Business of VO: Budgets
Today's, voice-over, talent is more than just a pretty boy pretty, boy. Today's, voiceover talent has to be a boss. Join. Us each week for business owner strategies, and success with your host and gang buuza and gabrielle místico along, with some of the strongest, voices in our industry, rock your business masterpiece, rock your business, a boss like a boss. Hey. Everybody welcome, to the vo boss podcast. I'm your host engange goose' along, with my budget. Loving. Conscious. Boss. Tea co-host. I'm. Incredibly budget, savvy I am a maxxinista. No, doubt, Gabby Nestico hi. I love a good sale I love, sale I love coupons. I love clearance, I think we all love a deal don't my husband, knows we walk into a store and there's a clearance he's just like, we're. Gonna be here a minute. Speaking. Of deals hmm. The other day I had a client that was trying to make a deal with me you, know the negotiation. Process that we've talked about so lovingly it occurs to me that we should talk about the. Whole concept, of client, budget, yeah, because, I think sometimes we just dismiss, if if perhaps, our clients aren't on the same page as we, are in terms of our rates. And. Negotiations. There is a budget typically, involved, in a project and sometimes. That, budget, is not where our rates are and. We, weigh. A, lot of different things to, consider maybe, perhaps, even, if the budget is lower than we anticipate, is it, a job that we might consider doing, for. A lower budget I never, rule anything out, unless. The client is up front with like a cataclysmically. Low, rate I don't rule anything out, I go let's talk let's, let's, see if we can bridge the gap let's, see if we can you know make everybody happy so we, have to be firm, in our worth but that doesn't, mean that. We're inflexible. With. Meeting. The needs of our clients yeah, I. Agree with that and and I also, agree with one, of our guests recently, said that sometimes. It really is true that a, client. Has a budget, and there really is no wiggle room for that budget. And. Really. It is something that I you, know on occasion have had to really think about myself what, is the worth of that job that may or may not include the monetary, value is. There a chance, for more work and well, yeah, there's. A whole nother podcast. Right. We. Should talk a little about that though okay that, right there seems, to be the, golden, ticket that's dangled, right in front of our faces it's the client, that always wants a better rate, and then but backs that up with, I have, so much more work for you, yeah usually that's the clue when, they say that yeah, honestly, usually. That means they're, they're full of it yeah I think when they don't mention it Gaby is when they might actually have more work for us right, in a weird way yeah, and, I've seen this happen an, awful, lot to me here's the thing if they're vague vague. Doesn't that doesn't work right if it's um maybe. An advertising agency or a production company or you, know some other middleman, and they're telling you oh but I have loads of work for you no they, don't they can't guarantee you that they. Like. The idea of, booking. You a lot and they like the idea of maybe, having, you be a very active person on their roster, but they don't actually have, a client commitment, for you now.
On The other hand if, you've got, a, specific. Client, saying hey, we want to make you our voice, we. Run X number, of commercials, each year, we. Do this many sessions this, many pickups, and, here's. The. Buy schedule, or here's you know the the, broadcast, content, they. Have, metrics. They have material to back up what they're saying then. Yeah, absolutely yeah, and in corporate, eLearning. There, are there, there's always the possibility of, a, job that has, modules that need updating and. And that's not something they, need to even dangle the carrot so. Much it's, just it's kind of an educated guess you, know as you see the budget coming in from the company if they do a lot of work and you, feel like there's going to be modules, that need to be updated or you. Know every year they're doing new modules for the same topic that sort of thing that I, think is is something to definitely take into account if you do have a client that comes back to you with a budget that's lower than you anticipate. I don't, do nearly, as much a learning type, of work and narration, work as you do however, the. Handful. Of those, types of clients that I'm serving right now are all, repeat, business every. Single one of them they come back and typically it's because yeah the initial, project is big. Yeah. And they want to have the same voice excess they don't want to be breaking up especially with you. They don't want to break up a course with maybe Laura they might want to break up a course with different. Voices but that would be a plan thing that would be like you have multiple characters in an, e-learning course if you, are a sole voice that starts the, course I think midway, through the course they don't really want to change voices, if they can help it and so therefore it, behooves, you to you know understand, a little bit more about your client and the work that they have and the potential, for work. Added, work down the road and also Gaby I think there's there's, also the added possibility. Of. Some. Sort of a benefit, that may not be monetary, that will that. Will really, help you in other areas, of your business you may help you to grow other areas of your business if you get if you get skills in voicing. In. A particular genre and so, therefore, that could help you get more jobs down the road yeah I think that one has to be very very, strategically. Planned and mapped though because the. General perception of beginners, seems to be oh if I you know I take this cheap, job no paid job I love now how voice 1 2 3 has just for fun jobs don't, even get me started yeah but, if I take those you know I'm gaining experience, I even, have people sometimes, on my youtube channel that, will become. Troll, ish and and say, things like well why shouldn't I take a job for you, know 15, dollars if XYZ and, and I'm like no no. Because. There's. There's, that's just a smattering of, potentially. Freer lowball, work there's no endgame there, there's no strategy behind. Let, me infiltrate, this, potential. Area sector, type. Of client, whatever, well alright Gabby so here's a question what.
About A brand, who. On. The. Outside would appear like they would have money and a. High budget but, who really doesn't that's. Happened to me more than once would, you consider that job because, of the brand Association. Hmm I I. Stand, firm I just I repeat and I've had it happen many times and it's becoming more and more common, right now in the, broadcast, world these. Giant. Publicly. Traded companies. That, are like oh well, we can only pay X no. No. I just don't believe that I that's. Where, I draw. That line now. If it, was that same company going, hey we're sponsoring, an Alzheimer's, walk or you, know some kind of charitable. Endeavor, and we. Have this one single, project that's, gonna be non broadcast, may be running on the internet and you know we don't have a huge budget for, it that all believe yeah, well this is their own branding. And advertising, well, it gets tricky, so, in. The genres that I were oh yeah right, there are some brands that you, would think would pay a substantial. Rate, but. They have lots of work and. So you don't necessarily know, that they're not making you a promise of that, work, so. There becomes, something. That's very, tricky what. I really want to our. Listeners to understand, is that every. Case is so, different, and it, it's hard I mean to make that decision the. Clients saying they have a budget there's, a lot of things that you may or may not know about. What's. The future of that job and how you play, with. That. Clients, it can make, or break a relationship, and that's always scary to people so one of the distinctions I make there is that to, me there's a big difference between the. Singular, end client. And again, a roster, situation, whether it be a studio, work, at an agency small, company, here's. The thing I have yet to meet, a small company that has, a rate card that you know I might look at and go oh that's. A little low it's. Not quite where I'd prefer things to be but. A little, low I will always take a chance on and I will say you know what let's give. This a shot let's, see what happens, and we'll. Reassess, and AB, so many months I think that's a great piece, of advice getting I am on a couple of rosters, that I have repeatedly. Heard voice actors say oh ya. Know they're I don't know I don't like them their rates are kind of low or I took a look at their rating at their rate card and I'm like guys. They pay me a salary every. Year by, themselves, one company, that one, company pays, me more money than, I made in Radio the last year I was in it oh I think that's a that's a great point Gaby I mean come, on rosters, as well where, the work is it's pretty much standard the work comes in and it's not at the rate that I prefer however, I've. Been gosh, I've been with a couple, of companies over, five years each I think what goes along with that too is ease of use, if. A job is really, a pain, in the ass, and. Too. Picky and too particular and lately, too, many you know intricacies. To, what they need and what they want you're. Gonna get increasingly. Frustrated. With, the. Discounted, rate but, if it's a company that goes out of their way to make lives. Of their talent, easier, mm-hmm. Yeah and they, you, know push jobs along, yes, that it is that's, a big consideration oh, god. Yeah I mean I I have, some of these companies I'm like I will work with them all day every day because. The, sanctions are 10 minutes 15 minutes don't, ya nothing. To it mm-hmm, heck, yeah I don't like sure you know I have no problem with those and again because there is high, volume and it's consistent, that's fantastic, yeah let's just step back and I just want to redress that to make sure that everybody understood, because I you know it took me a while right because, when somebody would initially quote me. I didn't, even consider, cuz I had done my own editing for so long before. I started getting directed sessions so in the beginning it. Wasn't a thing really I did a lot of jobs on my own where I was editing all of my own material, and then I think as I gained more experience got, more clients and started doing a lot of directed, sessions it, now becomes, a choice you know is is this going to be okay you may pay per hour or may pay per session may, pay per job but. Does that include editing, or, not and that's a big factor to, consider if. It. Includes editing there, are many times many, times I've answered an email and it.
