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Why Your Corporate Video Needs a Professional Voice Corporate videos get a bad rap. Somewhere between awkward stock footage and monotone delivery, they’ve earned a reputation for being… well, forgettable. But it doesn’t have to be that way. In fact, a well-produced corporate video can be one of the most powerful tools your company uses, […]

What It’s Like to Work with a Pro Voice Actor (Spoiler: Easy) Let’s face it, some parts of creative production are not easy. Your client asks for 37 rounds of revisions. Your deadline just got moved up. And someone, somewhere, insists on using Comic Sans. Working with a pro voice actor? That part is ridiculously […]

What Is a Relatable Read in Voiceover, and Why It’s Everywhere Right Now You’ve heard it a thousand times in casting specs: “We’re looking for a relatable read. Natural, conversational, not ‘announcer-y.’” And if you’ve ever thought, Wait, isn’t that what everyone wants now? – you’re exactly right. The relatable voiceover read is everywhere. Commercials. […]

🛠️ I’m Not Just a Voice Actor. I’m Your Voiceover Stress Buffer. Picture this:You’re wrangling approvals from 12 stakeholders, your creative director is second-guessing their own idea (again), and your client’s deadline just went from “whenever” to “yesterday.” And now you need the VO. Enter me.✨ Cool. Calm. Coffee in hand. Files delivered fast.I’m not […]

Despite all the AI hype and hyper-targeted algorithms, political advertising hasn’t gone the way of the dodo bird, and there’s a very human reason for that. A human voice is necessary for political ads. Voters respond to people. And in high-stakes races, campaigns know that the right voice can do more than deliver a script. […]

Today I encountered a lot of talk about AI, from listening to a podcast about commercial creation, to reaching out to a potential client who warned me, their company is using AI voiceover right now. The impact of AI voiceover on a brand could be detrimental. It’s cheap, right? With budgets being slashed, it seems […]

Are you a freelancer who has to, like everything else, make it your job to learn about saving for retirement and the options available to you? Or, do you work for a company with options like a 401K or pension? Either way, retirement planning and savings is vital! Getting Started After graduating from college, I […]

Tell me, how’d your Monday begin? Mine kicked off with a phone call that reminded me, once again, so many people believe voiceover is easy.  It’s not. Voiceover is not an easy gig. 📞 <Ring ring> “Hello, this is Caryn!” “Hi Caryn, my name is Steve…” From the start, Steve’s tone was friendly and curious. […]

Do you know why we should not fear AI? LinkedIn especially, often feels like doomscrolling. Between layoffs, people spending months and even years looking for a new job, freelancers slogging for connections to create relationships, and the ever present fearful chatter about AI from all points of view, it’s… exhausting. Humans fear of AI is […]

Starting a career in voiceover (VO) can be an exciting yet challenging journey. With over 20 years in the industry, both as a voice actor and a consultant, I’ve seen firsthand what it takes to succeed. If you’re considering getting into voice acting, these essential tips will guide you in the right direction. Read on […]

There’s a lot to be said about the power of relationships in business, branding, and advertising, and using voiceover to nurture those relationships. Building strong relationships in business is more than just networking. Actually, I hate the word “networking.” It’s about getting to know people. Really, and truly, know them. It’s about creating meaningful connections. […]

Ever since my first job out of college, advertising statistics have resonated with me. That first job was a customer service representative for a mutual fund company. There I learned about invaluable stats of mutual fund returns (3 mo, 12 mo, YTD, etc), and how statistics, even in hidden ways, are used to market and […]

As a professional voice actor, I spend a lot of time bringing stories to life—whether it’s voicing commercials, or lending my voice to inspiring projects. When it comes to professional growth, the right business mindset books don’t just have the ability to inspire us, but they can become the launching pad to a new dream, […]

So, you want to hire voice talent. Hiring voice talent doesn’t have to be difficult. In fact, the process can be simple if you start with a little research, preparation, and keep the right goals in mind. Voice talent can be hired for many different industries, and there are a variety of voices to choose […]

When it comes to booking voiceover talent for your campaign, you might have always done things the same way. Pay-to-play voiceover websites are a super popular go-to for industry professionals (though check out my recent blog on common pitfalls of pay-to-play voiceover websites). Agents are another useful tool for helping you recruit top talent. But […]

