A VO CRISIS STRATEGY

My gut feeling is that somewhere around 75% of us working voice talents are significantly affected by this Covid pandemic. I’m including voice talents that have lost business, even lost clients; have not been able to work because studios are shut down; don’t have an adequate home studio; or any other reason. The vast majority of us have been affected.

So what can you do about this business crisis?

Let me suggest five things to do immediately:

1. Panic…then take a deep breath and realize that the world is not going to end…yet. We’re going to get through this. In about 3 to 4 months we’ll be able to say that we’ve put this behind us. In the meantime, you have plenty of things to do to prepare for that time.

2. Contact as many of your clients as you can. Think about this: Your clients have also lost business, perhaps even clients. If you are losing business, it’s because your clients are losing business.

But many of your clients are not going to go away. They are going to start digging for new business and are going to need you to help them land it.

Take the time to approach each of your clients individually (no e-mass mail), and let them know that although they might be struggling, you are there to help them get back on their feet when this blows over. If you are so inclined, why not offer to do free spec spots for them to help them pitch their business?

Why not write some thank you notes to some of your clients for their past business, and let them know that you’re thinking of them during this difficult time and wish them well. Encourage them. They could use it.

3. Recognize that there is still voice over work out there. For example, eLearning companies are scrambling to put out training modules on dealing with the various demands of this crisis. I just finished a 6-module project on the ramifications of employees working at home – everything from logistics, to tax implications, to motivation, to liabilities, etc.

While writing this, I just received an email from a fellow voice talent who had been in a panic about his business. We had talked through his circumstances, and came up with some viable options. Just today, he received an email from a client advising him that he had been chosen for a significant project!

One of the things I’ve noticed is that many of my clients are changing their marketing and advertising strategy. They are switching to a less aggressive approach, and taking a more compassionate, positive, encouraging approach. And for many of them, that’s caused a little delay while they get the creative worked out. But the work is in the works.

Most businesses are changing their phone messaging to address the current circumstances. Many of them want that messaging to be professionally done to represent their professionalism and portray a sense of stability during this time. Have you offered your local businesses your services?

This is the time to hold hands with your clients. That’s what great teams do.

4. Assess and plan your business strategy.

Over the past year, what has worked and what hasn’t? Why? How can you improve it? What do you need to do to be better at what you will do in three months?

Tweak your website and your SEO.

If you have editing skills, freshen up your demos.

Organize, update, and improve your CRM.

Build a marketing campaign to start as soon as things start to get back to whatever the new normal will be.

One more thing: Write a crisis strategy into your business plan. What will you do about a sudden loss of business and therefore revenue? How will you plan ahead for that? How can you trim your losses and create some immediate income? Etc.

5. Do some Peer-To-Peer training and coaching.

Why not get with some of your trusted fellow voice talents on a web group session once a week and do a round of script reads and coach each other? Or talk through your marketing strategies.

Why not pool your resources and invite a professional coach to sit in on one of the sessions and share some insights and training?

Fellow voice talents are invaluable to your business. I’ve said this many times: I don’t consider other voice talents to be competition. I consider businesses that don’t hire me to be my competition. My strategy is to win them over, not defeat my fellow voice talents.

So, connect and re-connect to your voice over compadres. We need each other.

Well, there you have it. Five things that you can start doing right away to re-energize and refocus your business during this pandemic.

I wish you well! And when this is over, you’re all invited over for a pool party and BBQ – Kansas City style! Assuming a meteor doesn’t hit us.