Everyday VOpreneur® with Marc Scott

Last week's episode on incomplete marketing advice struck a chord, so Marc is back with five more. Same idea: these aren't bad pieces of advice, they're just not the whole story - and acting on half the advice is how voice actors end up spinning their wheels.

First up, "you need to be everywhere." Marc disagrees. Spreading 5% of your effort across ten platforms beats nothing, but one or two platforms you actually show up on - where your buyers are and where you enjoy creating - will always win. Then "let your work speak for itself," which is only half true: do great work, but the work goes quiet the moment a client forgets about you, so the relationship is the other half.

He digs into "find your niche" - powerful until it isn't, as he learned when explainer work shifted and then AI wiped out most of his e-learning business overnight. Niche hard, but never let one become a disproportionate share of your income. On "more connections equal more opportunities," he reframes it around the real question: how many people in your network would recognize your name in their inbox tomorrow?

And the one he saved for last, knowing it's the most controversial: "never work for less than your rate." Marc is a genuine fan of the GVAA, but as David Tobak himself has said, it's a rate guide, not a rate gospel. He makes the case for context - markets, economies, the whole deal - and tells the story of a $14,000 offer he turned down, because sometimes the big paydays are the bad jobs.

Which of the five do you want to push back on? That's the conversation Marc wants to have.

‼️ Did you miss the 5 from last week? Click Here

CONNECT WITH MARC SCOTT & VOPRENEUR

🖱️ Marc Scott on Instagram - https://instagram.com/marcscott

🖱️ Marc Scott on YouTube - https://youtube.com/@MarcScottVO

🖱️ VOpreneur® on YouTube - https://youtube.com/@vopreneur

RESOURCES FOR VOICE ACTORS

* Voice Over Marketing Resources
➡️ Visit https://vopreneur.com

* Get an instant $25 credit when you sign up for VoiceZam
➡️ Visit https://voicezam.com/marcscott

* For voice over services:
➡️ Visit https://marcscottvoiceover.com

* Join the VOpreneur Facebook Group
➡️ Visit https://facebook.com/groups/vopreneur

If you need guidance with your voice over business or learning how to more effectively market, I can help. Book a 15 minute free consultation with me to discuss your specific needs. https://vopreneur.com/free

🎧 Subscribe to the VOpreneur Podcast on your favourite podcast platform - Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen - so you never miss an episode.

00:00 More Voice Over Marketing Advice That Needs Context
00:53 Do You Really Need to Be Everywhere?
03:25 Choosing the Right Social Media Platforms
04:46 Why Great Work Alone Isn’t Enough
08:21 Find Your Niche Without Limiting Your Business
11:38 More Connections Don’t Always Mean More Opportunities
14:21 Building Relationships Through Consistent Engagement
15:09 Should You Ever Work Below Your Rate?
18:20 How Client Size and Market Affect Pricing
21:23 The GVAA Rate Guide Is a Guide
22:05 Why I Turned Down a $14,000 Voice Over Job
25:10 Looking Beyond the Marketing Clichés
25:47 Which Advice Would You Challenge?

The VOpreneur Podcast was built to help you grow your voiceover business through marketing, and this week Marc gets back to exactly that. He walks through five pieces of marketing advice voice actors hear all the time - advice that isn't working. Not because it's wrong, but because it's incomplete.

Send more cold emails. Marc runs a 24-25% response rate right now, and he didn't get there by sending more - he got there by sending better. He breaks down the chain to check before you add volume: are you targeting the right companies and job titles, is the email actually personal or does it sound like everyone else, and are your website and demos making the right impression?

Post on social media every day. Consistency matters, but you can post daily for a year and generate nothing if it's the wrong content reaching the wrong audience. The fix is strategic, not just consistent - build the right network and publish content that adds value to the people who actually hire.

Be authentic. Real, but incomplete. Authenticity is the hook; there still has to be a clear value proposition and a reason to choose you. You need a better demo. Sometimes true - and sometimes a crutch that stalls your marketing when the real problem is that nobody's hearing the great demo you already have. And follow up until they respond - good advice, as long as every follow-up carries something of value, because most of Marc's responses come after the third email.

Which one hits home for you?

