What REALLY matters on a VO website?

Often, your website is your client’s first impression of you.  They see it before they hear your demo. So it makes sense that some VO actors spend gobs of money on them.

Do they need super fancy logos and expensive headshots? Whew, I’ve seen some decked out sites. Voice actors I know have spent thousands of dollars for a logo. Does it really make a difference?

 No. Well, at least not for our Casting & Production Department.

 We hire talent every day, and the logos and headshots on voice actors’ websites can absolutely influence our first impression. Buuuuut first impressions can be fabulous without spending all that cash.

 We believe clients will hire you from your website if it accomplishes three things:

MOST IMPORTANTLY: Make it easy for clients to hear you. Your demos MUST be easily accessible.

• And be sure to call them ‘demos’. That’s the word every casting team is looking for, and it’s understood internationally.
• Put your demos at the top of your main page. Or at the top of every page! Maybe even in your drop-down menu!
• Have an audio player that’s user-friendly (easy to rewind/fast forward, etc.), easy to download, and that opens in the page (so the client isn’t taken elsewhere, like SoundCloud).

SECOND PRIORITY: Make it easy for clients to trust you. You want them to know what they’re getting.

• Here’s the big question; how to communicate ‘trust’. Well, it all starts with a professional looking site. Keep the personal life for your social media pages – your website is your front-most-facing business tool. And for goodness’ sake, proofread. Typos can be immediate red flags.
• Keep in mind that there are some facts about your services and your setup that will be asked for by nearly every potential client. Things like what sort of gear you use, your connectivity options (iPDTL, SourceConnect, etc.), and your turnaround time. Maybe you don’t need fancy headshots, but some pics of you on the job (and/or pics of your recording area) certainly are a good look. 
• Whatever proof of your experience you can provide will assist prospective clients in getting to know you. Client logos, comments about your training, and testimonials from satisfied clients all back up why working with you is the right choice.

ALSO CRUCIAL: Make it easy for clients to contact you. How else will you get the work?

• Be sure to have a dedicated section for your contact information. This includes your email address, best phone number(s), and any social media pages you keep up.
• A form on your website for people to request quotes and make inquiries directly to you is just as useful a tool for clients. For people seeking a one-stop way to find and reach out to you, this will be their choice.

After job #1, we believe that to convert the client into a repeat-client, you need to satisfy two more things:

4)   Act professionally

• It seems obvious, but this means always. Every time, from the moment you first reach out until you’ve been paid. Your ultimate goal should be not just an exceptional experience for your client, it should be to create a repeat client. Focus on what you can do for them, what they need, and treat their project with respect.

5)   Stay top of mind

• No matter how amazing you are, clients can forget your name. Or, they may move onto another employer and not think to tell the new client about you. Create a newsletter, or at least an organized list of your correspondences. Check in with them, congratulate them on milestones, perhaps the occasional update on your own. As one of our coaches likes to say, “Be politely annoying.”