Is booking voiceover talent directly with the actor a good idea? Here’s my (slightly biased) perspective. Over the years, I’ve used talent agents, voiceover booking websites, and fostered long-term relationships with agencies and production companies for a variety of industries, brands, and types of content. However, I’m a huge proponent of booking voiceover talent directly, […]

Pay-to-play voiceover websites are great for finding talent for a one-off quick spot, but those bids don’t always yield the highest quality voiceover or perfect match for your project. When it comes to finding the right voiceover actor for your audio needs, there are so many factors that come into play. What tone are you […]

The idea of video ads potentially appearing in organic search results fascinated me as a voiceover actor when I was writing my last blog. With the rise of influencer-driven marketing on platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram, it’s not hard to imagine Google capitalizing on this trend for search results as well. With 8 billion […]

Buckle up, advertisers! Automotive ad voiceover can help recoup sales. The race for consumer attention is hitting top gear, and automotive brands should plan to rev their content marketing engines with high-impact messaging to stay ahead of the competition. Standing out today isn’t just about flashy visuals— voiceover in automotive advertising is about creating relatable […]

I’ll admit it—I couldn’t resist the nod to the viral Mortal Kombat reference. But hey, it’s relevant here! Choosing the right voiceover for your automotive commercial isn’t just about picking a “voice.” It’s about choosing a persona, someone who will connect with your buyers and make your brand memorable. Voice actors can adapt their voice […]

When major brands enter new geographical markets, they’ve got to make a splash. The revolutionary new (to us) children’s’ toy, Yoto, has entered the United States market recently, now in all Target stores in the US. Just in time for the holidays! Make no mistake, Yoto knows how to cast voiceover styles so children can […]

I’ve been doing a little holiday shopping this week, for client gifts and presents for family, and wanted to offer some tips to make it easy for your customer to buy from you. I’ve visited a lot of web sites, looking at all the options for the specific gifts I’m thinking about giving. I prefer […]

When it comes to reaching children, brands are working hard at breaking the algorithm that will help them fall in with what is arguably America’s most influential voiceover advertising demographic – kids! While we’ve broken down a lot of statistics about how women shop and women being the biggest influencers and decision makers in shopping, […]

“Let’s put it on your Christmas list for Santa!” Sound familiar? That’s because it’s been said by every mom of young children for years. So, when the holidays roll around, if your brand makes the Santa short list, odds are good mom’s making a purchase with you. Reaching moms through their children with kid-friendly voiceover […]

Advertisers spend millions trying to understand women’s holiday shopping habits—and for good reason. Women influence up to 80% of consumer spending, making them the most powerful shoppers during the holidays. The good news? Holiday spending is on the rise for 2024! 57% of women will spend between $500 and $2,000 this season, making it a […]

Women are responsible for the majority of holiday purchasing decisions. With a budget that has to stretch further than it ever has – you need to make sure your voiceover talent for your holiday advertising accomplishes your goal. Ads are vall over their social media feeds and interrupting their favorite TV shows and radio stations. […]

I’m a big fan of the Badass books (in case you hadn’t noticed with this pic). One of my favorite authors regarding mindset, in life and in business, is Jen Sincero. Owning your own business, being a freelancer, and/or working in a padded room every day, requires a mindset unlike any other. Amiright? It’s easy […]

In the wake of Hurricane Milton and the tornadoes that ravaged my community, some might think it odd I’m focusing on voiceover advertising resources. While my home was left untouched, my neighbors and many others throughout Florida weren’t so lucky. My heart goes out to those in Florida who are rebuilding. And to all impacted […]

  It’s been a week We had Hurricane Milton roll on through the west coast of Florida and through the state, on the heels of Hurricane Helene. Yesterday, while chatting with a neighbor, she was joking at the irony of me being married to a first responder whose nature is to be prepared and take […]

When it comes to holiday advertising voiceover for moms,  there’s nothing more important than building trust. With women influencing up to 80% of consumer spending, (OK, read that again – women influence EIGHTY PERCENT of consumer spending! Woah.) it’s not just critical, but a necessity that every single interaction foster as much trust as possible. […]

As a female voiceover actor, the integrity of sound is everything to me. I take great pride in delivering the highest quality audio to my clients, which means investing in the best equipment, optimizing my recording space, and constantly refining my setup to ensure a clean, professional sound. From microphones to acoustic treatment, every detail […]

