What is the ROI for Voiceover jobs?

Phylis Harris

This question goes out to those who have upgraded to the "Premium" membership level.

What is the ROI (Return on Investment) for you since joining Voice123? How many jobs do you get in a 3-month period of time?

Sign,
New Kid on the Block Laughing

Robert Jadah · Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2008, 02:54 (GMT) Post subject:

Phylis, Phylis, Phylis...where to start?

I see we were both soldiers of Mr. Borman back in the pre-Continental days, so you know how ruthless business can be. It's the same in voiceover, but with a kinder edge.
Firstly, I was unable to download your site page demo. Did you post it in MP3?
Secondly, your bio and description simply scream "I'm just dabbling in this!" Please look at the sites of Amy Snively, Maggie's Voice, Connie Terwilliger, Nikki Saco and others to get a better idea of how you may better portray your professionalism.

As to your query, I would take an educated guess that our most successful women land up to a couple of jobs per month from this site. But that's after years and years of study, practice, seminars, and polishing their act. They are seasoned VO pros.
Coming in like you are, I would project a 33% ROI.
You'd land a $100 telephony gig after about 200 auditions.

I'm not being mean, mind...only trying to impress upon you that there are some 3,000 talents here, and hundreds of them have been doing this well for upwards of a decade.
Please do not look for an ROI from a V123 investment. Look instead for an ROI on some coaching, acting classes, VO books, equipment, and amateur theatre.

Good luck...and,

Voice On!

Philip Banks · Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2008, 10:15 (GMT) Post subject:

ROI from here? Appalling. Since paying my $199 I have earned $200. Only invest in this site an amount you are happy to lose.

Scott Pollak · Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2008, 14:16 (GMT) Post subject:

I don't think there's a way to answer this question. And Philip, I'm honestly stunned that's all you've gotten from this site.

It's going to depend on so many things:
- First and foremost: how truly talented you are (Philip IS, very much so) to be able to compete against the many really good talented pros on this site (Philip is one of those pros)
- How many auditions you send out
- How appropriate your audition is to the lead. That is, you might send out 500 auditions, but if 250 of those leads call for a young, white, hip male and you're a middle aged black female, you should never have responded (obviously).
- How well your budget fits in with the clients' budgets. You might be the perfect voice, but if your quote is twice what they can afford, odds are you won't hear from them
- Whether or not they ever listen to your audition. You might be the best voice for the job, but if they stop listening at audition number 62 and you're audition number 63, you won't get the job.

Obviously I can only speak for me personally. While this site, and others, are not my main source of v/o income, I've made WAY more than I've invested. Just a rough glance at my billing for this year shows about $8000 income from Voice123, but results may vary, use as directed, and refrain from using this site should you notice increased irritability, loss of income or unexplained sleeplessness.

Doug Parks · Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2008, 00:42 (GMT) Post subject:

$8,000, huh? Good thing there's other ways to make money in VO...

Diane Havens · Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2008, 01:42 (GMT) Post subject:

Doug, I hope you know V123 work is only a small portion of what Scott, and others like him, are making doing VO! (Unless it's their hobby.) Lots of low paid gigs here, but the rare good one will appear from time to time. You must be vigilant, and you must be Smart-cast! Or personally invited -- to those.
Phylis -- I think the amount of work you can get here depends greatly upon your particular niche. So take note of the types of leads coming in, and whether, of those you'd be perfect for, there might be enough you'd land to make a profit after your $295 investment. With the hope of meeting that coveted, yet elusive, repeat client!

September Day Leach · Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2008, 02:06 (GMT) Post subject:

Well, as others have stated, there are as many different answers as there are paying members. For my part, V123 has played a HUGE part in my career this year. Yes, it is only one part of my marketing plan, but if I just took the money that I made from V123 this year, I'd still have a very good income. More than that, the jobs I've landed have lead to bigger clients and better paying jobs. My biggest job to date came through here. I am fortunate enough to have a good audition to booking ratio and that helps a lot. For a person new to the business though, you do have to understand how many talented people like Kara, Connie, Maggie, Caryn, Diane, Deby, Allison, Julie and others you'll be competing against. Take a listen to their demos and be honest with yourself as to how your voice measures up. If you're ready, go for it!!