CONNECT WITH MARC SCOTT & VOPRENEUR

🖱️ Marc Scott on Instagram - https://instagram.com/marcscott

🖱️ Marc Scott on YouTube - https://youtube.com/@MarcScottVO

🖱️ VOpreneur® on YouTube - https://youtube.com/@vopreneur

RESOURCES FOR VOICE ACTORS

* Voice Over Marketing Resources
➡️ Visit https://vopreneur.com

* Get an instant $25 credit when you sign up for VoiceZam
➡️ Visit https://voicezam.com/marcscott

* For voice over services:
➡️ Visit https://marcscottvoiceover.com

* Join the VOpreneur Facebook Group
➡️ Visit https://facebook.com/groups/vopreneur

If you need guidance with your voice over business or learning how to more effectively market, I can help. Book a 15 minute free consultation with me to discuss your specific needs. https://vopreneur.com/free

🎧 Subscribe to the VOpreneur Podcast on your favourite podcast platform - Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen - so you never miss an episode.

00:00 5 Voice Over Marketing Tips That Aren't Working
00:42 #1: Stop Sending More Cold Emails. Send Better Ones.
04:07 Why Your Cold Emails Aren't Getting Responses
07:46 #2: Do You Really Need to Post Every Day?
10:40 #3: Being Authentic Isn't Enough
14:00 #4: Do You Actually Need a Better Demo?
16:16 Is Your Demo the Problem or Your Marketing?
17:31 #5: Follow Up, But Do It the Right Way
19:45 Recap: How to Fix These 5 Marketing Mistakes

After the honest Voice123 data episode struck a nerve, Marc didn't want anyone getting stuck in the frustration. Strong feelings about online casting are easy to carry, and they can quietly infect your whole mindset about the business. So this week he flips the lens: where are his opportunities actually coming from right now?

The answer is a lot of places - because he's been marketing his butt off and tracking every bit of it. He walks through the channels one by one, and some of them might surprise you.

The one that caught him off guard: more opportunity in the last two weeks from Voice123 off the platform than on it - buyers who found him in search, then came straight to his website. He gets into optimizing for LLMs and AI search (now 54% of all searching), daily engagement on LinkedIn, working his CRM with targeted follow-ups, and a new-lead outreach approach that's running a 24% conversation rate because every email is genuinely personalized.

He also talks about the DocuShort content getting him indexed in ChatGPT, the agent relationship that's had its best year in a decade, and why - sitting here in October - he feels more optimistic than he did in January, including the clients coming back to human voiceover after the AI-everything phase.

The challenge he leaves you with: how many streams of opportunity does your business really have, and could you add just one or two more?

CONNECT WITH MARC SCOTT & VOPRENEUR

🖱️ Marc Scott on Instagram - https://instagram.com/marcscott

🖱️ Marc Scott on YouTube - https://youtube.com/@MarcScottVO

🖱️ VOpreneur® on YouTube - https://youtube.com/@vopreneur

RESOURCES FOR VOICE ACTORS

* Voice Over Marketing Resources
➡️ Visit https://vopreneur.com

* Get an instant $25 credit when you sign up for VoiceZam
➡️ Visit https://voicezam.com/marcscott

* For voice over services:
➡️ Visit https://marcscottvoiceover.com

* Join the VOpreneur Facebook Group
➡️ Visit https://facebook.com/groups/vopreneur

If you need guidance with your voice over business or learning how to more effectively market, I can help. Book a 15 minute free consultation with me to discuss your specific needs. https://vopreneur.com/free

🎧 Subscribe to the VOpreneur Podcast on your favourite podcast platform - Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen - so you never miss an episode.

00:00 Why Voice Actors Need More Opportunities
01:32 The Danger of Relying on One Source of Work
03:53 Getting Back to Marketing Basics
05:39 Finding Voiceover Clients Through Voices123
07:07 Getting Voiceover Leads Through ChatGPT and AI Search
09:42 How LinkedIn Is Generating Opportunities
11:12 Why Following Up With Past Clients Works
14:35 Is Email Marketing Still Effective for Voice Actors?
16:50 Using Content Creation to Attract Voiceover Clients
17:42 The Value of Voiceover Agents
18:53 Where My Voiceover Opportunities Are Coming From
20:24 Rebuilding a Voiceover Business After AI Disruption
21:12 Why Some Clients Are Choosing Human Voices Over AI
23:24 How to Create More Voiceover Opportunities
24:04 Setting Marketing Goals and Tracking Results

One year ago, Marc rejoined Voice123 after nearly a decade away. Not to prove a point - he's never been the anti-online-casting guy - but because he wanted to speak about the platform intelligently again, from real, current experience. So he tracked everything for a year. This episode is the honest, data-driven report.