Would you agree? Businesses should have the right equipment to do the job, and do the job right. If you’re exploring aspects of how to hire voice talent, you’re in the right place. It’s expected that if you are offering a professional product/service, you can provide it quickly and easily, and it should be representative […]

When it comes to a voiceOver actor, here’s an important definition to remember: Opportunity Cost: [noun] Economics – the loss of potential gain from other alternatives when one alternative is chosen. Across the board, advertisers are cutting budgets. According to Gartner’s Annual CMO Spend Survey, the average marketing budget for 2024 is down 15% at […]

When it comes to meeting customer expectations, they say, “Go the extra mile.” But here’s the truth: what you consider the “extra mile” might actually be the standard expectation for your customers. In the end, customers define their own expectations, and it’s your job to meet them. Meeting customer expectations is not just a business […]

Do you get the jitters when you’re working on a big voiceover performance? I do. And I’ve been doing voiceover for nearly 20 years. I think we all experience some level of nerves, right? Maybe it’s not “nerves” but more about being conscientious about the task at hand. Actually, I get a little bit of […]

The Power of Political Voiceover A political voiceover can be a touchy subject. However, this week, I had the pleasure of attending a gathering to watch the results of the local Florida Primary come in and to celebrate the winners of a hard-fought primary campaign. It was a wonderful experience, and it reminded me of […]

Thank you to SWFL Fresh Press and Eric Raddatz for a fun interview! If you’re curious about voiceover, how vos obtain work, who our favorite voices are, and what our REAL dream job is… listen! Click this sentence to link to podcast. 

Sometimes, we change our mind about how we do business. I changed my mind about my marketing strategy. I didn’t want to use digital marketing, especially direct marketing. At all. I’ve been in voiceover nearly twenty years, and I’ve never had to really direct market to gain business. So, the idea of a CRM, sending emails, […]

LinkedIn is by far my favorite social media platform. I used to HATE it. Avoided it. Didn’t log in for months and months. Maybe only checked in twice a year. What didn’t I like? 🛑 To start, I didn’t like the posts. They were impersonal. They were typically giving me bullet points about various business […]

Recently, I had an interview with CanvasRebel, where they asked, “Let’s talk about the first dollar you made as a creative. What can you share with us about how it happened?” You can read all about how I made that first dollar, and how I was subsequently fired hours later, by clicking here.  I also […]

As a voice over talent, there are a number of tools you can use to help you maximize your business. I recently started using VoiceOverView, and let me tell you, it’s AMAZING! I’ll admit, I was a little intimidated about having to enter each audition and job for tracking, but honestly, it takes seconds to […]

What’s next? This month, I celebrate a 17 year career in voiceover (19 years including years spent pursuing/studying, if we’re being entirely accurate). Where does time go? 17 years ago this month, I quit my career in marketing/writing and started in vo full time. Though, I wasn’t making enough money to really sustain myself. That […]

Things you need to know. 1. I am ridiculously protective of my brand, and who I associate my brand and myself with. 2. When Marc Scott of VOpreneur ® asked for a testimonial about his Voice Over Marketing Playbook, I didn’t hesitate. 3. I have a marketing background, and yet, there are so many ideas, […]

What does a recording studio look like? 🎤🎧 Well, they come in all shapes and sizes, of course! Closets, vocal booths, rooms… you name it. I started in a closet, then moved on to treating a room. I’ve had MANY a studio, and have built them all myself (with help and advice from friends, of […]

This is me. Kicking myself. Why? Because I should’ve started using a CRM (CRM stands for Customer Relationship Management, and a CRM is a tool/database that helps you keep track of your customers and potential customers) a long time ago. I was a brat, and “diiiidddddnnnn’t wwwwaaaannnnnaaaa!!!” I remember having a consult with Marc Scott, […]

Welp. You caught me. 👩‍💻 Mmmmhmmmmm… I see you checking out my profile, too. 🤓 Yep, I’m calling it all out here. All the things we want to say about LinkedIn profile views, but are afraid. Ready for it? 😬 Reaching out to people is scary. Our minds come up with all these notions of […]

In a world where we encourage people to BE WHO YOU ARE… I find it curious when people are offended vocal fry. Posts are scattered about social media among my voiceover colleagues about how they “hate” vocal fry. I see them at least once a week. Why are people hatin’ on the fry? It seems […]

Being that it’s mid-winter, I thought I’d share some of my tried and true remedies to battle the nasty bacteria that goes ’round. As a voice actor, being sick is a really bad thing. It makes it hard to audition, much less work, when you don’t sound like yourself. Here are a few ideas for […]

