Field Notes

-Learn how to politely ask for “f**k off” prices. Sometimes there’s just going to be a gig you can’t or don’t want to take. Sit with it for a moment and consider how much money you’d actually need to earn for it to be worth it… then quote that. Be careful though because you may be surprised when someone actually accepts your quote -Running off the field note above, keep in mind which clients are worth doing this with. A long term client who has treated you well may take offen

-This industry is a “right place right time” kind of environment. If you've got the passion, then you've got the potential! You just need to stay active - Others have said this before but it’s important to reiterate. We work in a world of connections and networking. The best way to keep people wanting to help you is to show your gratitude. You don’t have to flood them with THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU, but if someone helps you out then spend some time writing a genuine thank you.

-Treat cold email follow ups like door-to-door sales. How many times would you knock (follow up) before taking the hint? I'm a firm believer that 4-5 follow-ups are more than plenty to get your answer. -Treat warm lead follow-ups like checking in on someone. You don't need to do it every week but if you only reach out once or twice a year then you might want to reconsider what “staying in touch” means

- Attention spans are getting shorter and shorter. (Are you still reading?) If your initial cold outreach is longer than 200 words, you aint doin it right. - Templates are great and save time. Time for you saved typing and time for your prospect saved considering you. If it took you 5 seconds to send, expect them to take 5 seconds to disregard you.

- DO YOU WANT TO BE GOOD AT YELLING?! Like all acting, it needs to feel real to be real. Let's say your character is meant to be screaming across a canyon, desperately trying to get someone's attention. If you're worried about your neighbors hearing you, then your shout won't be convincing. Yell like you're in the scene. - Vocal health is important and proper training can get you to making sounds you only envisioned in your nightmares (mwahaha). It's important to take it slow

-“Success” in cold outreach is not booking a gig. Success is just getting a positive response. Or maybe for you it’s just getting a response in general! Define your metric for success so you can measure what strategies work and what doesn’t. That’s where you’ll find true long-term success - WILD CARD MARKETING. You should always be trying new ways of cold outreach even if it seems destined to fail. Your goal is trial and error here, not instant “success.” Try new things along

- Don't be afraid to ask for pronunciation help. If you're not sure, it's always best to ask because some clients may have a specific way of saying something that isn't considered "traditional." Also, you can only trust those "how to pronounce" YouTube videos so much. - Speaking of fear, don't fear the money talk. When you're starting out and land a gig, sometimes you can feel hesitant to bring up the money. "What if I scare them away?" Maybe you just get so excited you forge

- Record a lot of dynamic performances? Look into an XLR splitter. You can run a single mic to two channels at once, both with different gains. I’ve been saved having to re-record quite a few times by my splitter. For longer recordings with lots of volume fluctuations, it's nice to have an active safety in case I accidentally peak. - On the other side of the coin, if in a live studio session, be sure to tell your engineer if you plan to go loud. They'll appreciate the heads u

- Don't reach out to close. Reach out to open. Open doors, open communication, open relationships. As VAs all we can hope for is to be remembered when the time is right. Be someone who is remembered and remembered fondly.  - You don’t land a long-term client through cold marketing. You land a long-term client after the session went great, you were easy and professional to work with, and you stay at the forefront of their mind. You land the opportunity to get that first sessio

-Treat your marketing like cultivating crops. Seeds must be planted and tended to before they can grow. The same goes for our buyers. Don't expect one or two emails to land you a gig. -The perfect cold email does 3 things. It introduces you, it quickly states what you do, and it announces your intention to follow up. You could have the best sales pitch on the planet but if a buyer doesn't need VO right now then they don't need VO. Be on their mind and be someone they like. Wh

Why Field Notes? I love Field Notes, because it makes daily notes more intentional. Along with many other ones, I keep a notebook around me dedicated to VO tips, marketing thoughts, buyer help, and so.  Starting today, I'll begin posting these notes to LinkedIn to hopefully help all of you! If you're interested, I'll also have an archive of every note on my website (think of them like VERY mini blogs) and plan to expand on the occasional note with a short YouTube video from t