He's upfront that this isn't an opinion piece. These are the numbers from his spreadsheet: a year mostly at the $2,200 tier, an 80% listen rate, a one-in-five shortlist rate, a one-in-21 booking rate - and 11 of 12 months stuck in the 50th percentile, unable to get access to enough auditions to even climb out.

Marc walks through what that actually looked like day to day: auditions arriving between 1am and 4am and expiring before he got into the studio, consistently being invited in the fourth or fifth group of talent, and a fully optimized profile that still pulled invitations for a male Cuban American voice, audiobooks, and TTS work he never listed. Then the part he flags as speculation: the inexplicable jump to the top 10% three weeks before his membership was due to renew.

He closes with the comparison that would have shocked anyone who knew him ten years ago - why, three months into his Voices.com experiment, he's already submitted twice the auditions and made more money than in a full year on Voice123, and why he won't be re-upping.

Take the data as you will. Here's exactly what a year cost and what it returned.

CONNECT WITH MARC SCOTT & VOPRENEUR

🖱️ Marc Scott on Instagram - https://instagram.com/marcscott

🖱️ Marc Scott on YouTube - https://youtube.com/@MarcScottVO

🖱️ VOpreneur® on YouTube - https://youtube.com/@vopreneur

RESOURCES FOR VOICE ACTORS

* Voice Over Marketing Resources
➡️ Visit https://vopreneur.com

* Get an instant $25 credit when you sign up for VoiceZam
➡️ Visit https://voicezam.com/marcscott

* For voice over services:
➡️ Visit https://marcscottvoiceover.com

* Join the VOpreneur Facebook Group
➡️ Visit https://facebook.com/groups/vopreneur

If you need guidance with your voice over business or learning how to more effectively market, I can help. Book a 15 minute free consultation with me to discuss your specific needs. https://vopreneur.com/free

🎧 Subscribe to the VOpreneur Podcast on your favourite podcast platform - Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen - so you never miss an episode.

00:00 Why I Returned to Voice123 After Nearly a Decade
01:55 Starting at $888, Then Upgrading to $2,200
02:43 The Biggest Problem: I Couldn't Access Auditions
04:20 My Voice123 Numbers After One Year
04:57 Why I Couldn't Escape the 50th Percentile
07:54 Suddenly, I Jumped Into the Top 10%
09:33 Top 10%... And Still No Auditions
11:54 What Does It Actually Take to Succeed on Voice123?
13:09 Was the $2,200 Membership Worth It?
13:55 Voice123 vs. Voices.com: My Actual Results
16:51 What Exactly Am I Paying For?
19:26 My Honest Assessment After One Year
21:06 Which Casting Site Would I Choose Today?

A couple of days ago, Marc shared the trailer for his first docuseries - and he calls it the number one highlight of his career. In this episode, he tells the whole story behind it, because the win isn't the point. The timeline is.

Marc has always been open about chasing documentary narration, right down to the vision he shared on a recent episode: family movie night, pizza in the basement, and pushing play on a show his kids don't know he narrated. Putting that goal out in the open was terrifying - because public goals mean public failure if they don't come true.

So he walks through the years most people never see. Signing with his agent in 2016. Starting coaching in 2020. An award-nominated demo in 2022. Then 2022, 2023, 2024 - no bookings. The doubt. The decision to start creating DocuShorts and commit to a full year no matter the metrics. The workshop he fought to get into. And finally, in 2026, the booking.

The lesson isn't "look what I did." It's that you might be closer than you think - and most people quit one swing too soon. Marc breaks down how he reverse-engineered the goal step by step, and the emotional connection to the vision he believes finally shifted everything.

If you've been grinding toward a goal that hasn't landed yet, this is the one to sit with.