  Chats and Chirps Newsletter Hello there! Welcome to Issue One of the Chats and Chirps Newsletter! I’ve been putting off creating a newsletter for years, because I feel like our inboxes are full enough already. That said, I decided to create a newsletter that will provide USEFUL information, so you will appreciate the content and […]

Earlier this year, I was watching a MasterClass with Amy Poehler about improvisation and how it relates to living life. One of the rules of improv is, “Yes, and…” When your improv partner makes a statement, the way for you to add to the story to move it along is to say YES, and then […]

Props. Props to you! Props for you! Prepositions for your props! Ok, ok, I clearly haven’t had enough coffee yet. ☕ I wanted to chat about using props in your auditions. Yep, props in voice over auditions! While I was auditioning yesterday, there was one that called for someone who was sort of a subject […]

If you were anywhere on social media this past holiday season, you were probably pummeled with ads for #MasterClass. I’d always been intrigued by MasterClass but I just wasn’t sure I’d use it. After seeing ad after ad on #Facebook with #MarthaStewart in hair rollers, drinking her green juice, and letting us know she “… […]

Last night, as I sat at my desk writing holiday cards, I was a little bummed I couldn’t send cards to everyone of my clients, and, I wasn’t sending a gift to every single one of them. I mean, I’ve certainly been thinking, for months actually, about what I could purchase that I could send […]

It’s awards season! Within the voice over world, there seems to sometimes be a bit of controversy about awards, specifically various voice over awards platforms. I say, you do you. If you enjoy being acknowledged for the work you’ve done, then go for it! Enter that awards competition, and let that light shine!! Receiving a […]

In a previous post, I wrote about a connection I’d made on LinkedIn, who contacted me to voice a project for him. A few days later, I received an email from a colleague of his. Client #1 referred new Client #2 to me! I was so grateful. Earning someone’s trust is what business is all […]

It works! What am I talking about? Ok, so we’re on LinkedIn (and social media in general )for a specific purpose, right? To see how we can help others given our talents we use in our careers. We’re here to connect, get to know each other to build a relationship, and hopefully, be of assistance […]

Last week, I walked into my husband’s man cave to find him completely enthralled while watching this video about Sam Witwer voicing Darth Maul. Clancy Brown being in the video was a happy bonus, as that’s one of my husband’s all time favorite actors and voice actors. He was all like, “This is so cool…” […]

Not all businesses advertise on radio or TV, especially local businesses. They might not create web videos, or need promotional voice over work on podcasts. These types of marketing/advertising can be costly, and it can often take time to see the ROI. BUT THERE IS ONE THING ALL BUSINESSES HAVE and should use to portray […]

You might have heard the phrase, “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” In the practice of investing, this means don’t invest all of your money into a single stock/mutual fund/etc. Why? Because if that investment tanks, you’re going to lose all of your money. Of course, the opposite is true, as well. If […]

Lately, when I send emails to my clients, I end it by inviting them to have a Zoom Coffee with me! Tim Underwood of AudioTango said HECK YES, I’D LOVE TO (because that’s the kind of wonderful, happy, enthusiastic guy he is!). Last week, we caught up over a latte/coffee. Tim and I have been […]

Turns out, I’m a collector. Of coffee mugs. And Christmas ornaments. My mug collection is really growing. I was shopping last week and found this little gem. Toward the end of my shopping trip, I circled back to the aisle I found it on and started to put it back on the shelf bc I […]

This will be the shortest blog post ever. 🙂 Relationships matter. Be sure you treat your relationships, business and more personal, in a way that let’s the other side know, THEY matter. Start with, “I appreciate you.” I will end an email with those very words, because, I do appreciate the people in my life, […]

There are tons of coaches, programs, workshops, and the like out there. Some are great, and some are not so great. Recently, Anthony Reece started VO Radio Online. It’s just that – an online radio station that plays really cool music, and every 10 minutes or so, there are voice over “features” that are about […]

What makes you feel legit in your career? Today, I sent a text to my husband and said… “Making money like this makes me feel legit.” I’m gonna be real. Today was a good money day. As a freelance voice talent, reality is, unless you’re a promo or radio/tv affiliate voice talent who is contracted […]

