service who pitched to us." Me: Well, that's a deal that looks too good to refuse! Just know that this company clones voice actor's voices illegally. If I were you, I wouldn't want "hiring an unethical company" stapled to my reputation. You and I have worked together for a long time, so I am just being transparent with you. Result: The client stayed with me. 5. "We're still going to use you but for the other voices we need, we have decided to work with an AI service. Me: So, my voice is going to be mixed in with a bunch of AI voices? I don't see this working out particularly well because your customers will notice the difference. It will sound odd to have a real authentic voice mixed in with phony AI voices. I mean, these are your projects but given our 4-year working relationship, you have always asked me for feedback on your projects, so this is no different. Result: The client told me to F off and hung up on me. I'M KIDDING! He stuck around too! I wanted to share these bits and pieces of real conversations with you because it's vital that you don't become alarmed, frazzled or angry should one of your clients consider dumping you for an AI service. Remain friendly and professional. Be candid but not defensive. Even though I didn't have any REAL issues competing with AI in 2023 and still don't in 2024, I did have to work a little to save these five clients and everything I said WORKED! #voiceovers

Thank you Aleesha! You are truly an amazing talent and wonderful to work with!