Amie Breedlove Voice Talent – Giving back…

In the last 24 hours, parts of my home state of West Virginia have been devastated by monumental flooding, with a state of emergency in 44 counties.  Homes & businesses are underwater.  Roadways have been washed away.  Life has been completely interrupted by torrential rainfall.  I’m proud to be a business owner in West Virginia and want to help.  So for today, Friday, June 24th, 2016, whatever voiceover jobs I receive … that money will go to help flood victims.

http://time.com/4381377/elkview-west-virginia-flooding/

Voiceovers for your business, your website – your brand

A little ‘Sentimental Journey’

First off, as a heads-up – this blog writing today has nothing to do with voiceover…and is rather sappy.

So here’s the thing. I still live in my childhood home, which is pretty special. My hubby and I continue to make my childhood home – our home – with all new, amazing memories. I’m also an only child, who spent the majority of my time growing up with myself & my parents. Of course I had loads of friends, but only a handful of really close friends from a young age…2 to be exact. They know ………… me.

One of those friends came to visit tonight and I hadn’t seen her in 10 years and she hadn’t been to my childhood home since we were in high school. (That’s 27 years). So, maybe it’s because I’m PMS-ing or maybe it’s because I’m incredibly sentimental, but being in the house where I grew up and my close friend visiting that used to spend the night a bunch in this house while singing songs, making up stories and talking about boys – was such an incredibly special moment. It’s a moment that makes me wanna go grab my parents and say, “Hey- look who’s here”, but both of my parents have passed.  A moment where I want to grab my tape recorder again and start singing those songs and relive a bunch of memories, but…I know this friend is rolling her eyes right now and giggling. I’m pretty sure she doesn’t have a sentimental bone in her body…but again – she knows me…and she knows I can cry at the drop of a hat and that being this corny – is me.

I really have no idea where I’m going with what I’m writing.  Just wanted to share that gooey feeling of specialness that I’m feeling.  Also, I think that friendships grown from a very young age and stick like glue…when you’ve been through a million things together…are beyond incredibly special. All my friends mean the world to me, but these two gals that I became friends with in 7^th grade – are ‘deep in my heart’ special.

Now my other close friend needs to come visit so I can do this all over again.

Peace…and friendship.

Amie Breedlove Voice Talent turns 6!

May 2016 marks 6 years for me as a self-employed gal. Who knew that in 1999 after doing my first local, paid voiceover that I’d be able to do what I love full time?  That year I was still in radio as a production director and loved my job of writing commercials, letting those in the sales department know they’d better get their orders in by 5 o’clock and most of all, voicing commercials.

Fast forward to to 2016 and I’m grateful, thankful, blissful, blessed everyday and love working hard on a business I built.  It’s fantastic being behind the microphone working for on-going clients, new clients and heck, I even love the marketing side of this business. I’ve set a few milestones, like grabbing my first national commercial and making it to the top 6 finalists in “That’s Voiceover“. I plan on continuing to shoot for the stars.  I believe everything in life is divine…and I’m living my divine dream.

There’s lots of folks to thank – so this is going to be a long list!  Couldn’t do it without my business manager and engineer (and husband), Bobby Breedlove.  My VO Yoda, Peter K. O’Connell for giving me a buzz as he was landing at Yeager Airport in 2011…or was it 2012?  Time flies when you’re having fun!  John Pleisse, thank you for being the first person (in 1999) to tell me I should move to New York and start a voiceover career.  Well, I haven’t moved to NY (yet), but I got the other advice rolling along.  Joe Marshall, for being the first person after arriving in my Alaska radio job to say to me, “Hey, have you ever thought about doing voiceover?”  Thanks to Mark Wolfe for making a kick-butt logo.

The list continues!   Faffcon, Faffcon buddies, my voiceover ‘stand-up’group, voiceover colleagues and friends.   I’ve gained a plethora of knowledge from Edge Studio and was thrilled to win a voiceover contest with them through VO Buzz Weekly.  Thanks to agents and Casting Directors for believing in me.  Andy Roth – thanks for letting attend your class for one day while in NYC and also for choosing me as a winner on Indi.com! My voiceover coaches/teachers, DB Cooper – game voice extraordinaire.  I had a couple of classes with her, which were amazing, eye-opening and I learned that voicing game characters – takes practice.  I’ll be back to study with her again, for sure.  Pat Fraley – an all-around amazing voiceover talent and teacher.  Thank you sir, for your lessons.   This list could go on and on, but I’ve gotta get back to work – I am self-employed, ya know!

