Don’t know if you got the sales pitch, but the self-proclaimed voice training “guru” is at it again.
Now the industry outsider isn’t content to prey on innocent newbies and wannabees; she’s also targeting established voice performers who – like the rest of the populace – haven’t had an easy time of it in this troubled economy with more competition and fewer opportunities.
Here in a nutshell is her latest snake oil:
“If you are already in voice-over. This event will make your career better and give you a big pay raise – regardless of what’s going on with the economy…
“If you are new to the business. This event can save you a huge amount of trial and error, pain and suffering and get you on the fast-track to getting your first booking.”
Pretty bold claims. A pay raise! No pain & suffering! Can she deliver on that?
“Once you know where to find the right prospects the door to your career will open widely. The secret is knowing where to find them”
Guess she’ll reveal the alternate universe where such prospects exist…
Take heed though:
“All the power has returned to the customer. Your customer’s will have zero tolerance for your lack of skill”
Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence.
Oh wait, here’s the good news:
“Businesses will eagerly hand you a lot of money for your talent.”
Feeling better, but then she added:
“In this new economy people are going to be more cautious about spending their money than ever before.”
So which is it? Cautious conservatism or wretched largesse?
My head was spinning, and then I saw the “key to success.”
“The key to success is to focus on customers eager to work with you, who appreciate your talent. There are thousands of businesses anxious to hire you…with price resistance completely off the table.”
OH! Got it! All I need is the ‘right’ not-so-cautious or intolerant but always appreciative clients! Of course! Why didn’t I think of that?
I trust she’ll be handing out a list of the thousands of businesses anxious to hire us and contact information at the event.
But wait. There’s more good news!
“Be prepared to experience the sheer unbridled joy of a new business model that will attract a flood of new business opportunities…and give you more time off than you ever imagined.”
Ah, the joy of a shiny new business model does make my heart sing. And I do agree about the high probability of time off if you swallow this nonsense; it’s called “unemployment.”
Hang on, here comes the revelation!
“Every day a huge ocean of money flows from clients to people behind the mic. It’s important to grasp that the ocean of money is already flowing….all you need do is put yourself in it’s way…WITH A BUCKET!”
A tidal wave of cash flowing right to your door! Just “put yourself in it’s way.”
A personal tip: My 33 years of voice over experience suggests you select the sturdy True Value 10-quart model with the red plastic ergonomic handle, because I’ve learned that wooden handles cause blisters with a heavily laden bucket o’ money.
By the way, real pros throw the ones and fives back in the spirit of good sportsmanship.
“You could make the case that it <this “course”> costs nothing…
(No, no I can’t…)
because it’s going to put a whole lot of money in your pocket. In fact, You’ll probably get your money back on your first job.”
“My methods are guaranteed to put you on the fast-track to a voice over career that’s fun, exciting and profitable – without submitting yourself to massive procrastination, hesitation or frustration.…”
So just to be clear here: I get my money back if I experience frustration, hesitation, procrastination or a lack of fun, excitement and/or profitability on the fast-track of my voice over career. Right?
And in conclusion…
She reveals the truth.
“The hardest thing to recognize about this letter is to conceive and believe that what you are being offered is real.”
Amen!
H2
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Harlan, maybe you’re being too harsh.
I think people who are stupi — interested enough to register for this amazing course should insist upon paying 100% of the registration cost only after that tidal wave of cash has made it to their doorsteps and into their bank accounts.
That way, everybody wins.
And contrary to your pessimistic reaction, I’m quite confident that the person making those amazing claims will be all too happy to extend such a “don’t pay me a penny now, and don’t ever pay me until what you learn here earns you at least the amount I want you to pay me” guarantee.
I mean, why wouldn’t she? In a tidal of wave of cash, all boats merrily skim along the surface.
I love this page….lmao
Why, just this morning I have 6 appointments set up with local businesses to get their voiceover work, and dammit…I’ve been doing it all wrong apparently. *please note rampant sarcasm*
Where do I sign up for this overwhelming surge of glory and sunshine so that I TOO, may experience a tidal wave of cash to my front door?
I’m going to use my large Rubbermaid containers that I carry my stage lighting in for my DJ rigs…they have handles on each side, and have wheels for rolling the large buckets of money around so I don’t get any blisters….
tjk
I have had some people ask me about getting into voiceover and the first thing I tell them is “everyone is selling something”… so buyer beware. Nothing wrong with getting some guidance, but if it sounds too good to be true… well, you know the rest. I’ve also talked to some who have spent a wad of cash and ended up with a cassette tape (yes, a cassette tape) and a good luck pat on the back.
You mean all I needed was a BUCKET?!?!?
Why didn’t someone tell me that before I spent all that time auditioning, cold calling, building a web site, emailing demos, more cold calling, and even more auditioning?
I’m off to Home Depot to get my bucket.”
@ Tim: For that “course,” I do believe you’ll need a bucket, to shovel not “cash” but something else.
Remember when there were ads for the various ‘broadcast’ schools? They already knew that you ‘wanted’ to be on the radio. All they had to do was convince you that their program was the ‘fast track’ to getting into this ‘glamourous and lucrative’ business.
Funny, you never hear those ads anymore. What? Consolidated ownership has been dismissing excellent talent to be replaced with automation and syndicated programming.
There are reputable firms offering meaningful assistance in the ‘voice-over’ trade. They’re not all bad, but as you have pointed out, some claims are a bit over-the-top.
Harlan, while I respect that you are entitled to your opinion, this scathing review is also what I would call “over the top.” It’s clear who you are referencing in this post, and I don’t believe that your post takes into consideration the intentions of this coach, nor the results-oriented training that she provides that has assisted many, many, voice talent to achieve success. She is a highly successful, working voice-actor herself and has a 20-plus year career in the industry.
However, rather than create a diatribe of my own in her defense, I will just say this:
I have worked with this coach for many years and I attribute a large part of my success – whether in the rewarding, lucrative long-term relationships I’ve built with clients, the techniques and voice-over skills I’ve perfected, the outstanding marketing strategies I use, or the focused and motivated mind-set I’ve achieved through the economy’s ups-and-downs – to her.
I have steadily raised my rates with great success and as an example of that: I sent an invoice to a client last year that was for more than my entire annual income, the previous year. And without the guidance and mentoring from this coach that you have so carefully dismantled in your post above, that would not have been possible. I think she is a brilliant coach and her results speak for themselves.
I believe that some of the terms you have used in your post are unfortunately inaccurate when describing an outstanding, veteran, industry professional.
– Maxine Dunn
“All the power has returned to the customer. Your customer’s will have zero tolerance for your lack of skill”
Hmmmm, strong words, she has!!
We are communicators. The onus is on us to be able to communicate correctly. So when someone selling their “knowledge” cannot even use an apostrophe correctly, that’s when I run in the other direction. 😀
this is really happend? Irotama