STARTING YOUR VOICEOVER BUSINESS: Everything You Need To Know To Turn Your
Dream Or Your Sideline Into A Business

Harlan Hogan

You have the talent. You have the desire. So
why haven’t you succeeded in creating a
voiceover career that rewards you handsomely
for doing what you love? 

Because “in a world…” of both qualified instructors and (alas)
shameless hucksters, no one has taught you the secrets of turning
your talent and desire into a real business.

Most people who pursue voiceovers have no business plan, no
strategic plan, no blueprint for succeeding. Instead, they have “hope
careers”:

“I hope I win this audition.”

”I hope I can find a better agent (or, my first agent).”

”I hope I book enough jobs to be able to pay the rent this month.”

That’s not having a voiceover business. It’s playing “the voiceover
lottery” — and you know your odds of winning a lottery.

I Know You.

Either…

You haven’t formally launched your voiceover career because you’re
overwhelmed.

“Where do I start? How? What equipment? What’s the
first step I should take..and the next, and the next…?”

or…

You do voiceovers, but as a sideline. You just haven’t figured out how
to “crack the code” that allows you to pursue your dream full-time.

When you land a gig, great. But you’re completely at the mercy of
outside forces. Each morning you “hope” something good happens
(one of those “hope careers”!) but you have no control. At best it’s a
sideline, but it’s not a career. And certainly not a business.

Oh, one other thing I know about you:

Sometimes you procrastinate. Which is understandable: How can you
act now when you’re not quite sure exactly what action you should
take now?

Jump-Start Your Voiceover Career Without
Leaving The House.

STARTING YOUR VOICEOVER BUSINESS: Everything You Need
To Know To Turn Your Dream Or Your Sideline Into A Business
will be taught in a “teleseminar” format. All you need is a telephone.

(And if you miss a session? No worries. You’ll receive mp3
recordings of all the sessions. There will be so much valuable content
that you’ll want to listen to each module repeatedly.)

You’ll spend two hours a night, twice a week for a full month with me
in a no-holds-barred, frank, stark, totally honest, B.S.-free teleseminar
series taught by a 32-year voiceover veteran who enjoys a six figure
income year after year.

Make no mistake: This will not be a month of me talking and you
listening. It’ll be a month of my coaching you on your career,
explaining exactly which actions you should take next…and your
actually doing them.

I Will Help You. But Why?

You know those “gurus” who claim to be voiceover stars but seem to
spend all of their time trying to get you to sign up for their classes,
workshops, teleseminars, etc.?

Have you ever wondered:

“If you’re so successful, why do you seem so desperate
for students? Everyone knows a full-time voiceover career
requires full-time attention. Why are you so desperate for
my money, and where the heck do you find the time to
hold workshops, produce other people’s demos, offer
personal coaching, critique my website, and shampoo my
dog?”

I hope you’ve wondered about that, because that’s a smart question
to ask. And I find it much easier to teach smart people than dummies.

Before you sign up, I want you to know why I’m taking time away from
talking to be teaching.

My motivation is not to “give back” to the voiceover community by
encouraging even more competition in a very competitive field.
Frankly, I’d prefer to have less competition.

But as I’ll explain in the Seven Reasons (below), “I’m mad as hell
and can’t take it anymore.” It infuriates me to see so many people
being misled (or swindled) by the sleazy, overblown, exaggerated
promises of certain people in what I call “the voiceover training industry.”

I believe people who truly want to build a voiceover career deserve
honest, straightforward counsel, and I’d be honored to guide you.

Seven Reasons I Want To Help You

1. I hate to see talented people floundering, when they could be
   achieving their dreams.
   
   
2. I enjoy teaching others how to succeed at the “business” of the
   voiceover business. (I enjoy it, but I have no desire to teach full-
   time. Voiceover — doing, not teaching — is my full-time bread &
   butter. “Voice actor” is my profession. “Teacher” is my bonus
   hobby.)
   
   
3. I wish I’d had someone to mentor me, to show me the shortcuts,
   help me avoid some of the many mistakes I made along the way.
   Booking a national campaign (getting hired to voice it) is
   financially rewarding. Mentoring a limited number of other
   professionals is personally rewarding. This might sound corny,
   but it feels good to help others.
   
   
4. “I’m Mad As Hell” — Seriously. More on that in a moment.
   
   
5. I understand how difficult it is for you to figure out what to do next.
   Or, if you’re just starting out, what to do first. It can be paralyzing,
   can’t it? If only someone who’s already succeeded would hand
   you the blueprint…and tell you exactly what to do first, second,
   third, etc.
   
   
6. A good friend of mine has volunteered to do much of the “grunt
   work” for me: Arranging for the expensive telephone bridge lines,
   processing registrations, managing most of the class
   communications, making sure everyone gets their mp3 backup
   recordings — stuff that, frankly, would bore me silly.
   