Let’s go!  I’m ready for the next 6 years … no 60 years!  I plan on doing voiceover until I’m 92.

Voiceovers for your business, your website, your brand!

www.amiebreedlove.com

Voiceover and hairstyles

Ok, about 6 months ago while out of town, I decided to get my hair cut on a whim.  Never, ever get your hair cut on a whim.  Just don’t do it.  I didn’t cry, but I wasn’t happy that my hair was now so thinned out that you could see through it.  I was going for long layers – not  super fine thin layers that made me look like I had found a wig for Halloween.  So, I thought, I need to go back to the gal locally that I was really happy with.  I had only been to her once, but was thrilled with my good hair days after that cut.

Not only am I happy with my new haircut, but I want to tell the world about my stylist.  It’s amazing what a good hair day does for us!  Plus, if I share it with the world it’s a great testimonial for her, right?  Right.

So where am I heading with this for voiceover?  It’s simple.  Do top-notch work for clients and you’ll receive a top-notch testimonial.

Now, your client is more than likely not going to come running to you saying, “This was perfect!  Let me write up a nice testimonial for your website!”  They’re busy…which is why… you need to ASK for testimonial.  Not after every single job, mind you, but after a really large job or maybe after completing 2 or 3 jobs for one client, send them a nice email or give them a buzz, and ask them when they have a moment, would they mind writing a sentence or two about their experience working with you.

I write this blog as a reminder to myself, as well.  We all get busy, but don’t forget to make getting testimonials a voiceover habit.  New clients that come along need to trust you and a resounding testimonial helps builds that trust and also helps confirm that you’re a solid voiceover talent with excellent work.

Now – go reach out to some clients and if you need a haircut – I can recommend a local gal that does amazing work.

 

Looking for the perfect voiceover for your business, your website or your brand?

Contact Amie today!

www.amiebreedlove.com

Voiceover Habits

I know – it’s another blog about a book! It’s amazing where you find inspiration and it just so happens after only two chapters in this book, I’m inspired to tell you how “Body Thrive” got my brain wheels turning to voiceover.

‘Good habits and forming good habits’…this is just a small taste of what Body Thrive is about. So, possibly see where I’m going with this? Maybe? Give up? Ok -let’s check out some good habits in ….. voiceover! Yes!

Good habits are, well…good. They keep you mostly stress free, on time and smelling good…each important, right? So, with my brain wheels turning, I thought I’d share my top 3 ‘Good Voiceover Habits’! Keep in mind, there’s tons of habits that keep my business running smoothly, but these happen to be the first 3 that I thought of immediately.

1. Take care of your voice. This speaks for itself. (No pun intended) Without healthy, rested vocal chords, voiceover isn’t quite the same. Plus, I make sure to drink warm lemon water (or herbal tea) every morning.
2. Marketing! There are so many aspects to this one word it’s almost hard to find one statement for it. So for now, we’ll just say it’s good to add marketing to your voiceover career everyday and I’ll work on another blog post to dive into the specifics.
3. Organization! This is definitely a top priority/habit for me and also stems in many directions. From keeping up with clients and making sure my books are correct, to making sure I have the perfect spot in the studio for my headphones!

So, I would love to hear your daily habits that make your business run without a hitch and I do recommend this book if you’d like to have better habits in your life in general…and the voiceover studio.

Looking for the perfect voiceover for your business, your website or your brand?

Contact Amie today!

www.amiebreedlove.com

Disney Helps My Business (Part 2)

Yes! Here it is…Part 2 of how “Disney Helps My Business”!

So this journey begins on the 2nd or 3rd day at Walt Disney World when I popped in one of the stores at Disney Hollywood Studios while my husband was waiting for our table at one of our favorite restaurants, “The Sci-Fi Dine In“…vintage Sci-Fi movies and fun food! Yum!

Alright, back to me in shopping mode.  I hadn’t planned on buying another book this trip, but, well, who can have too many books, right?

This book, “The Imagineering Workout” by The Disney Imagineers caught my attention and felt like a complete karmic moment when I opened the book to a random page and what was at the top?  “Voiceovers”.  Well, after seeing that I had to buy it.

What  a fabulous book!  It touches on every aspect of creativity at Disney and you get  the thoughts of those who are making the creativity happen.  Voiceover is a very creative business and this book definitely allows you to learn from creative pros and also stretch your creative muscles, too.   I highly recommend.  Not only will your business thank you, but your brain will, too.

