Sometimes "Mediocre" Is Fine

Let me be clear, yes, I preach about over delivering. If you've read my book on Voiceover, which is called "The Voiceover Hustle: The Good, The Bad. The MONEY!" (Available here.) - then you know how often I say it. Your mantra in a career like voiceover had BETTER BE, you OVER DELIVER - every single time.

But sometimes, the client doesn't want you to over deliver. Sometimes a client wants a very basic read with modest production. And that's okay.

One of the Super Bowl commercials I voiced was one of the most boring things I've ever done. In fact, there was no room for 'over delivery'.

I think sometimes as a performer, we get caught up in the glam, production, and theatrics of it all. For the few of you who still watch television, have you paid attention to the voiceovers lately? Sometimes, as I write in the book, talking like a regular old Joe is what's needed.

The bulk of what's made me successful is the opposite. I can DO regular Joe, but people aren't drawn to it. There are people much better at it than I am. I'm much better at producing imaging and commercials that deliver punch, create urgency, or deliver emotion, whether that emotion be overly dramatic, overly in-your-face, or sarcastic. My production leans into that as well.

Know your strengths and know your weaknesses.

So here's an example of something someone needed me to do that was just mediocre. They didn't want the crazy hype, they didn't want over delivery, they didn't want anything over-the-top . . . they just wanted a person who sounded like a real guy for their heavy equipment podcast.

Now. Was it bad?

Nah.

Was it outstanding?

Nah.

It did the job, and that's what they wanted. I did the VO in one take. That took about 1 minute. I'm extremely, wildly fast at production, so that took about another 3 to 4 minutes. Done.

The way I look at it is this . . . if someone orders something that takes 5 minutes, there will eventually be a less paying client that needs something that will take half an hour, or even more. In the end, it all works out.

This is where relationships COUNT - and all that talk about over delivering? In the past, for this client, I've developed a relationship with him. He knows I'm fast, I don't jerk him around, I'm not over-priced, and I'm consistent. So when he needs something, he comes to me - even if it's a basic read.

Over time, if you follow what I say in the voiceover book, you will develop the same types of relationships. Those relationships count in this industry. You treat everyone with absolute personal attention, you listen to what they say, you over deliver, and if they need revisions, you smile while your ass sits down in the booth.