Woohoo!! It’s the end of the first quarter!! While I make a point to regularly review my goals and strategies to achieve those goals, the end of a quarter is a good time to LOOK HARD at these action items, and re-group (whew, that was a lot of corporate jargon in one sentence!). When I […]

Today, I’ve been reminded of two almost opposite things. It’s reassuring and a confidence builder to have experience, yet, there’s ALWAYS more to learn. Seek out ways to grow in your knowledge, and appreciate other perspectives. I attended two events today, and left each feeling a different way. After the first event, I was thinking […]

My colleague @nethervoice posted this a couple of weeks ago. “If you’re the BEST, no one expects you the to be the CHEAPEST. If you’re the CHEAPEST, no one will ever believe you’re the BEST.” It resonated with a lot of people, as he stated later it was one of his most successful social media […]

Are you ready?? Yep, here it is! Hot Tip #3 in my series of evaluating your business and finding big and small ways to make improvements and advances in your business. Join and become active in organizations related to your business. Ok, you’re probably thinking, well, that’s obvious. Maybe it is. But, I am ashamed […]

Another hot tip for you! Are you ready???? Last month, I explained I was evaluating my business, to determine what I do well, and maybe not so well. I promised I would share tips with everyone, in hope that what I learn can help you, too! Ok, here’s the hot tip. Note your accomplishments. Woah. […]

Birthdays certainly cause me to reflect, these days. I have been doing voice over for SEVENTEEN years. That’s a long time to do any one career. I love doing voice over and am so very lucky to have it as a career, but holy cow, we freelance folks wear ALL the hats of a business […]

Click here to watch a VO Quick Tip!  I’m a hot mess in this video, as you’ll see, but the tip is valid! Oh, and when you get to my IG account to watch the video, be sure to follow me!  

I get inquiries from aspiring voice actors often. I’ve had two just in the past 24 hours, matter of fact. I’m always happy to help, particularly those who have a certain eagerness about them, and an understanding that this isn’t a game. I think back to when I was getting started (which was SEVENTEEN YEARS […]

You hear it time and time again these days. What is your “Why?” When I hear that, I usually end up like a deer in headlights, because I can’t wrap my head around anything that seems important enough to be a “Why.”  Meh. What does it mean? It means, why do you do what you […]

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote and posted Work From Home Strategies – Part 1. This post is a continuation of tips and tricks I’ve learned over the 23 years I’ve been working from home. – Take Vacations – When you’re working from home, it’s really easy to just bypass taking a little R&R time […]

While many people have only just recently started working from home, with the advent of the pandemic, I have been working from home since 1999. You guys. That’s a long time. Almost 23 years!!! Granted, when I started working from home, I was working a corporate marketing job for a company in NYC. The WFH […]

If you own a business, you know it’s important to understand your brand, and represent it in a way that’s relatable to your consumer. As voice actors, our branding is often a little more challenging to nail down and represent. We often try to be all things to our consumer. You need a hardcore announcer? […]

Take it from me. You don’t want to get hacked. Ask me how I know. :/ A couple of weeks ago, my Facebook account was hacked. I watched it happen, before my very eyes. I noticed I had two new friends, and the notification said they had accepted my friend request. Only, I hadn’t sent […]

Voice actors use demos to show their range, which encompasses tone and types of reads they can perform. Because we’re voice actors, these demos have historically been audio demos in the format of an mp3 file. Well, ok, it’s not ALWAYS been an mp3. Before the mp3, there we CDs, and before that, there were […]

It’s my career and a job, but to others, being a voice actor is fascinating. You know what I think is fascinating? Making your dreams come true. Every once in a while, I am asked to speak to groups about being a voice actor and/or my life experience. In the past couple of months, I […]

Hehe… see what I did there? Happy New Year, y’all!! Most people see the new year as a fresh start. I know I do. I was looking back in my social media “memories” and read that in 2011, I had THREE PAGES OF RESOLUTIONS!! Holy cow. I mean, I know those were years with some […]

Earlier this month, I did a thing. After 15+ years, I disconnected my ISDN lines. It’s the end of an era. After posting a video of my home studio on the Book o’ Face a few weeks ago, someone noticed my Telos Zephyr XStream on a bookshelf in the video, and was surprised to learn […]

As I was going through the most recent re-design of my web site this year, I decided I wanted to phase out the actual character of a “chick” that’s been a staple in my branding for 14+ years. To me, she just looked a little haggard, I guess. And I didn’t think she really represented […]