VO Pro: The Business of Voice Over and Voice Acting – Details, episodes & analysis

Most creative careers die in the DMs, not because of bad talent, but bad communication. If you’re a part-time voice actor, designer, or creative trying to ditch side hustles and go full-time, this episode is your wake-up call.

Cold outreach isn’t sleazy, it’s essential. You’ll learn how to message clients without sounding desperate, the psychology behind outreach fear, and how to flip rejection into opportunity.

Free Download: The Beginner's Guide to Cold Email Outreach: https://welcome.vopro.pro/email-guide

GVAA Rate Guide: https://globalvoiceacademy.com/gvaa-rate-guide-2/

Get The Big Book of VO Client Avatars: 87 real-world profiles to help you find and connect with your dream clients in 15 different VO genres: https://training.vopro.pro/bigbook
Get 50% off with code NEWPRO50 at checkout.

Or get ClientConnect Plus™ and have it write the first draft of your outreach for you, also at 50% off with the same code NEWPRO50 at checkout: https://training.vopro.pro/clientconnect/

Lead generation and targeting: Apollo.io: https://vopro.pro/apollo

If you’re tired of waiting for referrals and ready to take control of your career, this is where it starts.

#voiceacting #freelancebusiness #voiceovermarketing #creativecareers #clientoutreach

Links: (When possible, I use affiliate links and may earn a commission. See disclosure below.)

▶️ Subscribe: https://vopro.pro/youtube

🆓 Free Voice Actor Resources: https://vopro.pro/freesources

📈 Work with Me: https://vopro.pro/workwithme

🎧 The VO Pro Podcast: https://vopro.pro/podcast

🪜 7 Steps to Starting and Developing a Career in Voiceover: https://vopro.pro/7steps

📭 Move Touch Inspire Newsletter for Voice Actors: https://vopro.pro/mti

🖥️ Facebook: https://vopro.pro/facebook

🛒 The VO Pro Shop: https://vopro.pro/shop

🎙️ My voice over website: https://paulschmidtvoice.com

Tools and Tech:
📑  Create beautiful resources, e-books, and presentations like mine in minutes: https://vopro.pro/typeset
📘 Recommended Book List with Links: https://vopro.pro/booklist
⚙️ Tools I Use with Links: https://vopro.pro/gearlist
🎯 Lead generation and targeting: Apollo.io: https://vopro.pro/apollo
🌳 Way Better than Linktree: https://vopro.pro/pillar
🖊️ The best social media publisher I've found: https://vopro.pro/publer

Disclosure: Affiliate marketing is an great way to generate revenue as a content creator. Some links in my video descriptions are affiliate links and I may earn a commission should you make a purchase after clicking them. I only link to items I recommend. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

About (Paul) Schmidt:
Paul Schmidt is a successful voice actor, community builder, and voiceover business coach. 

He's also the creator of the VO Freedom Master Plan, a voiceover marketing program designed to generate consistent opportunities for voice actors to book work, and the VO Pro Community, a private, professional, global community created to meet the needs of v

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Can your voice over career survive these rookie mistakes? Most miss #2—don’t let that be you!

Are you pouring your heart into voice acting but not booking clients or growing your business?

Discover the top 3 business mistakes voice actors make, how to avoid them, and the exact strategies used by successful pros. Get actionable advice, industry stories, and proven marketing tips you won’t find anywhere else.

🎁 Download the FREE “Voice Over Business Plan Starter Kit”: https://welcome.vopro.pro/business-plan

➡ Book a strategy consultation: https://vopro.pro/consultations

#VoiceActor #VoiceOverTips #VOPro #VoiceActingBusiness #VoiceOverMarketing #BeginnerVoiceActor #CreativeBusiness #GrowYourVO

Links: (When possible, I use affiliate links and may earn a commission. See disclosure below.)

