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It's been a hot minute since we've been able to get back to networking in person with our fellow voice actors. But what about networking outside a voiceover conference? How does that work? Anne talks about some great ways to meet the people who will be hiring you.
There's really a different energy when you're in front of people...
Today I wanna talk to you about in-person networking and why it's so important. Hey, so a couple of weeks ago, I actually presented at a conference, and it had been a long time since I had been out and about presenting in front of people. And I have to say I really missed doing that. There's really a different energy when you're in front of people and networking and working to grow your business. So one thing that I want to suggest is that try to find conferences or events to go to that are outside of your comfort zone. I actually presented at a conference that wasn't a voiceover conference, but it was actually an AI conference that talked about synthetic voices. While it definitely is kind of a parallel or a close-by industry to our industry, it certainly wasn't the voiceover industry. And one thing that I found is that it is an entirely different feel, uh, an entirely different structure.
And what it did is it gave me a great sense of what it's like to be out in the corporate world or in a completely different industry where people are networking and getting to know one another. I had to really listen and observe and come up with different ways to network and introduce myself to people, which really got me outside of my comfort zone. But it also, in doing so, and in meeting new people, it really helped me to feel more comfortable in talking about who I am, what I do, and what my business is, and also to allow me to see more opportunities. So I highly recommend if you can go to a conference that's outside of the voiceover industry.
So let's say you're interested in doing a lot of e-learning voiceover. Maybe go to an e-learning conference. If you're interested in, uh, video game or character, go to a Comic Con. Go to a different conference that is not necessarily just meant for voiceover people, but uh, uh, is something that is parallel to your industry or is some part of the industry that you want to serve or you want to sell to. And it will really help you to learn about that industry and then learn how you can serve them better.
When I started opening up and talking to people, the first thing I did is I'd asked them about their job and what their responsibilities were in the industry. And I started to really learn a lot about an industry in which I want to, number one, be more educated about so that I might be able to work with them or alongside them, or maybe not; I can make that decision. But I certainly was able to educate myself in asking questions about them. What do they do? What are their daily responsibilities? And also what part do I play in their industry?
And it's really interesting because it's, it's easy to lose sight of because when we are very much in our own voiceover industry, in our studios, in our tiny little boxes, we tend to forget what it's like out there in the world where companies might need us for a particular voiceover job, but we don't understand the scope in which or where or when we're needed or in the bigger picture of things. So for example, if I happen to meet somebody from a company that I want to do voiceovers for, at what point do they consider hiring a voice talent? And at what point in the production process do they start to look for voiceover talent? And then when they're looking for voiceover talent, what are the considerations for the type of voice they're looking for, the type of voice that they want to represent their company?
And it's really funny because all of a sudden I see that voiceover is really just a small part of any given products cycle, and that is a real eyeopener. And so it allows me to really focus in on the parts that matter at the times that matter, and also focus on how I can best serve those, those clients. So get out there, be bold, get outside your comfort zone, ask questions. How can you serve your client better? And you'll come away with a brand new perspective and a whole new strategy for growing your business.
If you'd like to learn more business tips, don't forget to check out my videos here. Thanks so much for watching, guys. I'll see you next week.
Thanks for reading!
Keep on rocking your business like a #VOBOSS
About Anne Ganguzza
Recipient of multiple Voice Arts Awards for Outstanding Narration Demo - Anne Ganguzza is California-based Voice Over Coach and award-winning Director & Producer specializing in target-marketed voiceover Demo Production. Anne's production team creates SOVAS-nominated demos across several genres, including Commercial, Corporate Narration, and eLearning, and her VO BOSS podcast is the winner of SOVAS Outstanding Podcast in 2022.
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