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YOUR INCOME If You Hate To Negotiate Voice-Over Rates, Follow These 6 Tips On How To B.E.H.A.V.E. June 13, 2018  By Dan HurstVoice Actor
Sometimes rates are not negotiable. The client has a set
rate and you either live with it or you don't. Sometimes it's a fair rate, and
sometimes it isn't. However, often setting the rate is part of closing the
deal. Normally many of us would just let
our agent take care of that. But what if you don't have an agent yet? Or what
if the client wants to deal with you directly? One of the most stressful, awkward and difficult things for most VO talent to deal with is negotiating rates. We probably struggle with this one issue more than any other regarding our business. In most cases, it's a confidence thing. But along with that are the necessary elements of:
And there are some things that you need to know and/or have before you start any negotiation process: 1. You
should know your rates.
If you don't have a rate sheet, build one. A number of organizations offer suggested rates, including the
union, GVAA, Edge Studio (and some P2P sites have some disgusting rates posted,
but it's up to you if you want to play by those), and I'm sure I've missed a
few. By
the way, if you want to use one of the above sources to set your rates, that's
fine. But remember, you
actually set your own rates.
Use the various rate
sources as a guide, but know your worth. 2. You should know the usage of the VO project. A
commercial that is going to run 6 months is worth more than one that will run
13 weeks. An eLearning course that is going to be resold without limit is worth
more than a one-time training event. 3. You should know when and where the VO recording
will take place. I learned very early in my career that some clients think they
can just come over to your house and use your studio for free. Not cool. Spell
it out in your agreement!
NOW, ABOUT THE MONEY ... Once you've done your due diligence, and you are ready to
get down to the nitty-gritty of your discussions with your client, you will of
course discuss the elements of the project - the purpose, the intent, the
style, what they are looking for, what you will deliver, etc. etc.
But at some point the issue of money has to be addressed.
How should you do that?
This matter is usually handled rather quickly, and once
you've established a business relationship with your client it probably will be
a done deal. But for new clients, or for re-negotiating rates with old clients,
be willing to take some time to work this through. I've had situations where
the process took weeks. And I've had situations where it took seconds. But it
helps to be prepared to address your client's questions and concerns whether
they are expressed or not.
YOUR 6 NEGOTIATING TIPS
Here is a quick and simple primer on how to handle these
matters. I call it B.E.H.A.V.E. If you can remember these 6 tips, you can
confidently negotiate your rate. These are not in any order of priority, but
knowing the acronym helps keeps these elements in mind.
BUDGETS Ask the client upfront what their VO budget is. This is such a simple question, and an easy way to broach
the subject, that I'm surprised at how many voice talents never do this!
Believe me, almost every client you have has a VO budget in
mind when they put their projects together. Now, they might have a range, but
they almost always have a budget! So
ask!
EXPECTATIONS
I always include this point in the discussion. It's important to know what they are expecting from me. That gives me a
sense of what they think the scope of the job is. In this part of the
discussion, I try to get a sense of how much work they think the project will
involve, and how much I think it will involve. If we are at odds on this
matter, this needs to be cleared up right away.
There is no point in discussing money if the client thinks it's a simple,
little, short job, and you know that it is going to be significantly more
involved. Make sure the client understands the scope of the VO job.
HISTORY What does the client normally pay for talent? If they are
changing voice talents for an ongoing project, ask what they've recently been
paying that person.
There's nothing wrong with asking that. But remember, NEVER be intimidated by
what they were paying. Usually when a client realizes they need to make a VO
change, they understand they may have to pay a little more than they've been
paying.
As a matter of fact, I recently got a new client that had decided to change the
voice of his company. In our discussions I asked what they had been paying
their soon-to-be-former voice talent. When they told me, I was stunned at how
low the rate was. I told them that my rate was double what they
were used to paying, and that this was a rate for ongoing work.
