From what I’ve seen, consistency is the product of a well-planned and executed strategy. Although there are variations amongst voice overs, there are also commonalities.
More than eighty-six times a day, the average person is exposed to a voice-over advertising. In the marketing world, high-quality voice overs are a game-changer, yet the market is flooded with options. Audio messages that are both effective and enjoyable tend to be remembered for quite some time after they have been played. The Marks and Spencer ad with Rich Sweetman, “It’s not just food – It’s Marks’ food,” is one of my all-time favourites. Look for it on YouTube, but be warned: her voice is luscious.
And what exactly is it about these messages that makes them so great? There are three key components to a professional voice over. Expression, precision, and tone all fall into this category. They are all relatively uncomplicated parts of the whole, yet they do their jobs well. The two are interdependent and cannot do their duties without the other.
Expression of Feelings
“Smile while you call” is a saying that everyone has probably heard, but what exactly does it mean? As such, it teaches us that our physical selves are powerful tools for conveying the feelings we intend to express to the world. The energy we generate in our bodies—through deep breathing, gestures, smiling, and even bouncing up and down—is transmitted to our voices and, by extension, to our audience. To effectively convey an emotion to an audience, you must first feel that emotion yourself.
Clarity
Any listener can be held captive for the duration of a speech by a skilled voice over artist. Sentences that are simple and well-spoken leave a lasting impression on the listener since they are easy to understand. You need to be able to articulate your point clearly, but you also need to be able to move quickly when necessary. The intended meaning will be lost in translation if the message is not coherent. A professional voice actor will read the script and read the script exactly as written. Speaking more slowly and practising reading difficult written things aloud are two ways to enhance your own voice clarity.
Tone
Diverse tones of voice are extremely appealing to humans. When trying to sell something, no one wants to hear someone’s voice that sounds boring and lifeless. A marketer’s and an audience’s worst fear is a sales proposal with no emotional range. A professional voice over artist knows how to promote a product by using the right vocal variation. For example, if you’re advertising a childcare service that will see to all of your kids’ requirements, you might employ a more subtle approach. Use an upbeat tone while promoting a massive sale or a once-in-a-lifetime event. Putting in the time and effort to find the proper voice to complement the script may make or break a commercial.
These factors are important for any best voice over artist for hire you work on. Put them to good use, and have fun doing fantastic voice overs.