CONNECT WITH MARC SCOTT & VOPRENEUR

🖱️ Marc Scott on Instagram - https://instagram.com/marcscott

🖱️ Marc Scott on YouTube - https://youtube.com/@MarcScottVO

🖱️ VOpreneur® on YouTube - https://youtube.com/@vopreneur

RESOURCES FOR VOICE ACTORS

* Voice Over Marketing Resources
➡️ Visit https://vopreneur.com

* Get an instant $25 credit when you sign up for VoiceZam
➡️ Visit https://voicezam.com/marcscott

* For voice over services:
➡️ Visit https://marcscottvoiceover.com

* Join the VOpreneur Facebook Group
➡️ Visit https://facebook.com/groups/vopreneur

If you need guidance with your voice over business or learning how to more effectively market, I can help. Book a 15 minute free consultation with me to discuss your specific needs. https://vopreneur.com/free

🎧 Subscribe to the VOpreneur Podcast on your favourite podcast platform - Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen - so you never miss an episode.

CHAPTERS
00:00 The Risk of Sharing Your Goals Publicly
02:15 The Voice Over Goal I Couldn't Let Go
05:29 I Finally Booked My First Docuseries
08:14 Don't Quit One Swing Too Soon
09:37 The Six-Year Journey to This Booking
11:30 Creating the Work I Wanted to Book
15:56 You Might Be Closer Than You Think
18:41 The Missing Piece: Connecting to the Vision
21:04 Reverse Engineer the Goal and Do It Until You Win

Marc and his 14-year-old daughter just finished the latest season of Battle on the Beach. What does a home renovation show have to do with voiceover? More than you'd think.

Three teams, the same room, the same brief, seven weeks - and every single week they produce three completely different results. Any one of them could win on any given day, and which one does comes down entirely to what the judges happen to respond to. It's fully subjective. And Marc realized it sounds exactly like casting.

In this solo episode, he gets honest about becoming "the king of the shortlist" - averaging a strong one-in-six shortlist rate on the casting sites, but not seeing the bookings to match. He talks about how easy it is to start questioning everything: your reads, your interpretation, whether your version of conversational is their version of conversational.

Then he reframes it. He shares the job he booked this week with the take he almost didn't submit - the one that didn't even follow the specs - and why that's the whole point. Casting is subjective. You can't control which read lands. What you can control is your creativity, your effort, the coaches you lean on, and the mindset you bring into the booth.

If the shortlist-but-no-booking grind has been messing with your head, this is the reminder you need: on any given day, any one of us can win.

CONNECT WITH MARC SCOTT & VOPRENEUR

🖱️ Marc Scott on Instagram - https://instagram.com/marcscott

🖱️ Marc Scott on YouTube - https://youtube.com/@MarcScottVO

🖱️ VOpreneur® on YouTube - https://youtube.com/@vopreneur

RESOURCES FOR VOICE ACTORS

* Voice Over Marketing Resources
➡️ Visit https://vopreneur.com

* Get an instant $25 credit when you sign up for VoiceZam
➡️ Visit https://voicezam.com/marcscott

* For voice over services:
➡️ Visit https://marcscottvoiceover.com

* Join the VOpreneur Facebook Group
➡️ Visit https://facebook.com/groups/vopreneur

If you need guidance with your voice over business or learning how to more effectively market, I can help. Book a 15 minute free consultation with me to discuss your specific needs. https://vopreneur.com/free

🎧 Subscribe to the VOpreneur Podcast on your favourite podcast platform - Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen - so you never miss an episode.

00:00 What Does a Home Renovation Show Have to Do With Voice Over?
01:08 The Same Challenge, Three Completely Different Choices
03:01 Voice Over Auditions Are Completely Subjective
03:30 Becoming the King of the Shortlist
05:35 Any One of Us Is Good Enough to Win
07:56 Learning to Trust Your Auditions
08:52 The Read I Didn't Expect Them to Choose
09:39 Stop Letting Subjectivity Destroy Your Confidence
12:08 On Any Given Day, Any One of Us Can Win
13:27 Focus on What You Can Control

After a decade of coaching thousands of voice actors, Marc keeps running into the same obstacle above all others: time. Everyone knows what they should be doing to market their business. Almost nobody feels like they have the hours to do it.

In this solo episode, Marc reframes the whole problem with one question: what can you do in 15 minutes?

