The Voice123 Team Blog: Usage: 'Tis The Season To Be 123 Savvy!

Wednesday, December 01, 2010

Usage: 'Tis The Season To Be 123 Savvy!

If you have been using Voice123, or are just starting, and still get nagged by that question, ‘Are they using my audition?’, this blog is for you.

So far in 2010, Voice123 has posted more than 1,000 SmartCast voice over jobs a month. I mention these because they are the jobs that were screened, as private jobs are not screened. :

January (1073)
February (1112)
March (1357)
April (1280)
May (1193)
June (1191)
July (1085)
August (1287)
September (1234)
October (1268)
November (1211)

Why bring this up now?
Did you know less than 1% of voice over jobs on Voice123 turn into a troubled business transaction; stated as such because dropped communication leads to more problems than one “trying to steal”.

However, we had the higher activity of non-payment and/or troubled business transactions resulting from dropped communication during December 2009, and resolved in 2010.

What you need to know for yourself...

1. How to spot ‘spam’. It is easier for some more than others. Ask around.
2. How to investigate who you will be working with, and how to not overreact.
3. Know when you have to be ‘flexible’ vs. ‘when someone is ‘breaking you’

Perhaps, I have seen this to be very difficult for voice over talent to do, only because they aim to please in a business that has no ‘absolute right’; not to mention for years there was a fear if one told an agent, ‘I am busy.’ there was a fear they would never call again. Fact is...Everyone on Voice123 is a ‘DIY’ business, and sometimes a business has to say, ‘No.’ No one ‘gets in trouble’ for being their own business.

What you should never do...
Never lose your head in a situation. Working online is not war. "Give peace a chance". It may be romantic to be the "working class hero", and really tear into someone, but instant "web karma" will get you...and you will find yourself chasing more business away than attracting from overly emotional business behavior.

"Imagine" what you will find out when you stop to ask questions to protect yourself. Sure it may seem like starting over, but the info is out there for free. Just google it. Cooler heads always prevail.

Never ‘assume’. (see: 4:20). It is always important to laugh off spam. Taking online behavior personally will destroy your spirit. Websites are opinion and trend based, and we all have opinions: