Professional Associations. Every industry has ‘em, and voice-over is no different. So, let’s talk about associations, World-Voices.org (WoVO) in particular. You may ask yourself, “Why do I need an association? Can’t I network through Facebook and LinkedIn? Why can’t I just google “Voice-over resources” and work through all 10,000 hits?.” You can. But there’s a better way.
Why do we join associations? We join for many reasons. Mainly, it’s about networking with people in our industry and creating professional relationships. Associations provide opportunities to meet and engage with our peers and colleagues. Some associations (like WoVO) have a mentorship program where you can work with experts on specific topics. That’s pretty nice, especially when we’re just starting out in an industry where we spend at least 95% of our time by ourselves. Associations hold events where we can hear high-level industry professionals speak and create new business opportunities. Being on top of new industry trends is easy when the association is part of the trend-setting group. You can get all this and more, as a member of WoVO.
There are 3 different types of memberships with WoVO. Yearly membership dues are $99. Membership categories are:
Professional Level – For those who can list, at a minimum, 5 distinct clients in the previous 13 months where you were paid at or near standard professional rates for VO work. Your application then goes to the board to be approved.
Associate Level – For members who have not yet completed 5 jobs for distinct clients in the previous 13 months. Once you achieve that you can be upgraded to Professional Level.
Industry Partners – For those people who provide ancillary or support services to voice actors but are not voice actors themselves.
What do you get for your $99? WoVO offers access to high-level industry professionals that you can go to for advice once you’re out of training and into the real world. Mentorship is available in many areas. You can get help with the business part (marketing plans, tax issues, etc.). There are mentors available for general chats and sanity checks. Maybe you want some feedback on your demos? WoVO has mentors that will offer demo reviews and technical guidance. Not sure if that weird hum is coming from your equipment, or somewhere in your studio? Is that mic you just spent $1500 on really the best one for your voice? You can talk to someone about technical issues like equipment and environments. Perhaps you have been working in Audiobooks and want to do commercial work; you can get advice on working in different markets.
What else do you get? In addition to the mentoring program, you get a quarterly newsletter, access to the directory listing site VoiceOver.biz where you can post a profile and demos so voice seekers can find you. You also get a 10% discount on all purchases over $300 at Sweetwater and a 10% discount off of all promotional items through 4Imprint.com. And you get access to the annual membership conference at a discount price,
Anything else? Yes. You get the pride of belonging to an association of your peers where you can exchange ideas, offer your services as a mentor, and create a name for yourself in this industry. When you are part of an association you show potential clients that you are serious about your vocation.
At the end of the day, Voiceover is a lonely business. You are in your booth for hours at a time, alone. You are preparing your marketing materials, alone. You are setting up and maintaining your social media and website, alone. Isn’t it nice to know that there is somewhere you can go to talk to other like-minded individuals that are as passionate about the Voiceover industry as you are? Isn’t it cool that there’s a place where you can find resources and information to stay on top of your game? Aren’t you glad that you can find people willing to help you out (for free) when you need some professional guidance? If you answered yes to any or all of the above questions, then take a minute and mozy on over to world-voices.org.
Looking for more ways to grow yourself and your network? Check out this article on mastermind groups in VO.