He makes the case that the real productivity killer isn't a lack of time - it's the all-or-nothing mindset. We tell ourselves that if we can't sit down for a dedicated hour, it isn't worth starting, so we do nothing at all. And those 15-minute pockets we do have get lost to doom scrolling, a quick game, or one more episode.

Marc walks through exactly what he gets done in those small windows - a couple of meaningful LinkedIn comments, one introductory email researched and sent, a single social post, a handful of connection requests, a follow-up with a prospect who went quiet. None of it takes an hour. All of it moves the needle.

If time has always been the thing standing between you and a consistent marketing habit, this is the baby step that actually works.

CONNECT WITH MARC SCOTT & VOPRENEUR

🖱️ Marc Scott on Instagram - https://instagram.com/marcscott

🖱️ Marc Scott on YouTube - https://youtube.com/@MarcScottVO

🖱️ VOpreneur® on YouTube - https://youtube.com/@vopreneur

RESOURCES FOR VOICE ACTORS

* Voice Over Marketing Resources
➡️ Visit https://vopreneur.com

* Get an instant $25 credit when you sign up for VoiceZam
➡️ Visit https://voicezam.com/marcscott

* For voice over services:
➡️ Visit https://marcscottvoiceover.com

* Join the VOpreneur Facebook Group
➡️ Visit https://facebook.com/groups/vopreneur

If you need guidance with your voice over business or learning how to more effectively market, I can help. Book a 15 minute free consultation with me to discuss your specific needs. https://vopreneur.com/free

🎧 Subscribe to the VOpreneur Podcast on your favourite podcast platform - Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen - so you never miss an episode.

CHAPTERS
00:00 What Can You Do in 15 Minutes?
01:36 Why Time Management Is Harder When You’re the Boss
03:23 Rethinking How You Make Time for Marketing
06:12 Stop Waiting for the Perfect Hour
07:49 What 15 Minutes of Marketing Can Actually Accomplish
11:39 Small Actions Add Up to Business Growth

The summer series is over, and Marc spent a lot of it away from the office - resetting, thinking, and figuring out where his voiceover business goes from here.

This has been an unusual year. AI hit his business hard, e-learning work he counted on disappeared, and he made a deliberate choice to step back from coaching and get back to voiceover. In this solo episode, he shares the five things he keeps coming back to - the ones he's rebuilding his own business around heading into Q4.

He gets into why you can't measure what you don't track, and the handful of numbers he now keeps in front of him every single week. Then he flips it around: why most voice actors are tracking the wrong metrics entirely, and which ones actually matter.

From there it's AI search - why being found in ChatGPT and Claude may now matter more than being found on Google, and why we're all starting from close to zero. He talks about creating content with real purpose instead of posting for the sake of it, and why the competition left standing is tougher than the crowd that's thinning out.

Plus a bonus he swore he wouldn't admit out loud: the niche he thinks he may have quietly found for himself - and the question of whether you can build a moat of your own.

If you're figuring out how to finish the year strong, this one's for you.

CONNECT WITH MARC SCOTT & VOPRENEUR

🖱️ Marc Scott on Instagram - https://instagram.com/marcscott

🖱️ Marc Scott on YouTube - https://youtube.com/@MarcScottVO

🖱️ VOpreneur® on YouTube - https://youtube.com/@vopreneur

RESOURCES FOR VOICE ACTORS

* Voice Over Marketing Resources
➡️ Visit https://vopreneur.com

* Get an instant $25 credit when you sign up for VoiceZam
➡️ Visit https://voicezam.com/marcscott

* For voice over services:
➡️ Visit https://marcscottvoiceover.com

* Join the VOpreneur Facebook Group
➡️ Visit https://facebook.com/groups/vopreneur

If you need guidance with your voice over business or learning how to more effectively market, I can help. Book a 15 minute free consultation with me to discuss your specific needs. https://vopreneur.com/free

🎧 Subscribe to the VOpreneur Podcast on your favourite podcast platform - Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen - so you never miss an episode.

CHAPTERS
00:00 Back to Basics in My Voice Over Business
02:32 #1: You Can't Measure What You Don't Track
06:08 #2: Stop Tracking the Wrong Metrics
09:47 #3: AI Search Is Only Getting Bigger
15:17 #4: Your Content Needs a Purpose
19:48 #5: Voice Over Competition Is Getting Fiercer
23:31 How to Stay Competitive and Bring Your A-Game
24:54 The 5 Lessons: Quick Recap
26:33 BONUS: Can You Build a Niche and Create a Moat?