   (I’m talking about Dan O’Day. He does the grunt work, and I focus
   100% of my time & attention on teaching you what I’ve learned
   during my three decades as a very well compensated voice
   actor.)
   
   
7. I hate the hypocrisy that has exploited and robbed people of their
   dreams. In other words, I’m Mad As Hell. (See #2, above.) True
   voiceover professionals, almost without exception, are incredibly
   generous people. Even though it’s a very competitive business,
   the ones who already have “made it” routinely help their friends
   — even when they’re both competing for the same job!
   
   But then there are the charlatans. The frauds. The fakes. The
   hucksters.
   
   I’m talking about the explosion of “voice training companies” that
   promise students a quick & easy road to riches.
   
   And individuals who tried and failed at voiceovers and now, in
   desperation, have resorted to presenting themselves to beginners
   as successful “gurus.”
   
   For a long time, one of them tried to sell her classes by declaring
   that voiceovers is “the third highest paid profession in America.” 
   
   Huh???
   
   Hey, I make a good living.
   
   Okay, a very good living. But my colleagues and I are not paid as
   much as…oh, as much as CEO’s of large corporations. (Sorry; as
   much as I’d like to impress you, I don’t have my own private jet.
   Not even my own private island.)

   You Won’t Believe This…

   One of these phony “gurus” is so desperate for work that she
   resorted to Google ads…and bought my name as a “key word.”

   In other words, because within the real world of voiceovers she’s
   an unknown, she paid Google to display an ad for her services
   whenever someone does an online search for “Harlan Hogan.”
   (Maybe I should be flattered?)

   I doubt I’m the only one. Probably she purchased ads for all
   the well-known voiceover artists.

   Pathetic? Yes.

   Disturbing? Yes, when that’s the type of person who claims to
   be able to teach you how to succeed in voiceovers.

Before You Choose A Voiceover Class,
Be Sure To Ask These Questions.

• Does the instructor currently make a full-time living doing
  voiceovers?
  
  This industry has changed a lot just in the past few years. How
  has that once-successful performer kept up with the fundamental
  changes in the voiceover business?
  
  Also, if your teacher has been and continues to remain one of the
  top players in the field, that person has proven “longevity.” They
  know not only how to start a voiceover business but also how to
  make it thrive for many years, even decades.
  
  
• Did the instructor EVER make a full-time living doing
  voiceovers?
  
  There are some wonderful coaches who never have earned their
  living as voiceover performers.
  
  But a few completely unsuccessful voiceover wannabees present themselves to “newbies” as super-successful pro’s, and those
  novices don’t realize they’re being lied to.
  
  It’s discouraging to see individuals with no track record taking
  advantage of the trust of strangers who dream of voiceover
  careers. It’s as though someone who once worked as an extra
  in a film now is teaching classes in How To Become A Movie Star!
  
  
• Does the instructor have an established track record of
  teaching others how to create a real voiceover business?
  
  
• Does the instructor have a good reputation among working
  professionals?
  
  There are some excellent instructors with thriving careers who
  also enjoy teaching on the side. But the good ones I’m aware of
  primarily teach voice acting/performing, not the “business end” of
  the voiceover business.
  
  Then there are the scam artists.
  
  Some of the scam artists have their former students teach the
  “classes.” You’re expected to pay big bucks to be taught by
  someone who already took that class, still can’t make money
  doing voiceovers, so now they “teach” others what they don’t
  know. (Can you tell this makes me angry?)
  
  
• Does the instructor have nationwide agency representation
  — including New York, Los Angeles and Chicago? (Being a
  member of a voiceover job-listing website does not qualify as
  having agency representation.)
  
  
• Does the instructor freely publish his/her teaching rates? Or
  is that information kept secret at the beginning — until the
  instructor estimates how much he or she might be able to get you
  to pay?

My “Voiceover Business” Class:
What’s In It For You?

Spend a month with me and I promise you’ll get the real information
you need to move your voiceover career to the next level. I’ll teach
you — step by step — exactly what you must do to build your
voiceover business.

Voiceover is a business, and learning how this business really works
is Step Number One.

Fair Warning.

This won’t be one of those “I talk, you listen and take notes” courses.
Yes, I’ll present lots of information. But I’ll insist that you take specific
action on what you’ve learned in each session.

Okay, I won’t come to your house and force you to take action.
Ultimately, it’s up to you. But to make taking “that next step” as easy
as possible, I’ve built into the schedule two elements designed to
make it easier for you to act than not to act:

#1: Student Accountability Reports — Beginning on Week #2, our Monday sessions will begin by your telling us which assignments you
did complete. You won’t be criticized if you didn’t do anything during
the previous week. But you’ll receive the praise you deserve for
taking even the smallest of the steps along the path I’ve mapped out
for you.

