JMC Voiceover Source Connect
jmichael@jmcvoiceover.com
202-738-1151
  • Home
  • My Demos
    • Commercial
    • Crisis Commercials
    • Medical
    • eLearning
    • Corporate
    • Automotive
    • TV Promo
    • TV Narration
    • Radio Imaging
    • Telephony
    • Political
  • Recent Work
  • Demo Production
    • Demo Production
    • Demo Production Guide
    • Commercial
    • Medical
    • eLearning
    • Corporate
    • Automotive
    • TV Promo
    • TV Narration
    • Radio Imaging
    • Telephony
    • Political
  • Coaching
    • Coaching
    • Voiceover Coaching Guide
  • Photo Gallery
  • Success Club
  • Podcast
  • Events
    • Euro Vo Retreat
    • VO Atlanta
    • One Voice Conference USA
  • Public Speaker Training
    • Public Speaker Training
    • Public Speaking Coach
  • Giving Back
  • Blog
  • Contact

Compound Interest: How a Common Financial Principle Offers a Great Path to VO Success

by J. Michael Collins

compound-interest-infographic

It’s basic economics. Leave money in the bank, or in low-risk investments with a defined annual yield, and over time the initial principle will grow substantially if it is not touched. Compound interest is the topic of many articles and talks by financial experts and with good reason. Smart, disciplined saving and investing can lead to long-term security. Slow and steady frequently wins the race. As the voiceover industry evolves, this principle of compound interest can be applied to building your career.

With commercial and other classic broadcast genres becoming lower-pay volume hustles, the days of staking your fortune on a few high-dollar campaigns are rapidly coming to an end. Voice actors must now build strong businesses for the long haul, steadily developing a roster of clients that will lead to income compounding over time. Ultimately, the end goal of most modern voice over artist’s careers is likely to be predictable daily work, as opposed to one-off windfall jobs.

What does this mean in practice?

Build for the long-haul, and be practical. Rate cutting and accepting abusive pay is never encouraged, but a healthy dose of realism is necessary to build a sustainable flow of daily work. Local automotive commercials, for instance, often only pay a couple hundred dollars. If you become the voice of a group of dealerships, however, you might do 10, 20, 30 or more spots per month, every month. Become the voice of numerous dealership groups across the country, and the pay compounds along with the security of knowing that losing one client won’t break you. Casino & gaming work can function the same way.

Corporate narration and explainer video voiceovers work much the same way. You won’t get rich off of either on a per job basis, but with the average corporate job paying $400-$500 for a few minutes of narration, and the average explainer just a bit less than that, accumulating regular customers in these sectors can lead to steady work and growing income. Corporate and explainer clients tend to be more loyal than commercial clients, who deal with frequently changing tastes and campaign directions. Many of these narration clients will stay with the same voice for years, often providing monthly or even weekly work. Building a base of 20, 50, 100 or more of these clients is a powerful route to income stability in voiceover. Moreover, pay is rising in these sectors, whereas it has fallen and stagnated in commercial work.

E-Learning has the dual distinction of being both well-paying, ($1,000-$3,000 per finished hour is a common standard,) and also filled with loyal, long-lasting clients. The barrier to entry is higher, requiring a considerable facility with language, stamina for long narration, and attention to detail, but the results can be the backbone of a VO career built for the 2020s. Like corporate narration, rates are steady and climbing, demand outpaces supply, and clients are likely to stick with a narrator for the long haul. A base of 10 or more solid E-Learning clients will keep the cash flow steady.

We all love the glamor of hearing our voices on the air, and the good news is that there are more commercial opportunities than ever. That said, the smart money in voice over is moving to genres that are less populated with talent, where demand is causing rates to become stronger over time and where client loyalty is consistent. Whatever segments of the industry you play in, build a core business that creates a self-fulfilling snowball effect…..compounding the rewards of a large client stable and regular work.

Filed Under: Blog, Voiceover Industry

Primary Sidebar

Archives

Subscribe

"*" indicates required fields

Receive News & Updates
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

RECENT TWEETS

@jmcvoiceover

March 29th 2023 02:03:31

Breakfast. Vegas style. https://t.co/NismlGEQug

@jmcvoiceover

March 29th 2023 04:03:48

What an awesome night!

Thank you to my Celia Siegel Management team for helping me book the winning spot!

Now off… https://t.co/uIqOkSJAwp

@jmcvoiceover

March 29th 2023 02:03:38

Well, that doesn’t suck.

And congratulations to my co-winner Soraya Butler!!! https://t.co/XQ0gTBUn22

@jmcvoiceover

March 29th 2023 02:03:22

@KeaversVoice You won!

@jmcvoiceover

March 29th 2023 01:03:18

Time for the Reed Awards for political media. Thrilled to be nominated with my colleagues from Celia Siegel Managem… https://t.co/SjehF6wYd8

@jmcvoiceover

March 29th 2023 12:03:44

RT @academiaavoz: J Michael Collins @jmcvoiceover en A Voz Academia
#Locución #VoiceOver #actordedoblaje #actrizdedoblaje #doblaje #inteli…

@jmcvoiceover

March 28th 2023 11:03:30

The Weird Little Car came to Las Vegas, and the waiter cut off half of Tre Mosley and Mike Hathcote’s heads, but th… https://t.co/fHVs2vXyYE

@jmcvoiceover

March 27th 2023 10:03:58

@WhatHeSaidVO @DustinEbaugh I wish I could but I have to get caught up on work tonight, workshop tomorrow, Reed Awa… https://t.co/Nsx7naL09X

@jmcvoiceover

March 27th 2023 05:03:31

No rest for the wicked.

