New Platinum Membership on TOS

Lori Furth

Did everyone see the newest choice of membership at TOS? For a mere $1,995 per year, you can be part of an exclusive group of 100 voiceover artists (first-come, first-serve), with commensurate benefits (like access to 10 new websites, higher profile on TOS, etc.)

So, who's in??

Colin Campbell · Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2008, 00:52 (GMT) Post subject:

Are they out of their mind? I think they just need a quick TWO HUNDRED GRAND.

You could hire almost anyone to promote you more for that money.

Scott Paxton · Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2008, 01:11 (GMT) Post subject:

The voice over sites have just hit a brick wall. We have been a part of the wave and some of us got the big one, but the oversaturation of noobies has taken its toll. When you start seeing the Today Show talking about the lucrative voice over business....it is done.

My two cents and a wooden nickel's worth.

Thanks

Steve Royal · Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2008, 02:55 (GMT) Post subject:

On the face of it, it looks pretty cool.
But, after thinking about it a bit, I'm not so sure.....

Someone who's not earning much from VO can't really justify spending 2 grand on a venture that may not pay off.

And...If they were earning enough to be able to afford it, then they would probably already be in a position where they wouldn't NEED to subscribe to it.

Erik Sheppard · Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2008, 03:02 (GMT) Post subject:

Personally, I thought it looked like a pretty good deal. That seems like a whole lot of search engine exposure for two grand.

Scott Pollak · Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2008, 03:30 (GMT) Post subject:

Well I'm baffled. I've been all over that site and can't find ANYTHING about this 'incredible' offer.

For $1995 they'd have to give me a money-back guarantee that I'd be able to make an R.O.I. within the year.

Daily I rely less and less on any of these online sites for my business. Scott Paxton mentioned the oversaturation and that's exactly what we're seeing happen.

Lori Furth · Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2008, 04:11 (GMT) Post subject:

Scott, I got the info. from the VOX Daily e-mail I subscribe to. Unfortunately, I erased my copy, so maybe someone else can post it.

I find it interesting that these boards have bandied the idea that V123 offer a higher tier of membership for true VO professionals (with requisite fee hike).

Maybe Stephanie thought that was an excellent idea, after all. I'm not sure what it means, but for me, personally, I need to spend my next $2,000 on better equipment!!

Lori Furth · Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2008, 04:20 (GMT) Post subject:

Here tis:

http://blogs.TOS/voxdaily/2008/07/platinum_membership_calls_for_100_people.html

Peter Ganim · Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2008, 04:29 (GMT) Post subject:

Erik may be right about the search engine exposure...but, did anyone notice that the 10 "other" sites, the "niche market" sites where these talents will be featured...all look like new, template-driven offshoots of TOS in the first place?

Phone Voices on the Net!
Commercial Voices on the Net!
Podcast Voices on the Net!
Audiobook Voices on the Net!

Maybe this does maximize S.E.O. - but, it's not as if these are 10 established and vetted, income-proven sites, outside the realm or reach of TOS-

They seem to all be very new subdivisions of TOS in the first place-

Though it may prove, in the end, to be wildly beneficial for a few versatile and fortunate talents...it smacks more as being a wildly transparent marketing scheme geared to the benefit of TOS...a quick $200,000 indeed.

The very best of luck to those who decide to give it a whirl-
PG

Thom Wilkins

I will be curious as to whom signs up in the coming weeks.

Dave DeAndrea · Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2008, 05:02 (GMT) Post subject:

I've looked over the info... is there any indication as to how or if this might effect the current Voices-com structure?

Lee Gordon · Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2008, 05:20 (GMT) Post subject:

When I got my copy of that offer a couple of red flags went up. Flag number one has to do with Voices-dot-com itself. If they have this super premium service for people who pay six times more than the rest of the membership, aren't they more or less obligated to steer the best leads directly to those super premium members at the expense of the normal members? The vast majority of the leads I currently see from them are of the cheapie variety and I get little enough benefit from my standard premium membership as it is. I can only imagine the opportunities becoming really thin.

Red flag number two has to do with Voice123. If Voices has come up with a scheme like this, can Voice123 be far behind? Again, I'm seeing relatively fewer non-bottom-feeder leads these days. If Voice123 were to go to a tiered system (as has been rumored) I had been thinking the fee would be in the $500 neighborhood. Now I'm thinking the 2-grand precedent has been set. And, again, if Voice123 were to add a "Platinum" level, I would expect them to steer all the best leads to them and leave an even higher percentage of crumbs for the rest of us.

Melba Sibrel · Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2008, 05:56 (GMT) Post subject:

Step right up...where's the pea? Is it under this shell, this shell or this shell?

Steve Royal · Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2008, 06:05 (GMT) Post subject:

Wait!
It's under ALL the shells!!

Whoopeeeeeee!
We're all gunna be mooyonaires!!!
Dancing

Caryn Clark · Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2008, 13:41 (GMT) Post subject:

Peter, you are correct in that the sites are new templates that TOS created.

As for me, well, if I had the money to burn, I might be tempted to give it a whirl. I like the concept of PR and SEO. However, too many other things rank higher on the priority list for my money at this time.

I'd have to think long and hard about it. In my estimation, I do well on these sites as it is. But, like Scott mentioned, the ROI would have to be pretty darn good to invest that kind of money. With the budgets of the projects currently on that site (and this one too), I don't see it happening. It could... I know people who have made $20K+ on these sites in a year with their mere $200 investment, but it's not the typical user experience, I don't think.