Do You Know What Is Your Voice Worth?

"If You're Good at Something, Never Do It for Free!"

As an independent contractor and freelance designer I have done a number of jobs that I have bid on without understanding what exactly the scope of the project was. Back in the days when I was a full-time graphic designer running my own shop, I had a client ask me to price out a job where I added a proposed building to a real photograph to illustrate how the construction would impact the view on a residential neighborhood. I did the work and submitted it. Then came a number of additions to the image, that was not discussed when I was hired. Each revision cost me time and took me off other projects. In the end my bill was more than the client expected. When I gave them the reasons behind the added cost of the project they understood, but I had to negotiate and settle on a price that was more than originally quoted and a lot less than the final amount owed. What I had neglected to calculate was the cost of changes and additions to the project and to let my client know just what they had agreed to pay for when I took on the project.

Voice over recording is basically the same as creating graphics or providing any service. With any service that is offered the old adage rings true,"Time is money," and if you underestimate the time it will take to complete a project you could be losing money. Case in point, about six months ago I agreed to read a college textbook that is being used in an eLearning course. My fee for each finished hour was $125. 

However, at the time I signed the agreement I was unaware that the client wanted each and every breath removed from the files. Three hours of recording turned in nine hours of editing and by the time I completed the project I was earning around $9 per hour for my time.

Often, I find that VO clients add to a project when they discover that I can provide additional services, yet they don’t consider that adding to my time equates with spend more money for the additional work. Whenever I add royalty free music scores to a commercial, there is a cost involved.  I have paid for the library and have to add in a price for the convenience of editing a score to fit the length of the voice file. Although there are different costs and add-ons that can be charged to a client, I like many others, have been taken advantage of by clients who request more than they anticipate paying for. 

In the 2008 blockbuster film “The Dark Knight,” the “Joker” is asked by a gathering of underworld crime bosses, why he doesn’t voluntarily kill Batman. “Joker’s” response is one that I have adopted as a philosophy for calculating quotes in my work. “If you are good at something,” Joker states, “Never do it for free!” As a voice actor, designer, writer, and marketer I have learned that everyone wants you to hand them work without ever considering the cost of my time. Instead of surrendering to an unfair price or accepting that the client may take advantage of me, I elect to stand up for myself. I have learned that what I have to offer has value. I know it is scary to ask for money, but if you don’t face that fear you will always be underpaid and underappreciated.

Only after I began believing that I have value was I confidently able to ask to be paid what I am worth. The lesson to be gleaned here is that until you value yourself and your services, no one else will. If you have no idea what to charge, your clients will only give you what they are willing to part with. Until you decide that you have value you will be taken advantage of. I know now that I left hundreds of dollars on the table before I started to believe that what I offer has value. No one will tell you that you are worth more than what they are willing to pay. It is up to you to set the price by knowing what you can offer and what you can sell your services for.

I learned a hard lesson about the value of my time as a voice talent in the booth and my time editing raw audio files for broadcast. The more technically savvy you become the greater your value is. The more services you offer, the more valuable you become to your clients. By delivering quality your clients will see your worth and be willing to pay what you ask for, but only after you accept that you are truly worth every penny you ask them for.

Today if a client low-balls me, I ask myself, “Is this project worth my time?” If the answer is no, I turn down the assignment. My clients understand that I set my prices competitively and my work is of the highest quality. I gain respect as a professional voice actor and my business prospers because I am certain that my work has value and is worth what I demand for my time and talent.

I hope you find value in my wisdom and price your services according to what you are worth.

Until next time, Ciao!