For A lower dollar than what I'm used to yeah and that is my number one question right there now with, or without editing exactly. How may I send you the file and it is a lot if they tell me as. Is, don't, touch it don't do anything to it mistakes, and all send, it through I'm like right on oh I won't either and that's the thing guys yeah yeah no regrets, lipsmack. Cuz, you're worried you getting all of it and everything yeah you'll get you'll get the session people to you know I'm, not even taking out the the responses. Essence oh my. Job are save. Do it as a matter of fact as soon as you step out of the studio save, right to Dropbox, give them that link boom we're done thank, you invoice. Invoice, is sent, so. Guys, don't forget about that possibility. Today's. Edition of voice-over divas has been brought to you by your, boss BAM, invoice. Sent. No. It's so true because, that really, I mean look it's all about maximizing, efficiency. Mm-hmm, now there's another possibility, here and it's it's a little controversial, because some people don't like the idea of a discount, or of us putting ourselves on sale right things, like that but I always say at, some point we have to take a little bit of a cue from retail, and from service yes. Wait a minute and you're, a smart shopper you're a smart consumer I like to think I am as well we. Opened, by saying how much we loved our deals and we loved our coupons, but, here's the thing why right, when we go into the department store when you go shopping when. You go wherever grocery. Store right. The, bow goes the buy one get one is Lele you know the buy one get one sixty, are real but. Do we really, believe we're, getting a deal I've. Always said oh well, alright I do love that Bath and Beyond but remember they would send the twenty percent coupon still have them this is my goodness right well I even I even now, have the app right I pay a yearly. A yearly, fee to. Get 20% off everything I buy and I go to Bed Bath & Beyond because I can get 20% off and it's so funny because you look at the prices like well they've marked them up 20%. That's. It so you go hold on a second, retail. Knows exactly, how to play this game they, are taking, an item, that's, not, worth, the. MSRP, the full sticker price anyway. Marking. It up to, then mark it down and. Therefore. You give the customer, the the, values they. Never, had, any intention. Of selling it at its full. Stated. Price, cold. Schools, is a great example of this right people, think that they get massive monstrous. Deals when they go there. You. Get some that's. The thing you go whoa wait a minute can't week kinda. Do the same thing well yeah. Hello. What's. A perceived value right, so, I could say to a client you know what I typically, charge. And. So. Yeah, you know what for twenty two pages yeah I'm fine, let's let's let me give you a little bit of a discount there and yeah. Let's, do this this, amount and they, love it and so, right worked. On Gaby though that was the show but but, here's what's crazy but. This is where it gets difficult and, I feel. For people on this because, so. Many people have that mindset, of like oh no you don't do that you don't you don't put voiceover, on sale we don't discount, I always say I don't go on sale right, it looks looks, tacky but.
There's That's just it guy we're not talking about a public thing oh. I'm. Cheap come, get. My twenty percent off all voiceovers, today no it's not like that it's a negotiation with, the client, this, is no different than the car salesman Apple suicide, and goes now let. Me go talk to my manager and I like back and, because I like, you I'm gonna try to get you that new set of tires for, free hang on let. Me go talk to my manager. Yes, guys I there's, no manager, there's a room in the back where the coffeepot is and, there's like six salespeople who go back there and talk to one another and, they go hey manager. Yes can I do yes, okay, great and then they like finish a cup of coffee and then come back and talk to you, Gaby, I'm seriously looking at a script right now that. Is talking about are, you tired of thank you something's free. When, it's really not I mean that's not actually the script, but that's the whole idea it's, literally the first line I'm looking at right now so oh my god that is so funny we're, part, of this yeah, we're part of that whole mechanism of consumerism, and yet we don't even, think. About how to apply those practices, oh yeah remember it's a it's about the sale we talked about we don't even think about sales guys. Typically in in voiceover we're not thinking about our voices, or our business where we're selling things but yeah we're selling, perceived. Value to, the customer, is everything. Just, this morning I, had, an e-learning narration. Client whatever I did. He'd come back to me right repeat work and, said. Gaby what would you charge for this and I looked at the script and I went back and I went back into my invoicing, of course because. I needed to see what I charged them last time I'm always and, right, step, number one and I looked and and what I was staring at was I was like huh, okay. I had. A, roughly. 10 page job, that, I had done for, about $2,500. And. I looked at that and I looked at the, 1.3. Pages, she sent me this morning, mmm-hmm. And, basically, wrote an email where I said you know I'll tell you what I'll go ahead and wave the studio fee and do this for 350 nice. I would have charged 350, yep. Perceived, about it exactly. All, I did, to get to 350, and literally all I did was looked at a $2,500. Invoice and went well comparably, sure, what's, gonna be acceptable here, I'm gonna tell you that I have I have a rate sheet right and it's like a la carte menu items, correct think about think about your hours worth of finished audio is such is, a particular value you're, and then you go down from there right so then let's. Say, 45. Minutes is worth this 30 minutes is where this so by the time you get to five minutes, it's the ala carte price is always higher I have, never, once though okay in in now three, seasons, I have never, heard, you say that you have a rate card oh I do have, a rate sheet that I guide or that guides me on my I might but nobody ever sees it but you know no I'm the only one that sees it and I go and I just it right I adjust for, per, per client you, know that's where that whole like you know what I typically would charge you this you, know this is all a cart price but because I've already done work for you I enjoy, working with you and I love. Our relationship. So I can do this exactly. I can do this for you you know boom and then every once in a while you know the perceived value to is like if there's a there's, a one line pickup, that, hasn't been accounted for maybe they come back to me a month down, the road and they've been a good client oh no.