#2: Student Success Reports — You will have successes during
these four weeks. And your fellow students and I will celebrate those successes with you.

Bottom Line: Learning is important. But learning without doing is just
a “mental dress rehearsal.” I want you to get out there on the
voiceover stage for real. No more delaying, procrastinating,
rationalizing.

Are you willing to take a deep breath and commit to doing and not
just “planning to do”?

CURRICULUM

Week One (May 3, May 4)

May 3, 2010                                                                         
9:00PM – 11:00PM Eastern
8:00PM – 10:00PM Central
6:00PM – 8:00PM Pacific

• Where is the work?
• What is the work?
• Who works and why?
• Where is this business heading?
• What are the real opportunities?
• What are the myths?
• What must I do to get started?
  

• How to choose the right voice coach for you
• Five questions you must ask any potential voice coach
• On the job training
• Pro bono opportunities
• Four successful case studies
• Choosing the type of voice work best suited for you

May 4, 2010   
Intensive Q&A exploration of Overview and Preparation
9:00PM – 11:00PM Eastern
8:00PM – 10:00PM Central
6:00PM – 8:00PM Pacific

Week Two (May 10, May 11)

May 10, 2010                                                                       
9:00PM – 11:00PM Eastern
8:00PM – 10:00PM Central
6:00PM – 8:00PM Pacific

Student Accountability Reports

Student Success Reports

• Recording at home and on the road
• Laptop/desktop? A side-by-side comparison shopping list
• Equipment you need now; equipment that can wait
• The crucial skill  — and how to master it
• Finding and tweaking the right space
• Understanding and getting the most use of the four primary
  delivery systems: VOIP, POTS, ISDN, FTP
  

• The Five Elements of every successful demo
• How to choose the right demo producer for you
• How much should you pay for your demo? How much is too
  much?

May 11, 2010  
Intensive Q&A exploration of Recording and Demos
9:00PM – 11:00PM Eastern
8:00PM – 10:00PM Central
6:00PM – 8:00PM Pacific

Week Three (May 17, May 18)

May 17, 2010                                                                       
9:00PM – 11:00PM Eastern
8:00PM – 10:00PM Central
6:00PM – 8:00PM Pacific

Student Accountability Reports

Student Success Reports

• Internet casting sites
• Building, maintaining and working your prospect list
• Creating your all-important Web presence
• Networking Secrets
  

• Auditions – who wins them and why
• Nerves (How to make them work for you)
• Your competition
• Self Direction
• Second Guessing
• The Five Biggest Audition Blunders
• Creating your own opportunities – a brainstorming checklist
• Discovering and defining your branding position
• Crafting your marketing plan
• How, Why and What to promote about your Voice Brand

May 18, 2010   
Intensive Q&A exploration of Finding Work and Getting Work
9:00PM – 11:00PM Eastern
8:00PM – 10:00PM Central
6:00PM – 8:00PM Pacific

Week Four (May 25, May 26)

May 25, 2010                                                                       
9:00PM – 11:00PM Eastern
8:00PM – 10:00PM Central
6:00PM – 8:00PM Pacific

Student Accountability Reports

Student Success Reports

• Legal considerations
• Sole proprietorship vs. corporate structure
• Tax considerations and decisions
• Accounting
• Billing (How to get paid!)
• Smart expense record keeping: What can I deduct?

• The Unions: AFTRA, SAG, ACTRA — should I join?
• Advantages of remaining non-union
• What about FI-Core?
• When do I need an agent?
• How will I get an agent?
• Do I need a manager, too?
• What are my next steps to take my voiceover business to the next level?

May 26, 2010  
Intensive Q&A exploration of Business Matters and What’s Next
9:00PM – 11:00PM Eastern
8:00PM – 10:00PM Central
6:00PM – 8:00PM Pacific

Bonuses

I can’t reveal all the bonuses I’ll be giving you — partly because I
want some of them to be a surprise…and partly because I’m still
calling in favors from various friends to add even more value for you.

But your bonuses will include this:

• You will record three scripts for evaluation by Jeffrey P. Fisher
  — award-winning audio engineer, composer, and co-author of
  The Voice Actor’s Guide to Recording at Home and on the Road
  and 14 other books on sound. Jeff will personally advise you on
  acoustics, equipment and mic techniques tailored to your voice.
  (If you hired Jeffrey for a personalized evaluation, you’d pay at
  least $500.)
  

How Much Is The Tuition?
(Translation: How Much Will This Cost Me?)

First, some background. The really good, well qualified voiceover
talent coaches (remember, I’m here to coach you on your voiceover business) charge a lot of money…and they’re worth it.

