Any voiceover artist that's spent any length of time in the industry will have been asked this question, I'm sure. And it's a fair question. I totally understand, genuinely, how someone could think that the price they're being quoted is a complete ripoff. After all, it really is just a voice.
I like to use the below analogy to put things into a little bit of perspective.
VOICEOVERS ARE LIKE TATTOOS
Once your video, animation, eLearning course, explainer, presentation, promo or trailer goes public there is no going back. So it's best to make sure you've done it properly the first time and used the professionals.
It's just a voice...
It's also just a drawing. Your 7-year-old niece can draw a lovely picture of a rose. If you're in the market for a sweet tat though, I somehow doubt you'll be letting her ink you up.
It's not just a drawing, is it? And it's not just a voice. It's talent, experience, skill, and equipment. A voiceover might often be the last thing considered on a video, the cherry on top as it were, but it's a big old cherry.
I've found someone who can do it for a fraction of the price! And I can find someone who can permanently mark your skin for a third of the price of every other tattoo artist in town. And yet somehow, I suspect you're a little trepidatious about heading on over to Dodgy Dave.
How much? I'll voice it myself in that case.
You could do your own tattoo as well. But really, how much money would you be saving? You've got to buy the equipment for a start and if you want that 'I HEART you mum' banner to look pretty you're going to want to make it good equipment. Same is true for voiceovers, want to sound pro? It comes with a pro price tag.
Then there's the learning curve. It's going to take time for you to master drawing on yourself. Just as it takes time to learn what a digital interface is, and does my mic need 48V phantom power, and how do I arm my track for recording, and what's an arm...?
What's your time worth? Surely it's worth more than all the time wasted in producing a bad voiceover.
Why would I pay you all that it's only 30 seconds? The tattoo artist's job doesn't start the moment you lie on the table and end the moment you leave; they have to prep, discuss with you what you're looking for, draw example sketches, collaborate, and then clean-up and breakdown once you've gone. It's the exact same with a voiceover. We don't just pick up the script, hit record and send you the take. We prepare, we offer examples, we research your brand, we analyse your style, we do everything we can to raise your project to the next level.
Tattoos and Voiceovers
Tattoos and voiceovers, they're more alike than you may think, but then so are all crafts; real art doesn't come with basement bargain prices because art doesn't roll off a conveyor belt. The question isn't how much does a voiceover cost but what is your business worth? Don't sell yourself short with an amateur voice, you're doing yourself, your brand and your business a disservice.