Recently, someone asked me where I get ideas to write my blog.
It depends, really. Often I look in my planner to see what happened last week. Usually an entry reminds me of a question or an experience and I’m off to the races.
Sometimes it’s seasonal. For example, at the beginning of every year I write something pertaining to goals or another way to set you up for success in the New Year.
Sometimes it just springs out of my head for no damn good reason.
A few days ago I was unfriending someone on Facebook as part of my new regimen (read this blog entry to know what I’m talking about) when a question occurred to me:
If I disconnected from everyone on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter that are friends, family, or fellow voice talents; how many connections would I have left?
Far, far less than I have now.
Take a look at Facebook to see what I mean…
When I acquire a new friend on Facebook, I add them to a Friend List. Of my 2,000+ Facebook friends:
500+ are voice talents
400+ are miscellaneous professional contacts
100+ are past co-workers from non-VO jobs
75+ are former classmates
100+ are non-industry “real-life” friends & family.
That leaves about 800 “unlisted” Facebook friends. I’m sure many are deleted profiles or friends I didn’t put into a Friends List for some reason. I haven’t been doing it from the start (I don’t remember if they had that feature back in 2007) so clearly it’s not perfect.
TIP OF THE WEEK
A while ago I realized how unproductive and frankly, incestuous marketing is as a voice talent on Facebook. What are most of us doing besides putting on a “me me me” show by posting our most recent gig that only other voice talents see?
Does that mean you should unfriend your fellow voiceover peeps? Of course not. If they are someone you have met in real life and have an actual non-electronic connection with them, then by all means keep them.
To be honest, I don’t think it really makes a difference one way or another. My point is that as voice talents our social media presence is, for the most part bloated, overrated, and largely ineffective. Take the time to examine your online social media presence and determine if it’s actually helping your career or just one big Candy-Crush cat-selfie-laden distraction.
NEWS AND NOTES!
Check out the Agent 1.22 swag!
I got a color-changing mug from Cafe Press. The mug is black until you put hot liquid in it and voila! A cyborg secret agent to sip your tea with.
Click here to order your Agent 1.22 T-shirt or mug!
HAPPY HAPPYS!
Happy Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day and Australia Day! In celebration of Australia Day, I present to you this very special video from Deadpool, played by Ryan Reynolds. FYI this video is NSFW. That means Not Safe For Work, mom. 🙂
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
If I could be anyone, I’d be me so I wouldn’t have to buy new clothes. Christopher Lloyd from “Taxi”
From my village to yours; this is Tom Dheere, GKN News…
Tom Dheere is a 20-year veteran of the voice over industry who has narrated thousands of projects for clients in over a dozen countries. He is also a coach at Edge Studio, voiceover business consultant known as the Voice Over Strategist, and is currently writing & producing the comic book “Agent 1.22”.