▶️ Subscribe: https://vopro.pro/youtube

🆓 Free Voice Actor Resources: https://vopro.pro/freesources

📈 Work with Me: https://vopro.pro/workwithme

🎧 The VO Pro Podcast: https://vopro.pro/podcast

🪜 7 Steps to Starting and Developing a Career in Voiceover: https://vopro.pro/7steps

📭 Move Touch Inspire Newsletter for Voice Actors: https://vopro.pro/mti

🖥️ Facebook: https://vopro.pro/facebook

🛒 The VO Pro Shop: https://vopro.pro/shop

🎙️ My voice over website: https://paulschmidtvoice.com

Tools and Tech:
📑  Create beautiful resources, e-books, and presentations like mine in minutes: https://vopro.pro/typeset
📘 Recommended Book List with Links: https://vopro.pro/booklist
⚙️ Tools I Use with Links: https://vopro.pro/gearlist
🎯 Lead generation and targeting: Apollo.io: https://vopro.pro/apollo
🌳 Way Better than Linktree: https://vopro.pro/pillar
🖊️ The best social media publisher I've found: https://vopro.pro/publer

Disclosure: Affiliate marketing is an great way to generate revenue as a content creator. Some links in my video descriptions are affiliate links and I may earn a commission should you make a purchase after clicking them. I only link to items I recommend. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

About (Paul) Schmidt:
Paul Schmidt is a successful voice actor, community builder, and voiceover business coach. 

He's also the creator of the VO Freedom Master Plan, a voiceover marketing program designed to generate consistent opportunities for voice actors to book work, and the VO Pro Community, a private, professional, global community created to meet the needs of voice actors and audiobook narrators who want to take their careers to the next level. 

Paul has been a voice actor for over 25 years and full-time for the last several. He lives in beautiful Richmond, VA.

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Unlock the secret to turning your voiceover demo reel into a client magnet.

Discover how a genre-specific landing page can transform your VO career from part-time hustle to full-time success.

This video breaks down the exact steps to craft a high-converting demo reel landing page that speaks directly to your ideal clients, boosts SEO, and drives bookings.

Learn how to understand your client avatar, write persuasive copy, optimize for mobile, and use powerful CTAs that get results.

Don’t miss this blueprint to grow your voiceover business and finally make the leap to full-time!

Grab your FREE Ultimate Voiceover Demo Reel Landing Page Checklist: https://welcome.vopro.pro/demo-page-checklist

Keyword Research:
Google Keyword Planner: https://business.google.com/us/ad-tools/keyword-planner/
Ahrefs: https://ahrefs.com/

#VoiceoverTips #DemoReelLandingPage #VoiceoverCareer #FullTimeVO #VoiceoverMarketing #VOTips #VoiceActorSuccess #VOPro #VoiceoverBusiness #DemoReel

Links: (When possible, I use affiliate links and may earn a commission. See disclosure below.)

▶️ Subscribe: https://vopro.pro/youtube

🆓 Free Voice Actor Resources: https://vopro.pro/freesources

📈 Work with Me: https://vopro.pro/workwithme

🎧 The VO Pro Podcast: https://vopro.pro/podcast

🪜 7 Steps to Starting and Developing a Career in Voiceover: https://vopro.pro/7steps

📭 Move Touch Inspire Newsletter for Voice Actors: https://vopro.pro/mti

🖥️ Facebook: https://vopro.pro/facebook

🛒 The VO Pro Shop: https://vopro.pro/shop

🎙️ My voice over website: https://paulschmidtvoice.com

Tools and Tech:
📑  Create beautiful resources and lead magnets like mine in minutes: https://vopro.pro/typeset
📘 Recommended Book List with Links: https://vopro.pro/booklist
⚙️ I Use with Links: https://vopro.pro/gearlist
🎯 Lead generation and targeting: Apollo.io: https://vopro.pro/apollo
🌳 Way Better than Linktree: https://vopro.pro/pillar

Disclosure: Affiliate marketing is an great way to generate revenue as a content creator. Some links in my video descriptions are affiliate links and I may earn a commission should you make a purchase after clicking them. I only link to items I recommend. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

About (Paul) Schmidt:
Paul Schmidt is a successful voice actor, community builder, and voiceover business coach. 

He's also the creator of the VO Freedom Master Plan, a voiceover marketing program designed to generate consistent opportunities for voice actors to book work, and the VO Pro Community, a private, professional, global community created to meet the needs of voice actors and audiobook narrators who want to take their careers to the next level. 

Paul has been a voice actor for over 25 years and full-time for the last several. He lives in beautiful Richmond, VA.

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Support the show

As I touched on in my last video, 2023 has been a slow year for voiceover. In fact, this might be the first year in the 21st century that we can honestly say that voiceover work has not… available work… has not grown year over year.

There's no hard data that I know of in the voiceover industry that shows the exact amount of available work. But I talked to a lot of people in this business and pretty much everybody agrees it's been a down year.

This has also been the year that A.I. has exploded onto the scene.