Their response was refreshing: "Well, we finally realized that we got what we
were paying for, but we didn't expect it to be that much more." I made a mental note, and later in the negotiation I offered to include their
phone messaging at no extra charge. That sealed the deal.
Moral of the story: have some options, some benefits to
share. ANNUAL Retainers can be a win/win situation.
Don't be afraid of a retainer rate. If a client has an ongoing project, ask
what the amount of spots will be per month. Then do the math. What would be a
good monthly average rate? Consider offering your services on a monthly basis
over a year agreement that would appeal to them, and guarantee a base rate for
you. But make sure you get a signed annual agreement for the monthly rate.
By the way, I generally don't offer discounts. I've offered
discounts in the past for multiple jobs, or the promise of volume activity, and
I've always been burned. It's just not worth doing that up front. Now
what I tell clients is that I would consider a discount after so many jobs. But I never discount from the
start.
VALUE This is one of the most powerful negotiating tips you can master. When negotiating rates, ask:
Then listen for what they DON'T say. Why? Because clients don't
really buy on the basis of price alone. They buy on the basis of perceived
value. If they don't know - or don't think of all the value you offer - all they
have to go on are the things they mention to determine your value. So the things
that they don't mention on your list are what you need to remind
them about, that you bring to the table - and thus, why your rate is a good rate. Increasing your value increases your rate. This, by the way, is one of the reasons VO rates have gone down in many areas.
Clients who use P2P (online casting) sites usually just make a decision on the basis of a
disembodied voice. The perceived value is low because they have no way of
knowing all that a VO talent can bring to the table. And P2P sites that prevent contact between
talent and client do both a great disservice. Conversely, that's why referrals
and networking with potential clients in person or on social media can be so
effective. And finally…
EXPERIENCE This is a very useful part of the process. Clients are looking for a good
experience. We all are!
What can you do to make that particular project a good
experience for them? Would they like to be in on the recording session, either
in person, by ISDN, by Skype or phone patch? Offer for them the opportunity to direct the
session. Sure, sometimes that can be a pain, but often it's a great way to focus
in on what the client wants, and on top of that, to continue to build a
relationship.
If they don't want to direct, would they like some sample
reads before you actually record? It is usually a great relief for them (and
for you) to be able to nail down the style and character of the VO before
actually recording.
Some of my clients like to give their VO
interpretation of the copy before I record. I mean, they actually record their
scratch track of the project, or read it in a live session. No problem. Ask clients if they would like to do that to help you understand what they are looking
for. When clients understand and believe that they are going to get more of what
they expect, and perhaps something good that they didn't expect, the value of
the experience goes up. A lot of voice talents hate negotiating the deal. I actually love it. I find it a terrific way
to get to know the client and build better relationships. And I love being a
part of their creative process!
So, there you have it. Go BEHAVE. And good luck! ------------------ ABOUT DAN Dan (Daniel Eduardo) Hurst is an experienced bilingual (English and Spanish) voice talent operating out of the Kansas City area. His business extends internationally, with clients including Maserati, Boehringer Ingelheim, British Petroleum, Kimberly-Clark, McDonald's, Volkswagen, Telemundo International, Shell, Hallmark, TransCanada, and many more, along with his national work for numerous infomercials, ESPN, MLB, and the Golf Channel, among others. When he's not working, he spends time cheering for losing sports teams, getting kicked off of golf courses, and cursing his boat motor. Email: DanHurst@DanHurst.com Web: www.DanHurst.com SEE MORE VALUABLE VOICE-OVER INCOME ARTICLES |
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Make notes to remind you of Dan's suggestions, so you're not trying to remember what you read here. Sounding prepared makes you sound more confident too. Stick to your guns in times of being beat up by inexperienced clients who have NO CLUE. It's an educational moment that helps you and your client.
This is an on-going part of a voice talents learning curve. We ALL need to think of these options when you're standing on a limb with a saw and knowing WHERE to cut.
Thanks Dan!