Marc spent nearly a decade away from Voices.com. Then, in July, he decided to give the platform another shot.

Six weeks later, he had questions.

In this episode of the Everyday VOpreneur Podcast, Marc is joined by Gina Scarpa, one of the top-booking voice actors on Voices.com, for a deep dive into how the platform actually works and how voice actors can get more from it.

Originally recorded during Free Advice Friday, this conversation covers everything from profile optimization and search results to auditions, shortlists, algorithms, bookings, rates and more.

Gina explains why getting to a 100% VoiceMatch should be one of your first priorities, how clips impact your visibility in search, what actually happens when a client receives your audition, and why you shouldn’t be afraid to submit for opportunities that fit.

They also dig into some of the mistakes voice actors make on the platform, including poorly optimized clips, misunderstanding statistics, archiving completed auditions, and automatically rejecting jobs because of perpetuity language without asking questions first.

Plus, Marc shares what he’s learned during his first six weeks back on Voices.com, how the experience compares with Voice123, and why his opinion of the platform is beginning to change.

If you’re already using Voices.com, thinking about joining, or wondering why you’re paying for a membership but not seeing results, this episode will help you better understand the game you’re playing and how to play it smarter.

Check out Gina's Courses Here - https://courses.ginascarpa.com/ref/marcscott

CONNECT WITH GINA SCARPA Gina Scarpa Website - https://ginascarpa.com Gina Scarpa on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ginascarpa Gina Scarpa on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/voiceoversbygina Gina Scarpa on X - https://x.com/ginascarpa Gina Scarpa on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbw8eOVVA_H0_zb4VHZlAWw Marc Scott on Instagram - https://instagram.com/marcscott
VOpreneur® on YouTube - https://youtube.com/@vopreneur RESOURCES FOR VOICE ACTORS

* Voice Over Marketing Resources
➡️ Visit https://vopreneur.com

* Get an instant $25 credit when you sign up for VoiceZam
➡️ Visit https://voicezam.com/marcscott

* For voice over services:
➡️ Visit https://marcscottvoiceover.com

* Join the VOpreneur Facebook Group
➡️ Visit https://facebook.com/groups/vopreneur

If you need guidance with your voice over business or learning how to more effectively market, I can help. Book a 15 minute free consultation with me to discuss your specific needs. https://vopreneur.com/free

🎧 Subscribe to the VOpreneur Podcast on your favourite podcast platform - Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen - so you never miss an episode.

CHAPTERS
00:00 Why I Gave Voices.com Another Chance
04:27 Voice123’s $8,000 Membership?!
07:46 Getting Started on Voices.com
09:15 How Clients Find Voice Actors Through Search
14:45 How Voices.com Search Actually Works
18:09 Shortlists, Bookings and the Algorithm
26:19 What Clients See When You Audition
28:43 Should You Audition for Everything?
32:39 Optimizing Your Profile and Voice Match
37:50 Voices.com vs. Agent Auditions
41:02 Understanding the Voices.com Algorithm
49:00 How Long Does It Take to Book?
52:26 Gina’s Most Overlooked Voices.com Tips
55:19 The Truth About “In Perpetuity” Jobs
59:39 When Does the Summer Slowdown End?

Paul Vinger calls it "the unbearable awkwardness of marketing." He's an in-person guy - he connects easily face to face - but online, reaching out cold to total strangers still feels off. His question for Marc: where are the signposts that tell you you're going in the right direction, and what are the potholes to steer away from?

In this Summer Series episode, Marc breaks down why the awkwardness is usually a signal - not a flaw in your approach, but a clue that something in your chain needs attention.

They cover why targeting the right people removes most of the awkwardness before you even write a word, why personalization isn't about knowing deep intimate secrets - it's about showing you did five minutes of homework, and why the copy-paste test is the fastest way to know if your email is actually personal.

Marc also gets into the confidence factor - how your internal narrative about your own demos and abilities shows up in your marketing whether you realize it or not, and why the voice actors who send the most emails are usually the ones who feel best about what they're offering.

