Client retention is a challenge.
Most voice actors think it’s only a matter of clever marketing to maintain a high level of client retention. That is somewhat true, but it’s only a part of it.
There is much more to client retention than just the occasional desperate “do ya have more work for me?” email that most voice actors send.
First off, understand that no matter what you do, you will lose clients that will never come back. This happens for a number of reasons:
The company closes. These things happen. In 2012, I lost a huge client to Super Storm Sandy. It literally washed their business away. 🙁
Your contact in the company left and the new voice seeker has their own internal roster.
The company stops using voice actors. Either they switched to AI (eek!) or they shifted their business model and no longer produce content that uses voice talent.
The company changes their casting methods. Maybe they stopped using the agent that represents you, or maybe they started using a Pay-to-Play site that you’re not on.
You’re a niche voice actor and even though they loved you, they just don’t have any more work for you.
You did a lousy job. Maybe you don’t take direction well. Maybe you have trouble operating your DAW. Maybe you have an unstable internet connection which affects your phone patch technology.
TIP OF THE WEEK
How can you achieve high client retention?
The occasional phone call, email, postcard, or newsletter can help with your client retention but only if they’re well-phrased, are consistent with good branding (if you have chosen to brand yourself), and don’t come off as too needy/desperate/braggadocios/pushy.
The surest method to achieve high client retention is to do a good job.
Be a good listener. Take direction well. Have a strong internet connection, mastery of your DAW, and deliver audio files properly. Make strong choices in your narration so as to give the client plenty of high-quality takes to choose from. And don’t be a jerk.
NEWS AND NOTES
Wednesday, March 10th @8PM EST: the VO Strategist VO How-To webinar “Marketing Basics“.
Thursday, March 18th @8PM EST: the Edge Studio webinar “Tax Time!“
Thursday, March 25th @8PM EST: the Edge Studio webinar “The Sales Funnel“
SOLD OUT!!! Sunday, March 28th @5PM EST: The Voice Actors Studio webinar “eLearning Performance Workshop“
HAPPY HAPPYS
Happy Banana Cream Pie Day and Floral Design Day!
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
Tom Dheere is a voice actor with over twenty years of experience narrating just about every type of voiceover you can think of. He also helps voice talents navigate the voiceover industry as the VO Strategist. When not voicing or talking about voicing, he produces the epic sci-fi comic book Agent 1.22.