Scott Pollak · Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2008, 03:56 (GMT) Post subject:

Robert Jadah · Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2008, 04:17 (GMT) Post subject:

I'm kind'a glad this conversation is going this way.
Honestly: what do we make?
We all gladly jump in with advice and success stories, but nobody talks in measurable numbers.
It's little wonder that newbies come wandering in with stars dancing in their eyes.
Month after month and year after year, this Dance of the Seven Veils becomes trite.
I can well understand the retiscence of the Europeans: they are not culturally inclined to discuss such matters. But in the Excited States of America?
Hell, I can't spend three stories on an elevator in America without being asked what I do for a living, and how much it pays.
So I'll go first.

After thirteen years in the biz, my 2007 VO income was $37,550.
My unionized acting income was $8,900. My royalties and residuals were $3,240. My part-time auctioneering netted me $8,000, and my public speaking fees earned $3,000.

Of that, Voice 123 projects and V123 repeats were worth $1,450;
zero after SmartCast.
Unless the tax people are tapping in here, I pay no tax on any of that income. If they are, my real name is Ron Robinson.

It ain't a fortune, but my needs and expenses are small. In the burgh of Hemmingford, Quebec, my family lives well on my warbling.

Veils Off!

Melba Sibrel · Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2008, 04:33 (GMT) Post subject:

Hmmm. Veils off, eh? Okay. I'm in. Roughly $23k for '07 -- strictly just VO. Other odd jobs make up the rest -- maybe $7k. Nowhere else could I do that on less than 10 hours a week on average, I reckon. I'm not rich, but I'm a single homeschooling mom doing it all alone, savoring every minute of my son's topsy turvy life. Whew. I never tell anyone that much about me. I'm tired. Gotta go lie down. Laughing

Scott Pollak · Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2008, 04:46 (GMT) Post subject:

I do not share my income with anyone other than my wife and my accountant. Oh wait, I do my own taxes. So I don't share it with anyone other than my wife.

I will say '07 was my best year so far in v/o. I have you both beat and turned down a $70,000/year job as a video producer this year, not because I'm making more than that, but I'm making enough that a figure like that wasn't nearly enough to me to offset a long commute and giving up v/o.

I have plans in the works that, if successful, should lead to a 20% - 50% income increase in '08. But we'll see. At any rate, I made more sitting at home this year than my buddy, the full time producer at the radio station did, and he has to hire me on sometimes to fill in for him because he's so overloaded. Oh, by the way, I don't figure ANY of my p/t radio income into my v/o income either.

Allison Scussel · Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2008, 05:00 (GMT) Post subject:

September Day Leach · Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2008, 05:02 (GMT) Post subject:

Well, let's face it: a well-placed veil is damn sexy! Twisted Evil

But I'll play along, too. I started full time in February of '05. I'll be claiming right at 50K for 2007; 40K for all voice stuff and about 10K for...wait for it...taking surveys and attending focus groups. But let's not forget that we full-timers pay for our own insurance and have no sick days or vacations days that are paid for. I'm also so new that I'm still buying new equipment as well as funding a cross-country move, so most of what I made has been put back into my career. The people down at Guitar Center know me by name and I received a Christmas card from the kind folks over at Full Compass for all of my purchases this year. I know that I'm blessed to be making what I am after only doing this a short time, but remember that I have no kids, young pets, a paid-for car, and I like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and Ramen Noodles. I was able to devote 100% of my time to cold calling and pounding pavement to get clients. If I had other responsibilities, it would have taken a lot longer.

Scott Pollak · Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2008, 05:08 (GMT) Post subject:

Here's another thought about all this. Many of us tend to find somewhat of a niche' in this business. For Todd, it sounds like it was MOH and IVR (poor guy.......... Wink

). I know 'Ember's 'biggie' was the MTV awards, but she's honed in on the short, sly 'n' sexy niche'.

More than half of my v/o income last year was from e-learning, which I enjoy quite a bit, but it's not ultimately what I want to do (see the "What's your Dream v/o gig" thread). One single client contributed to nearly 50% of my v/o income last year, but other large ones are beginning to drop into place.

And the national auditions are coming fast and furious. I didn't land this particular one, but about 3 weeks ago I got TWO callbacks for a national gig that paid $80,000!! Land just one or two of those........

Wink

Allison Scussel · Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2008, 05:12 (GMT) Post subject: