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CAREER 8 Things It Would Be A Sin To Skimp On In The New Year ... December 26, 2012  By Celia SiegelVoice Talent Manager My holiday gift for you is no-nonsense advice - a little "tough love" for your New Year Resolutions. The truth is, it takes more than belief in yourself to succeed. You need to also invest in yourself to make the things on your wish list come true. Many talents have gone unnoticed because there was no follow-through; no investment to accelerate success. Let's pick up the pace! If your goal is to have a super successful voice over career, you must keep banging down doors to get your piece of the pie. You need to invest time, energy and strategic attention on that ferocious fabulousness. It's a competitive environment out there - and to succeed, there are 8 things that would be a sin to skimp on: 1. Demo With The Best. Don’t waste time doing a bad demo in a friend’s basement. Work with a top demo producer. A good rule of thumb is to find out where top talent agents are sending their clients – go there. Even if you’re a pro, a poorly produced demo makes you a rank and file amateur. Invest now, don’t "pay for it” forever. 2. Study With The Best. Where does top talent go to get even better? Find and work with the best teachers. Make careful choices about who you study with. You deserve the best. Find the "power suit” of teachers – style, substance and the perfect fit for where you want to go. 3. Have Daily Commitment. Be out there – every day – educating people about your voice. Are you dedicating 3 hours a day? Find time. Do it before your family wakes up. Audition every day. Practice every day. The people who succeed understand it takes disciplined commitment. 4. Define Brand & Write Business Plan. A shabby business package is a recipe for VO atrophy and begs the question - are you getting noticed? Your website, marketing materials and business plan are crucial to your success. The better they are, the easier it will be to cut through the clutter and get the attention that measures up to your greatness. 5. Be Proud. Be Loud. When your brand is built properly, your megaphone gets bigger. Use it. It’s a huge esteem builder when what you’re shouting begins to echo! Be confident – as you ratchet up the volume with a rock solid message, you will see exponential success. Every extra phone call, handshake and postcard makes a difference. 6. Self-Care. Baby, no one said it would be easy! You’re putting yourself up for rejection every day. We’re prescribing large doses of self-love. Take care of your instrument. Your body really is your business! Go to yoga, get a massage, delegate, ask for help. The better you feel, the better you sound – make time for yourself. To sound grounded, you have to be grounded. 7. Love-Up Your Team. Who helped you with your career this year? Thank them. You don’t need to buy them a new fur coat, but kind words and gestures of appreciation demonstrate how much you value their support. Open your heart to gratitude – you’ll be richer every day. 8. Avoid Cheap. Still think you can mix it up and succeed on the cheap? Guess what, if you added up all of your blown out $30 blenders, they would add up to a whole lot more than one, high-quality Vitamix machine that may last a lifetime. Smart investments pay off. Careers built on fits-and-starts lose momentum and cost you more than you will ever know. Invest in the career equivalent of the Vitamix and you’ll be whipping up a recipe for success. Investing in yourself is the most empowering, rewarding gift there is! In 2013, go the extra mile. When you win that one, great job you’re on your way to your investments paying off. ----------------- ABOUT CELIA Celia Siegel is president of Celia Siegel Management (CSM), specializing in voice over talent branding, management, marketing, consulting and life coaching. She worked as a top voice talent agent for over 15 years (with CESD in LA, JE Talent in San Francisco, and Wehmann in Minneapolis), "handling both stars and human beings with equal love, strategy and joy." Voice talent clients are profiled on her website for review by casting directors, agents and producers. Web: www.celiasiegel.com Email: celia@celiasiegel.com |
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Thanks for the advice
Andy
Philip