This time last year, absolutely no one had heard of ChatGPT. That's because it didn't exist until November 30th of 2022, and by February 2023, ChatGPT was a household name.

Terms like generative AI were barely on our radar a year ago and they're now part of our everyday lexicon. A year ago, A.I. Voices was a term and a concept we all knew and were aware of and knew was coming. But nobody had any idea what that was going to mean for 2023.

Now, that said, if we agree that voiceover is in a bear market then that begs the question: why?

There are six main reasons VO is slow right now and I'm going to break them down for you today.
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The VO Freedom Master Plan: https://paulschmidtpro.com/vo-freedom-master-plan

The VO Pro Community: https://vopro.app
Use code You15Tube for 15% your subscription for life.

My Move Touch Inspire Newsletter for Voice Actors: https://paulschmidtpro.com/move-touch-inspire-youtube

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/vofreedom

7 Steps to Staring and Developing a Career in Voiceover: https://members.paulschmidtpro.com/7-steps-yt

The VO Pro Shop: https://paulschmidtpro.com/pro-shop

Say Hi on Social: 
https://pillar.io/paulschmidtpro
https://www.instagram.com/paulschmidtvo
https://www.clubhouse.com/@paulschmidtvo
https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulschmidtvo/

My voice over website: https://paulschmidtvoice.com

GVAA Rate Guide: http://vorateguide.com

Tools and People I Work with and Recommend (If you use these links to buy something I may earn a commission.): 

Recommended Book List with Links: https://amzn.to/3H9sBOO
Gear I Use with Links: https://amzn.to/3V4d3kZ

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

For lead generation and targeting - Apollo.io: https://apollo.grsm.io/yt-paulschmidtpro

Way Better than Linktree: https://pillar.io/referral/paulschmidtpro

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I talk to a lot of people in the voice over industry regularly – voice actors, casting directors, producers, agents. And everyone acknowledges whether their business is up or down that the industry has been slow for the last several months.

One of the facets of the business that is seeing the most change is the online casting platforms, and this has become evident most recently in two ways, specifically on Voices. 

Today, we’re going to look at two pieces of communication to get a snapshot in time of just how desperate Voices appears. And stick around because there’s someone out there even more desperate, and I’ll tell you who that is at the end of the video.
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▶️ Watch this video next: https://youtu.be/uAxEKV-grX8?si=plmxoqLgh2jv_pmr

SUBSCRIBE: https://www.youtube.com/@paulschmidtpro?sub_confirmation=1

The VO Freedom Master Plan: https://paulschmidtpro.com/vo-freedom-master-plan

The VO Pro Community: https://vopro.app 
Use code You15Tube for 15% your subscription for life.

My Move Touch Inspire Newsletter for Voice Actors: https://paulschmidtpro.com/move-touch-inspire-youtube

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/vofreedom

7 Steps to Staring and Developing a Career in Voiceover: https://members.paulschmidtpro.com/7-steps-yt

Say Hi on Social: 
https://pillar.io/paulschmidtpro
https://www.instagram.com/paulschmidtvo
https://www.clubhouse.com/@paulschmidtvo
https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulschmidtvo/

My voice over website: https://paulschmidtvoice.com

GVAA Rate Guide: http://vorateguide.com

Tools and People I Work with and Recommend (If you use these links to buy something I may earn a commission.): 

Recommended Book List with Links: https://amzn.to/3H9sBOO 
Gear I Use with Links: https://amzn.to/3V4d3kZ

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

For lead generation and targeting - Apollo.io: https://apollo.grsm.io/yt-paulschmidtpro

Way Better than Linktree: https://pillar.io/referral/paulschmidtpro

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I recently posted on social media a great guide from the website of a well-known coach in this business.

And today I call bullsh*t. I'm going to break down exactly why I think this entire rate guide is a crap sandwich and be specific about the damage it does to voice actors and the industry as a whole.

You may want to put on coveralls. This is going to get messy.

I want to make it clear that this is not an attack on this coach personally, but it is an opposition to his teachings and practices in this rate guide which I believe are harmful to the careers of voice actors who put this right guide into practice and damaging to the industry as a whole.
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▶️ Watch this video next: https://youtu.be/8vpvsEcrqEQ

SUBSCRIBE: https://www.youtube.com/@paulschmidtpro?sub_confirmation=1

The VO Freedom Master Plan: https://paulschmidtpro.com/vo-freedom-master-plan

The VO Pro Community: https://vopro.app

Use code You15Tube for 15% your subscription for life.

