So, you’ve picked your niche, you’ve found your signature voice, and you’ve realized that there is money where your mouth is. So how do you dig deeper? Where do you find even more empowerment, community, and opportunities so that you can become an expert in that genre? Here are some ideas to get you started with owning your niche:
Google your niche – Find any guilds, associations, organizations, or federations that support your niche: the eLearning guild, audio publishers association (the voice of the audiobook industry), IGDA (International Game Developers Association), American Advertising Federation. Find out if they have local chapters and show up to the meetings. You will probably be the only voice-over person there! Do they have conventions? Go to them. Bring your demos on a flash drive and meet people face-to-face! Learn as much as you can about the industry niche as possible so that you can be a true resource for your clients.
Search Social Media – Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Google+, and LinkedIn all have niche specific groups that you can join. These groups talk about industry-specific information as it pertains to voice-over artists. You can get as broad or as narrow as you wish in your searches: looking for a group that works specifically with Government eLearning projects? Put that in your search. Once you’re in the group, join the conversations: add your input, ask questions. Remember to be polite and professional; potential clients or referrals might be lurking in these groups.
Remember that Perception is Reality – By owning a niche and letting people know that you specialize in that genre, it becomes real. If you are just beginning your voice-over career, that’s okay. Learn as much as you can by joining niche specific associations and organizations, social media groups, continuing with great coaching, and practicing your voice-over skills. Most importantly, though, present yourself as a voice-over artist specializing in your niche, charge a fair market rate, and you will be received as such.
Opportunities will present themselves when you find the right communities to support you in owning your niche. Whichever genre you have chosen to pursue, make sure that you come from a place of authenticity. Best wishes on your voice-over journey!
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Jillian Nielsen is an expressive voice talent with over 14 years of experience in radio and television commercial and promotional voice-overs.