Problem, I throat it's, on me it's on the house exactly so we have talked about that before yes, for, sure that's, just good relations, yeah generates, goodwill three, seasons, and and I just learned something about you. The secret, secret rate sheet, and. It's funny because you think I'd have it memorized but, you know it changes. By the way every year I mean it's the rates. Of change they yeah, to, adjust for inflation. In. Your head they're, worried about memorizing, a bunch of numbers I'm sorry because I get a lot of work from my website people, will approach me and say how, much would you charge me for this and. So. Budget. Inevitably. Comes, into the discussion, right in, the. First or the second email you know I'll ask do, you have a budget there. You go, and. If they say no then I quote my price and then they'll come back and say I've had a couple of people this week come back and say oh yeah, no I have a max budget of I'm. Like you, could have said that in the beginning but guess what they're playing the game right along with me guys they. Play the game so, you can that's that's. The key guys when when Anna and I talk about rates and holding, fast and, honoring good rates yes but we're still business owners we're not dumb, we're never going to immediately, turn, away or shut the door on a potential. Opportunity or, a long term relationship we're, always going to leave that open and yes sometimes, the budget is the budget and you, make the right decision, for your business, in that moment that, day and I do want to make one other comment about how, budgets. Can work in, your favor I actually. Do, some contract work with a very large company and their, contract, pays me a per hour rate that most people would shudder and say. Oh. No. However, they allocate, thousands. Of dollars per contract, year to, me and so, what happens is my jobs just take longer get, it, right. Well it just takes me longer to complete those things sometimes, I have producers, who are just super fast super efficient, and they, get me their numbers and I'm like nope add that a little yeah, oh that's add some time that was too fast that's exactly, what it is to.
Our Sponsors, yes, our. Budget, loving sponsors. Who. Doesn't love oh I've, got to give high-five. To, voiceovers not calm right now for this because you know they have their new decipher. Rate, card that, is they have been working on and it's not even a rate card guys it's it's literally, a program. That. Allows a client to plug in their information put, in the parameters of their job and it generates, a budget, have, you tried it Gaby oh, I've. Tried it and I've compared, and I love, it you know why because. There's room no. There's room for negotiation. Which is amazing. Guys yes. Very well put together very, brilliant. Really no voiceovers calm go check it out if you haven't yet take a look at the Beast cipher rate, generator. And become a member and of course the best deal I know for. Quality, connection, especially, when it comes to ISDN, don't even get me started holy oh yeah. As a matter fact I'm gonna connect with my client right after this via. ISDN, with IP DTS, tl saves us a boatload every. Year one of the things that saved me in the last, year's. Is time. Oh god. Yeah I don't have to drive to the studio, please. I don't have to spend money on gas I'll have to sit in traffic that's. Actually that's. Actually my next session is I don't have to drive to the studio in the middle of the day where all the traffic is so. Instead of taking four hours to do it I literally can do my job in, like 20 minutes because, I'm connecting, via ISDN, to my studio, so guys if you want to find out more go to IP DTL calm. All. Right see you next week bye join, us next week for another edition of vo boss with your host and Gangu Z and Gabby místico all rights reserved, and Gangu is a voice talent and association, with dream on media redistribution. With permission, coast-to-coast, connectivity. Via IP DTL.
2019-06-20 14:43
