Lesson #11 -

How to Create Great Demos

My inspiration for this blog came in a coffee cup.  I observed that I was drinking bargain brand coffee from a Starbucks’ cup.  The lesson is simply that good presentation makes things better.  As it relates to the work of the voice artist: good presentation is essential in creating a voiceover demo that achieves its goal of creating new voice talent clients.

The competition for voiceover business is enormous and growing.  I don’t know if you listen to what the other guys and gals are doing but there are many who are extremely good at their craft.  Moreover, they have good demos.  Quite frankly, I am in awe of much of the talent I hear. 

I often think of the voice talent seekers who have to wade through all those demos.  How do you choose a voice from so many good demos?    What is it that catches the seeker’s ear?  What can be done to get your demo noticed and selected?

Eventually you will want to have multiple demos geared to the markets you want to reach.  However, you should have one signature demo that I call the Anchor Demo.  This is the one upon which most of your work will be generated.  Most of the voice rep sites encourage multiple demos for multiple markets.  I am not in disagreement with that but I do believe that the majority of your client response will be generated from one demo. 

Following are 10 Tips for Creating Winning Voiceover Demos

• 1.  Well Planned- A good demo must have reason and form.  The first question that must be answered is “who will produce your demo?”  There are some excellent services that you can find on the web that will assemble your demo for you.  If you possess superior production skills and quality audio equipment then you can handle it yourself.  Develop an outline for your demo that has an introduction and an ending.  Most demos are just a string of voiceover audio clips.  Look for a common thread that ties it all together and make it flow from cut to cut. 
  

• 2.  Attention Grabbing- Get the listener’s attention right away.  Use someone else to introduce you.  Another voice talent, your grandmother, a child.  Make it brief but get their attention.  It can be as simple as having another voice artist say your name.  It’s a matter of staging, setting up that which is to come.
  

 

• 3.  Focused- Consider your market.  Who is it that you want to reach with this demo?  What kind of business do you desire to get from this demo?  Think like a client who is looking for what you are trying to sell.  Address that need.  Keep in mind that there are different kinds of clients who will be listening to your demo: (1)The advertising professional- These are individuals who for the most part know exactly what they want and how the voiceover process works.  To cater to this group it’s important to do your research and stay on the cutting edge of the norm for the industry.  They’re also more likely to be impressed with “name brand dropping” in your demo.  (2) The do-it-yourselfer- They have little to no knowledge of how the voiceover process works.  They certainly don’t have trained ears and are less prone to be attracted by the voiceover sound-de-jour.  A little entertainment value may go a long way with these folks and the big name brands might be a turn-off. 
  

• 4.  Branded- Make certain that your name is on your demo, beginning and end.  Also, when you save your file include your name in the file name.
  

• 5.  Variety- Here the variety should be in style and tempo only - not in genres.  Let the seeker know that you have the range and the ability to adapt to their requirements.  Include cuts with music and without.  Be cautious in using other voices.  Remember, you’re selling yourself.  Too much dialogue from somebody else is confusing and keeps the focus off of your talent.
  

• 6.  Tempo/Texture- Use changing tempos to aid flow and create interest.  Open in a moderate tempo, pick up the pace, then slide to something soft and slow.  If you have a gruff sound then balance that with your natural sound.  It’s like creating a fine musical work.  Make it flow.
  

• 7.  Quality Production/Superior Audio- Make certain that your edits are clean and that they aid flow.  Your presentation must be devoid of extraneous noise and heavy compression.  Resist the temptation to dazzle the client with your production prowess.  As a voice talent you are selling your voice and not your ability to manipulate sound.
  

• 8.  Time Sensitive- Opinions differ on the proper length for a demo.  I believe that a good demo should be in the 2 minute range.  Clients most often only listen to a few seconds of a demo.  That’s why it is so important to grab their attention from the beginning.  This is not a time for saving your best for last.  Nor is it a time for starting strong and ending strong.  Every part of a great demo should be stellar.
  

• 9.  Honest- A great demo should be the best possible representation of what you really are.  Your demo is only part of the cycle involved in building a successful voiceover business.  If you can’t deliver the product after a great demo then you have been dishonest with your client. 
  

• 10.  Keep refining- Monitor the effectiveness of your demos.  Are they getting listened to and are you getting client contacts from them?  A while back I made the mistake of changing a demo that had been working well for me.  I had grown tired of it and thought it was in need of change.  The result was fewer calls from clients for quotes.  More recently I analyzed the differences between the two demos and built a new demo based on my study.  As a result I am getting more inquiries than ever. 
  

A good demo is part of our foundation for voice talent success.  The investment of time, energy, creativity, and even monetary funds will be worth your while.  Make a good impression with the best possible presentation of your work.

Need a demo critique?  I offer the service for free.  I’ll share some ideas on how to improve your presentation.  You can contact me at rw7475@gmail.com. 

All the best to you as you pursue your voice talent dream.

These lessons have been written by Richard Weirich. 

For help with your voice talent career contact Richard at rw7475@gmail.com or (205) 260-9362. 

Voice Talent coaching services are available.  Initial critiques are free.