Would I hire myself for this job?

I had a client the other day say, “wow, you sound like you work for this company and really like it”.  I was thrilled she was happy with the voiceover and glad to know that my little trick works.

Would I hire myself for this project?  This is my little trick and it’s always a good question to ask yourself in voiceover.  My answer is always, yes.  Not because I’m pompous or cocky, but because I’m confident and secure in knowing that I can step into the clients shoes and listen with their ears while I’m not only reading the copy, but editing.  Of course, I want to make sure the job is the right fit for me, too.  I wouldn’t choose to voice a job that needs the voice of a teenager or deep male voice.  I know my limitations and strengths.  With that being said, I always want to sound super passionate about what I’m reading.  I become the copy so the clients’ listeners, customers and audience become one (or start shopping, googling) with the company, too!  So, it’s my job to convey that passion and pull folks in.  You know the Maya Angelou quote:

“At the end of the day people won’t remember what you said or did, they will remember how you made them feel.”

So, as your reading your new voiceover project copy, even that audition copy, (I mean, you do want the job, right?) ask yourself:  “Would I hire myself for this job?”  And then, make the audience absolutely love this clients’ business.  In other words, read it like ya mean it.

 

Disney Helps My Voiceover Business (part 1)

It’s true!  I went to Disney World and came home, not with Mickey ears, but with books.  Two books, to be exact; The Customer Rules and … ooh, ahh…stay tuned to part 2 for the other fantastic book!

The Customer Rules

If it weren’t for my voiceover customers, I wouldn’t have a business, so when I popped into one of the stores on Main Street USA and walked by this book,  I stopped, turned around and felt the light bulb above my head.  Yes, that moment of … I need to read this book.

The author of this book, Lee Cockerell, who is the former executive vice president of Disney World, had humble beginnings and worked his way up to this position.  He was the kind of boss everyone dreams of having.  Well, at least the kind of boss I wish I had had the opportunity to work for.  What an inspiration!  He listened, asked questions and then followed through with his employees.  He made sure all … not some, but all of his employees were not only happy, but well trained.  Now, why am I telling you about the employees when this book is about customers?  Because if you have happy, well-trained employees, you’ll have very satisfied customers.  Ok, so how does this work it’s way into voiceover, especially if you are your own boss, like me?  This is where it gets tricky, because not only am I the boss, but I’m also the marketing manager, the HR personnel, the bookkeeper, the scheduler, the talent and even the janitor.  Yep, I dust my own studio.  So my take away from this easy to understand book of great business rules, is that I need to continue learning in my business, not just how to read a script better, but how to make sure my entire business is running smoothly, efficiently and up-to-date.  I have to be a happy and knowledgable employee for my customers, so I can put my best voiceovers forward and understand my customers need effectively – always with a smile on my face.

 

Voiceovers for your business – your website – your brand

 

My Ying/Yang Inbox

After dinner this evening and most evenings, I clean out my inbox and it feels very cathartic…very relaxing. Like, ahh, I can relax my voice for the evening. But, by the time 8AM rolls around, I’m like a kid on Christmas morning checking my inbox. I’m always hoping to see a job, or 2 or 5!! That’s right up there with the ‘ahh’.
So if you’re stressed, maybe clean out your inbox tonight … And then add some extra joy by sleepily smiling before hittin’ the hay … you never know what will pop up in the inbox the next morning.

The Representative

I guess you never really realize how much of an impact hearing one word can make. ..until you have to read it out loud about 10 years after you heard it being read…perfectly.

About 15 years ago, while still in radio as production director, I assigned a :60 commercial to one of the seasoned DJ’s.  He had been in radio for probably 30 plus years.  I really enjoyed chatting with this guy.  He was informative, funny and always had a great story.  He also had one heck of a read on the word, “representative”.

I’ll never forget listening to him cut the commercial while I typed away writing a new commercial.  I stopped in  my typing tracks when he pristinely moved across that word … “representative.”  I remember thinking, “Wow, I have got to practice saying that…that’s incredible…he says that word perfectly!”  Now, what defines a word being read perfectly…I’m not sure.  I suppose we all have our own way of hearing or saying a word perfectly…or at least I do.

So from that day on, I really liked getting copy with the word “representative”…and still do to this day.

Today, I had to read a 500 word  project 4 times for my client.  My voice  is tired now, but I thoroughly enjoyed sliding across “representative” those 4 times.  It made those other 499 words flow easily.

Today’s lesson…Always listen carefully…you don’t want to miss anything.