When it comes to voice actors, you have a lot of different options to choose from. How do you know which voice actor is the best for your commercial? Here are a few tips to help you find the perfect one for your next advertisement.
Put Them To Test
Whenever you’re interviewing a voice actor, you need to give them something to work with so that you would know if they’re the right fit. You can look into these examples of voice over scripts and see how a simple text can help you make a choice whether to hire someone or not. Pay attention to how they approach their lines, the pauses, intonation, and other things.
A good voice actor should radiate confidence. When you listen to them, do they sound confident or are they putting doubt on their voice? It’s important that you pay attention to this because it will reflect how your commercial is going to be. The right tone of voice should always be high in confidence and sincerity.
Your brand has a particular personality and the actor must be able to represent that in the commercial. If you’re looking for someone to play a friendly and helpful character, it’s imperative that you look for an actor who can do just that. Their tone should be inviting rather than stoic or cold.
When putting them to test, try having your candidate record different versions of the same script so you could easily compare them. Record their auditions to make it easier for you to choose the right one. There are a lot of voiceover companies who do this so take advantage of it too!
Consider Your Target Audience
The actor needs to sound perfect for the market you’re targetting. For example, you wouldn’t want to hire a 20-something actor to play an old grandfather who’s been through a lot. Your target audience is going to pick up on that and it won’t sound believable.
To avoid this mistake, make sure your script includes the character’s age so that when you audition actors, they understand how old of a voice works for the project.
Here are some examples of how to match a voice actor with your target audience:
- If you’re targetting a younger market, consider hiring a voice actor who is 25 to 35 years old.
- If you want your product or service to appeal to older generations, it’s best to hire an actor whose age range is 45+ years old.
- A friendly voice is a given for any age group.
- If you want to go the serious route with your ad, consider hiring an actor whose age range is 55+.
If you do like the tone they’re going with, but not the voice itself, consider changing it with good software.
Check Their Experience
Seasoned actors are more likely to do a good job with your commercial. You should check their experience to make sure they’re qualified for the job. Do a quick online search to see if they have any acting credits in commercials or other voice-over work.
If you don’t have time to do a search, ask them directly about their experience. They will likely be happy to tell you all about their past work and what they can bring to your project. This is an important question to ask, so you can be confident that you’re hiring the best person for the job.
Finding the right voice actor for your commercial doesn’t have to be difficult. By checking their experience, you can rest assured that you’re making a good decision.
Make Sure They Can Convey Your Brand
You want to communicate your brand through the commercial, and if you want to make the right choice for the voice actor of your commercial, you have to think about making sure they can convey your brand. You know what you’re looking for when it comes to making a good impression via your commercial with potential customers.
The tone of voice that will be heard in this commercial is going to communicate so much while making an already great product or service even better. Choose a voice actor who has a deep understanding of how certain words are perceived by consumers because then they’ll pick up on things like that.
They should also have experience working as a professional along these lines so that you don’t have any problems at all down the road with them not providing exactly what it is you want from them during their work. Make sure they can not only meet but exceed your expectations.
Look Into The Actor’s Portfolio
Having knowledge about previous work is important when looking for a voice actor. This includes looking into the actor’s portfolios and listening to their previous work. You’ll be able to see if they have experience in the field you’re looking for, as well as get an idea of their vocal range and style.
Don’t forget to also listen to any audio samples or watch any videos they may have uploaded! This will give you a good sense of what their voice sounds like and whether it would be a good fit for your project.
Keep in mind that not all voice actors are created equal. Some may specialize in cartoon voices while others might excel at more serious tones. Do some research on which type of voice actor would be best suited for your commercial before contacting anyone. By taking these steps now, it’ll save you time later on when looking for the perfect voice actor to help bring your script to life!
Get Referrals
Ask other companies for referrals for the best voice actors. As soon as you meet a potential client, ask them to recommend other companies that hired voice talents recently. Ask how they found their talent and how much it cost them. There’s a good chance you can get the same talent at a lower price.
Ask them if they have any referral contacts so you can talk to their voice actor directly and negotiate pricing with him or her on your own. When getting referrals, always ask for their contact details as well, so you don’t end up getting lost in translation between two parties.
Hiring the right voice actor is what makes your commercial perfect, so make sure to test each candidate with a sample. See if they match your target audience and how experienced they are. Make sure they can convey your brand when testing them and always read their portfolio to see what they’ve done up until that point. Finally, get referrals from other companies that hired the actor to make sure they’re the right fit. Good luck shooting your commercial!