The unqualified hucksters…charge even more!

I researched the various courses, classes, programs, etc., being
offered all over North America. The ones being offered by people who
are completely unknown inside the real voiceover world (that is, to the
working professionals and not just to starry-eyed novices) range from
$595…

…to $3,000!

Seriously. As much as $3,000 to be “taught” by people who, at best,
are on the fringes of the voiceover industry. People who can’t walk
the walk, but they sure do talk the talk!

I Had To Reach For The Pepto-Bismal When I Saw…

The various “expert faculty members” included disc jockeys, radio
station engineers, employees of video game manufacturers…and
“former students.” Yep — They learned so much about the voiceover business that now they scramble to pay the rent by teaching other
beginners the same “blueprint” that didn’t work for them!

Being a disc jockey (I once was one) isn’t the same as being a
voiceover expert. Being a great radio engineer doesn’t mean you
know how to record a voiceover artist properly.

Which Do You Prefer?

Pay $595 to $3,000 to learn from someone with questionable
credentials?

Or pay $795 to join *me and an exclusive group of other highly
motivated individuals for eight 2-hour teleseminar sessions, two per
week, for four weeks?

*Oops! Maybe you’re not familiar with my credentials. I’ll include a
“Who The Heck Is Harlan Hogan And What Has He Ever Done?”
information box below.

If You Want To Register But “Just Aren’t Sure,” Here Are The Most Likely Reasons.

“I’m afraid I won't follow through.”
See my response

“The voiceover field is too competitive. I don’t have a chance.”
See my response

“I’m dying to launch a real voiceover business, but I'm too busy right
now.”
See my response

“I've been ripped off before by ‘voiceover gurus’ who promise me
the stars and left only a gaping hole in my bank account.”
See my response

“I can’t possibly commit to 4 weeks of intensive learning.”
See my response

“I’m afraid something will come up and I'll miss a lesson.”
See my response

“I’m afraid it’ll be too difficult for me.”
See my response

“I don't live in a big city. How can I compete for the big auditions?”
See my response

“It's all so overwhelming. I'd love to do full-time voiceovers, but I
wouldn't even know where to start.”
See my response

“I can't afford it.”
See my response

“I'll wait for a more convenient time.”
See my response

Who Is Harlan Hogan And Why Should I Listen To Him?

Well, this is awkward. I mean, you know I’m writing this, right? How can I
demonstrate my qualifications without sounding like a jerk?

Fortunately, I pay a publicist to brag about me and sound like a jerk. So I’ll quote some of the glowing words she’s said about me. (Remember, of course, that she was paid to say those words. Still, most of it is true….)

Classic household phrases such as:

“When you care enough to send the very best….”

“It’s the cereal even Mikey likes….”

“Strong enough for a man….”

“Kills bugs fast, kills bugs dead”

…reached your ears through Harlan Hogan’s voice.

His voice still is in demand today — on commercials for Culligan, Disney World, Energizer Batteries, Rust-Oleum, Keebler, Hallmark, Kraft, Kellogg’s, IBM, Procter and Gamble….

It’s Harlan who tells you, “This program was made possible by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.”

Did you ever get a speeding ticket and have to watch one of those preachy National Safety Council films? You guessed it: Harlan Hogan. (Bizarre But True Story: Once Harlan got a ticket for driving in the wrong lane, and the judge ordered him to watch a traffic-safety film that Harlan him­self had narrated.)

Promos, narrations, commercials, documentaries…
and the commercial voice for one of the two major candidates in the 2008 U.S. presidential election. (Either the guy who won or the guy who lost. ’Nough said.)

What Makes This Voiceover Class Different
From All The Others?

• Taught by a 30-year vet who's still at the top of his game
  
  
• Not trying to you into a “continuity program” that forces you to pay
  $$$ every month, forever. (Hint: Those schemes are designed to make the “pretend guru” rich, not to help you.)
  
  
• Not trying to get you to hire me to produce your demo. (I won’t.)
  
  
• Not trying to get you to hire me to coach your voice acting skills. (I won’t.)
  
  
• Course is designed to make it virtually impossible for you not to
  act — complete with weekly assignments

Straight Answers To
The Most Frequently Asked Questions

“Is it still possible for an unknown to break into voiceovers?”
See my response

“If I don't have an agent, do I have a chance of succeeding?”
See my response

“If I follow all of your advice, can you guarantee I’ll succeed in voiceovers?”
See my response

“Can you get me an agent?”
See my response

“Will you critique my demo?”
See my response

“When it comes time to make (or remake) my demo, look for an agent, build/improve my website, etc., will you steer me away from the sharks and recommend individuals you personally can vouch for to help me?”
See my response

“What if I miss a class?”
See my response