Plus: what it looks like when you flip the script on negative responses, why one angry reply from a hundred emails shouldn't change your strategy, and why the awkwardness tends to disappear when you genuinely believe you can solve someone's problem.

If marketing feels awkward, that's information. Here's what to do with it.

CONNECT WITH PAUL VINGER

🖱️ Paul Vinger Website - https://paulvinger.com
🖱️ Paul Vinger on LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/in/paulvinger
🖱️ Paul Vinger on Facebook - https://facebook.com/paul.vinger
🖱️ Paul Vinger on Instagram - https://instagram.com/pvinger

🖱️ Marc Scott on Instagram - https://instagram.com/marcscott
🖱️ VOpreneur® on YouTube - https://youtube.com/@vopreneur

RESOURCES FOR VOICE ACTORS

* VOpreneur®
➡️ Visit https://vopreneur.com

* Get an instant $25 credit when you sign up for VoiceZam
➡️ Visit https://voicezam.com/marcscott

* For voice over services:
➡️ Visit https://marcscottvoiceover.com

* Join the VOpreneur Facebook Group
➡️ Visit https://facebook.com/groups/vopreneur

If you need guidance with your voice over business or learning how to more effectively market, I can help. Book a 15 minute free consultation with me to discuss your specific needs. https://vopreneur.com/free15

0:00 The Unbearable Awkwardness of Marketing
1:34 Why Voice Actors Feel Awkward About Marketing
3:33 You’re Offering Something Clients Actually Need
6:58 What Makes You Different as a Voice Actor?
10:13 How to Personalize a Cold Email
14:21 How to Prove You’re Not AI
17:27 Why Confidence Changes Your Marketing
20:32 How to Know If Your Marketing Is Working
22:37 Changing the Narrative Around Auditions
26:33 Getting Better at Email Marketing
29:09 You Have Nothing to Lose
31:10 Is Email Marketing Dead?
33:42 Send It and Let It Go

Ryan Benes just retired from the Marine Corps after 22 years, and for the first time in his career, he has real time to invest in voiceover.

His question for Marc: when you go from a few hours a week to full-time, where do you put that time so it actually moves the needle?

In this Summer Series episode, Marc breaks down how to approach the full-time VO transition, what to keep doing, what to shift, and what to watch out for.

They dig into the perpetual preparation trap, why already being bookable with limited time is an important signal, and when it might be time to shift some of your training dollars from coaching to getting in front of agents.

Marc also shows Ryan how to mine his past bookings for clues about where future work could come from, turn his military and aviation background into a competitive advantage, improve his email marketing in the age of AI, and use LinkedIn and booking data to find more of the right prospects.

Plus, there's an important warning for any voice actor going full-time: when casting sites are already working, it's easy to give them all your newfound time at the expense of building a direct client base you actually own.

And ultimately, going full-time isn't about filling 40 hours. It's about using those hours intentionally.

If you did this with 10 hours a week, imagine what 40 can do.

CONNECT WITH RYAN BENES

🖱️ Ryan Benes Gonzalez Website - https://callsignvo.com
🖱️ Ryan Benes on LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/in/callsignvo

🖱️ Marc Scott on Instagram - https://instagram.com/marcscott
🖱️ VOpreneur® on YouTube - https://youtube.com/@vopreneur

RESOURCES FOR VOICE ACTORS

* VOpreneur®
➡️ Visit https://vopreneur.com

* Get an instant $25 credit when you sign up for VoiceZam
➡️ Visit https://voicezam.com/marcscott

* For voice over services:
➡️ Visit https://marcscottvoiceover.com

* Join the VOpreneur Facebook Group
➡️ Visit https://facebook.com/groups/vopreneur

If you need guidance with your voice over business or learning how to more effectively market, I can help. Book a 15 minute free consultation with me to discuss your specific needs. https://vopreneur.com/free15

🎧 Subscribe to the VOpreneur Podcast on your favourite podcast platform - Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen - so you never miss an episode.