My Move Touch Inspire Newsletter for Voice Actors: https://paulschmidtpro.com/move-touch-inspire-youtube

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/vofreedom

7 Steps to Staring and Developing a Career in Voiceover: https://members.paulschmidtpro.com/7-steps-yt

Say Hi on Social: 
https://pillar.io/paulschmidtpro
https://www.instagram.com/paulschmidtvo
https://www.clubhouse.com/@paulschmidtvo
https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulschmidtvo/

My voice over website: https://paulschmidtvoice.com

GVAA Rate Guide: http://vorateguide.com

Tools and People I Work with and Recommend (If you use these links to buy something I may earn a commission.): 

Recommended Book List with Links: https://amzn.to/3H9sBOO
Gear I Use with Links: https://amzn.to/3V4d3kZ

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

For lead generation and targeting - Apollo.io: https://apollo.grsm.io/yt-paulschmidtpro

Way Better than Linktree: https://pillar.io/referral/paulschmidtpro

Send us Fan Mail

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Actors, in general, are notoriously bad business people. And statistically, we’re bad a booking work. Even elite voice actors will book 5-10 jobs out of every 100 they audition for. Chances are you’re booking way less than that and today I’m going to teach you why.

First, there are some overarching truths about voice actors:

1. We are historically, willfully passive. 
According to the State of VO Survey, conducted by NAVA, the National Association of Voice Actors, about 75% of us report reaching out to market our services less than 3 times a day. Think of literally any other business in the world and imagine what would happen if that business marketed to 2 or less people a day. They wouldn’t be in business. So, what about voice actors? The same number, 75% report making less than $40,000 a year. Can you live off that? Can your family?

2. There are way more voice actors now than ever in history.
This was true before COVID, and a saturated market became drenched during the pandemic. This is the basic problem confronting the pay-to-plays – how to fairly distribute a relatively small number of auditions to thousands, sometimes hundreds of thousands of voice actors.

You can’t control the number of voice actors and the saturation of the market. But what you can absolutely control is how you go about finding business in a sea of talent.

So today, I’m going to break down the 7 REAL reasons you’re not booking more voice over jobs.
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▶️ Watch this video next: https://youtu.be/8vpvsEcrqEQ

SUBSCRIBE: https://www.youtube.com/@paulschmidtpro?sub_confirmation=1

The VO Freedom Master Plan: https://paulschmidtpro.com/vo-freedom-master-plan

The VO Pro Community: https://vopro.app Use code You15Tube for 15% your subscription for life.

My Move Touch Inspire Newsletter for Voice Actors: https://paulschmidtpro.com/move-touch-inspire-youtube

The Gifts of Imperfection, by Brené Brown: https://amzn.to/47YtllL

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/vofreedom

7 Steps to Staring and Developing a Career in Voiceover: https://members.paulschmidtpro.com/7-steps-yt

Say Hi on Social: 
https://pillar.io/paulschmidtpro
https://www.instagram.com/paulschmidtvo
https://www.clubhouse.com/@paulschmidtvo
https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulschmidtvo/

My voice over website: https://paulschmidtvoice.com

Tools and People I Work with and Recommend (If you use these links to buy something I may earn a commission.): 

Recommended Book List with Links: https://amzn.to/3H9sBOO

Gear I Use with Links: https://amzn.to/3V4d3kZ

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

For lead generation and targeting - Apollo.io: https://apollo.grsm.io/yt-paulschmidtpro

Way Better than Linktree: https://pillar.io/referral/paulschmidtpro

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Let's face it. There's a lot of B.S. and myths out there about becoming a voice over actor, a professional video actor, and about the voiceover industry in general. And sadly, a lot of this bullshit is put out by snake oil salesman, so-called coaches in this business who will fleece you from your money or pick your pocket. And I'm not being disingenuous.

So today we're going to bust the top seven myths about becoming a pro voice actor. And we're going to set the record straight.
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▶️ Watch this video next: https://youtu.be/wfArLJckLiM?si=UfYA9jvvQjAAttVN

SUBSCRIBE: https://www.youtube.com/@paulschmidtpro?sub_confirmation=1

The VO Freedom Master Plan: https://paulschmidtpro.com/vo-freedom-master-plan

The VO Pro Community: https://vopro.app Use promo code You15Tube for 15% your subscription for life.

