Voice overs are quickly becoming one of the most important elements of any marketing strategy and advertising campaign, and are a valuable way to persuade your target market consistently, and effectively. By adding a human element to your marketing messages, you can encourage people to pay attention, boost sales, and most importantly, create a positive brand connection with all customers.

Those who are considering using voice actors in their marketing projects would do well to learn a few key terms and definitions  that are commonly used to talk about the voice over field. 

Audition Tapes:  Prospective voice actors and actresses will submit their audition tapes as they apply for the job.  In addition to allowing you to judge the abilities of each actor, these tapes also can be kept on hand to help you keep track of the numerous applicants you will be interviewing.

Demo Tapes:  Demo tapes are also part of the interview and audition process, and can be recorded in your own studio, or completed by the voice over talent. These tapes will be a recording of the sample scripts you provide as part of the interview. 

Recording Studio:  This is where all recording of audition tapes, demo tapes, and other related material takes place. You can rent a recording studio for your project, or request your voice over talent to make their own tapes at their recording studio and submit them accordingly.

ISDN Voiceover:  Professional voice over talent will record most of their work in a home studio that makes use of ISDN technology. These recordings are sharper and more fine-tuned than the average recording studio.

Commercial Voice Overs:  Intended to push a service or product, commercial voice over scripts take a direct sales approach. With the right actor or actress, a commercial voice over can make your campaign much more effective and memorable.

Narrative Voice Overs:  These often accompany a film, video, or story and are scripted to entertain and inform, rather than sell. However, you may require a narrative voice for a portion of a commercial or sales segment.

Impressions:  A voice actor or actress who can impersonate a famous voice can add an extra layer of humor to your ad campaign, and advertisements including impressions never fail to capture the attention of an audience. This is an easy way to make your product or service stand out from the pack.

Performers' Unions:  Unions such as the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, and the Screen Artists Guild, in addition to advocating for the rights of their members and dealing with pay rate issues, provide voice actors and actresses valuable  opportunities to grow and develop their skills.

Actors:  The voice industry is full of actors and actresses with a knack for drama, who entered the field because of its unique nature and potential profitability.  The voices provided by professional talent can help give your marketing a human flavor.

Familiarity with these key concepts and the associated terminology will help you immensely in your dealing with professionals in the voice over business.  If you approach interviewing talent from an organized, educated perspective, you are sure to find a voice over professional who will boost the appeal of your advertising campaign.

About the Author: Terry Daniel is a Professional Voice Over Actor from Minneapolis, MN and Has Been Providing the Voice Talent for Hundreds of Projects and Advertisements Since 1991.