Our illustrious CEO Anna is heading home, but I’m off to Las Vegas to see what these knuc… https://t.co/dbwxIczO9o

@jmcvoiceover

March 27th 2023 05:03:10

@CherieBTay @CarinGilfry Great job!!! Wouldn’t want to go against you in an audition!

@jmcvoiceover

March 27th 2023 03:03:49

Goofy, Donald Duck, and a lobster walk into bar…. https://t.co/pSu4ce2rSI

@jmcvoiceover

March 27th 2023 01:03:16

You talkin’ to us?

The Bad Boys of VO, 2023 Edition.

And fried lobster.

VO Atlanta. Out. https://t.co/Qx4jqC1F4g

@jmcvoiceover

March 26th 2023 07:03:13

This is what community looks like.
It might seem weird to some to see owners of what you could think of as competin… https://t.co/lQoTyl2jdD

@jmcvoiceover

March 26th 2023 07:03:36

RT @markwaynevoice: My friends - voice coach ⁦@HearBradHyland⁩ (left) and demos producer/⁦@VOATLANTA⁩ #2 (whose wife, Anna, is #1, right) ⁦…

@jmcvoiceover

March 25th 2023 10:03:21

What time is it? Champagne thirty at VO Atlanta, because this is how we roll in the A-T-L! https://t.co/YlHaFQWbrg

@jmcvoiceover

March 25th 2023 01:03:53

They kidnapped me, I swear! https://t.co/lWkFtTQ3Gb

@jmcvoiceover

March 24th 2023 07:03:30

Well, we wish we didn’t have to, but we are literally out of places to put chairs, so with the exception of X-sessi… https://t.co/55je9PATYh

@jmcvoiceover

March 24th 2023 10:03:28

Looking forward to thanking these incredible talent for their service both to our country and our industry! https://t.co/L7bKk2ZQmZ

@jmcvoiceover

March 24th 2023 03:03:55

I am so proud of this beautiful woman right here who brought the absolute house down in the standing-room-only open… https://t.co/iGPnYUt7Zd

@jmcvoiceover

March 24th 2023 01:03:08

RT @RayColeIII: Just finished @MarcScott x session at #voatlanta2023, I now feel much more confident about sending marketing emails. You r…

@jmcvoiceover

March 24th 2023 01:03:02

RT @ustalent_: @BevStanding @VOATLANTA
VO ATLANTA 🎙️@ustalent_
#voatlanta #voatlanta2023 #atlanta #ustalent #vo #voiceover #voiceacting #…

@jmcvoiceover

March 24th 2023 01:03:45

RT @MarcScott: Day one of @VOATLANTA delivers. Anna and JMC know how to put on a memorable event!

#voatlanta

@jmcvoiceover

March 24th 2023 01:03:31

RT @AllAgesofGeek: How fun! @diana_kennedy is covering @VOATLANTA this year! ✨🎙️ https://t.co/tPOBO2mRXw

@jmcvoiceover

March 24th 2023 01:03:26

RT @_buf: First day at @VOATLANTA

The @CloseCredits signage looking good! https://t.co/ngyVGoqFY3

@jmcvoiceover

March 23rd 2023 08:03:24

VO Atlanta Keynote Debra Wilson is in the house!!! https://t.co/QegqgVcLx7

@jmcvoiceover

March 23rd 2023 04:03:32

@robvo @VOATLANTA Maaaaaaybe

@jmcvoiceover

March 23rd 2023 04:03:58

A little pre-conference nuttiness. See you tomorrow VO Atlanta peeps! https://t.co/ujzqaYOnJD

@jmcvoiceover

March 22nd 2023 06:03:59

Might as well inaugurate the step and repeat with Gene Lupo! https://t.co/fBE3oiqSfR

@jmcvoiceover

March 22nd 2023 02:03:27

The arrivals begin!

Heard God talking, turned around and found Maurice Scott! https://t.co/eldnftYCUC

@jmcvoiceover

March 22nd 2023 01:03:54

The unpacking begins… https://t.co/IiN6fZU6SD

@jmcvoiceover

March 21st 2023 01:03:51

The Kitten dominated game one, but what would happen in game two?

Tonight, on an all new Duckpin VO! https://t.co/all44OoUfT

@jmcvoiceover

March 19th 2023 12:03:37

@DanielButtreyVO A call for entries is put out a few months in advance. Anyone may submit, and uniquely in the indu… https://t.co/HNUG9OgSQb

@jmcvoiceover

March 18th 2023 03:03:53

@DanielButtreyVO Cheese, fruit, half a snickers, a muffin and a cookie. 😝

CONTACT
202-738-1151
jmichael@jmcvoiceover.com
  • Home
  • My Demos
  • Recent Work
  • Demo Production
  • Coaching
  • Photo Gallery
  • Success Club
  • Podcast
  • Events
  • Public Speaker Training
  • Giving Back
  • Blog
  • Contact

Privacy Policy
©2023 J. Michael Collins // Voice Over Site by Voice Actor Websites