My Move Touch Inspire Newsletter for Voice Actors: https://paulschmidtpro.com/move-touch-inspire-youtube

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/vofreedom

7 Steps to Staring and Developing a Career in Voiceover: https://members.paulschmidtpro.com/7-steps-yt

Say Hi on Social: 
https://pillar.io/paulschmidtpro
https://www.instagram.com/paulschmidtvo
https://www.clubhouse.com/@paulschmidtvo
https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulschmidtvo/

My voice over website: https://paulschmidtvoice.com

GVAA Rate Guide: http://vorateguide.com

Tools and People I Work with and Recommend (If you use these links to buy something I may earn a commission.): 

Recommended Book List with Links: https://amzn.to/3H9sBOO

Gear I Use with Links: https://amzn.to/3V4d3kZ

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

For lead generation and targeting - Apollo.io: https://apollo.grsm.io/yt-paulschmidtpro

Way Better than Linktree: https://pillar.io/referral/paulschmidtpro

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Today, a fascinating discussion with the CEO of UK-based Voquent, one of the major voice over service providers globally about their recent stand against AI. It's an especially strong stand in the context of the ones that the other voice over providers have taken in recent months, and we talked to Miles Chicoine today about that stance. Miles has got some amazing insights, some really interesting insights about AI and how it's affecting both the voice actors and the world at large. 

This is our chat with Voquent CEO Miles Chicoine.
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▶️ Watch this video next: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVUuUfwNTG--nnRRZM8QxzpQ_2-D1WSSh

SUBSCRIBE: https://www.youtube.com/@paulschmidtpro?sub_confirmation=1

The VO Freedom Master Plan: https://paulschmidtpro.com/vo-freedom-master-plan

The VO Pro Community: https://vopro.app Use code You15Tube for 15% off your subscription for life.

My Move Touch Inspire Newsletter for Voice Actors: https://paulschmidtpro.com/move-touch-inspire-youtube

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/vofreedom

7 Steps to Staring and Developing a Career in Voiceover: https://members.paulschmidtpro.com/7-steps-yt

Say Hi on Social: 
https://pillar.io/paulschmidtpro
https://www.instagram.com/paulschmidtvo
https://www.clubhouse.com/@paulschmidtvo
https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulschmidtvo/

My voice over website: https://paulschmidtvoice.com

Tools and People I Work with and Recommend (If you use these links to buy something I may earn a commission.): 

Recommended Book List with Links: https://amzn.to/3H9sBOO

Gear I Use with Links: https://amzn.to/3V4d3kZ

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

For lead generation and targeting - Apollo.io: https://apollo.grsm.io/yt-paulschmidtpro

Way Better than Linktree: https://pillar.io/referral/paulschmidtpro

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Here, today, right now, those developing generative AI are threatening to put a lot of us out of work. In October of 2020, the World Economic Forum said that while AI would likely take away 85 million jobs globally by 2025 (and we’re more than halfway there, by the way), it would also generate 97 million new jobs in fields ranging from big data and machine learning to information security and digital marketing.

And for a prime example of just how this is happening, look no further than our own industry and the current SAG-AFTRA and Writer’s Guild of America strikes against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which includes the major streaming services and Hollywood studios.
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▶️ Watch this video next: https://youtu.be/BzSc3XNnXls

SUBSCRIBE: https://www.youtube.com/@paulschmidtpro?sub_confirmation=1

The VO Freedom Master Plan: https://paulschmidtpro.com/vo-freedom-master-plan

The VO Pro Community: https://vopro.app

My Move Touch Inspire Newsletter for Voice Actors: https://paulschmidtpro.com/move-touch-inspire-youtube

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/vofreedom

7 Steps to Staring and Developing a Career in Voiceover: https://members.paulschmidtpro.com/7-steps-yt

Say Hi on Social: 
https://pillar.io/paulschmidtpro
https://www.instagram.com/paulschmidtvo
https://www.clubhouse.com/@paulschmidtvo
https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulschmidtvo/

My voice over website: https://paulschmidtvoice.com

Tools and People I Work with and Recommend (If you use these links to buy something I may earn a commission.): 

Recommended Book List with Links: https://amzn.to/3H9sBOO

Gear I Use with Links: https://amzn.to/3V4d3kZ

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

For lead generation and targeting - Apollo.io: https://apollo.grsm.io/yt-paulschmidtpro

Way Better than Linktree: https://pillar.io/referral/paulschmidtpro

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show