‘Tis the Season For Voiceover

by | Dec 16, 2022 | Guest Column, Voice Actor

The holidays are upon us and with that comes lots of seasonal advertising – and when I say lots, I mean a lot!  Many retailers and even online stores make up to 70 percent of their revenue during November and December. So what does that mean to the established or aspiring voice talent? Simply put: opportunity.

With radio, TV, and digital advertising bursting at the seams, a query email, a friend of a friend who works in the marketing department, or any seasonal advertiser could mean a last-minute voiceover job because you happened to be at the right place at the right time.

Make the calls, send out your demo. Don’t be shy – ‘tis the season for self-promotion. You must remember that old adage: out of sight, out of mind. No one cares more about your career than you do. Not your agent, not your family or friends – only you. It’s the season to be jolly, so roll up your sleeves and work like a busy elf just before Santa’s big night.

At the least, you’ll get a response like, “contact us after the first of the year.” And with that, you’ve got an open door. Remember, advertisers are subject to the same thing many other business departments are: spend your allocated budget for this year, or we’ll cut it next year! What that means to you and me is that often they will run a sort of “throw-the-spaghetti-against-the-wall-and-see-what-sticks” philosophy just to make sure they max out their budget. A well-timed call could mean you get your first break. I actually booked a radio spot on New Year’s Eve morning set to play later that day. It also can happen for last minute December holiday spots.

It’s also a great time of year if you’ve got special skills such as a real knack for Ho-Ho-Ho-ing like Santa, an affinity for hot chocolate, and that Christmas sparkle in your voice.

And if you sing – and we’re not only talking world-class singing, but just carrying a bit of a tune – there’s a lot of work for one more rendition of The Twelve Days of Christmas for a Toyotathon or other various products. There are lots of caroling commercials as well which can be a lot of fun. So let your agent know that you sing. It’s always been good for at least one holiday spot per year for me.

If you want it, go for it!  And, make sure you thank those who have been clients, agents, and managers this year!

I’ll end with a note of encouragement: a good friend of mine who’s an iconic voice talent in the animation and commercial world once told me that he only lands, on average, a single job in every (wait for it) one hundred auditions! A voice talent’s job, like any actor, is auditioning. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t land the job after your amazing audition – it happens to the best.

Cheers and Happy Holidays!  Next month: It’s a New Year – 2023 – Ideas and Goal Setting. See you in the New Year!

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