00:00 Going Full-Time: Where Should You Focus?
01:29 The Perpetual Preparation Trap
04:20 Start With What's Already Working
08:00 From Coaching to Getting in Front of Agents
09:08 Use Your Booking History to Find More Work
11:37 Turn Your Background Into a Competitive Advantage
14:30 Email Marketing in the Age of AI
16:16 Build a Smarter Voice Over Marketing Strategy
21:20 The Discipline and Freedom of Full-Time Voice Over
26:20 Don't Let Casting Sites Become the Whole Strategy

Rod Gonzalez is a bilingual voice actor working in both English and Spanish - and he's got three questions. Does it matter if you're the 51st person to submit on Voices.com? What are the real ingredients for a winning audition? And do any of these rules apply the same way in the Spanish market?

In this Summer Series episode, Marc breaks down how Voices.com actually works, what the voice match score algorithm really means, and why the number you submit in line is far less important than most voice actors think.

Inside this episode:

• Voice match score - what it is, why 100% is your primary goal, and how it determines where you appear in the client's list
• Submission order - when it matters, when it doesn't, and why submitting late is almost always still worth it
• The budget question - why bidding lower doesn't give you the advantage most people assume, and the value perception behind higher quotes
• What's actually booking right now - why listening to what makes it to air beats any other research
• Going wide between your takes - especially when the spec is confusing or contradictory
• Why you shouldn't always lead with your safe take first
• Lead-ins before recording - how a simple throwaway line drops you into a completely different headspace
• The Spanish market in the US - where bilingual talent gets an edge and how to find out what's booking
• Every audition as a rep - the mindset that makes submitting worthwhile even when you don't book

Whether you're on Voices.com, Voice123, or just looking to sharpen your audition game, this one has practical takeaways you can use right away.

🎧 Subscribe to the VOpreneur Podcast on your favourite podcast platform - Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen - so you never miss an episode.

CONNECT WITH ROD GONZALEZ

🖱️ Rod Gonzalez Website - https://rodgonzalezvo.com
🖱️ Rod Gonzalez on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/rodgonzalezvo
🖱️ Rod Gonzalez on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@rodgonzalezvo
🖱️ Rod Gonzalez on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/RodGonzalezVO

🖱️ Marc Scott on Instagram - https://instagram.com/marcscott
🖱️ VOpreneur® on YouTube - https://youtube.com/@vopreneur

RESOURCES FOR VOICE ACTORS

* VOpreneur®
➡️ Visit https://vopreneur.com

* Get an instant $25 credit when you sign up for VoiceZam
➡️ Visit https://voicezam.com/marcscott

* For voice over services:
➡️ Visit https://marcscottvoiceover.com

* Join the VOpreneur Facebook Group
➡️ Visit https://facebook.com/groups/vopreneur

If you need guidance with your voice over business or learning how to more effectively market, I can help. Book a 15 minute free consultation with me to discuss your specific needs. https://vopreneur.com/free15

⏱️ CHAPTERS
00:00 Summer Series intro - welcome Rod Gonzalez
00:32 Rod's three questions - submission order, audition ingredients, the Spanish market
02:07 Marc just got back on Voices.com after a decade - here's what he's learned
02:22 Voice match score - the algorithm that determines where you appear
03:15 100% voice match is your primary goal
03:50 If multiple people have 100% voice match, submission order is the tiebreaker
04:30 Submitting late - is it ever still worth it?
05:15 Casting directors listen to every audition - even #827
06:20 Marc's listen rate on Voices.com compared to Voice123
06:47 Any audition attempt beats no audition attempt
07:03 The budget question - does quoting lower give you an advantage?
08:13 The value perception around higher bids - why lowest price usually doesn't win
09:15 Should you quote differently for big companies vs individuals?
10:11 You never really know who's on the other side - don't make assumptions
11:00 Quote what you're worth - Marc has been shortlisted beyond stated budget
12:00 Submit great auditions - that's what it comes down to 13:25 Voices.com vs Voice123 - listen rate and shortlist rate compared
13:56 One in three or one in four shortlist rate on Voices.com right now
14:35 How to check your audition stats on each platform
16:06 The Voice123 basement - and why it's so hard to escape
17:15 The audition ingredients question - labeling, first three seconds, doing what they ask
18:30 The Spanish market in the US - where bilingual talent gets a real edge
19:30 Spanglish as a niche - English with a Spanish accent as a distinct offering
20:00 Listen to what's actually on air right now - that's your research
20:47 The conversational authentic read from a decade ago vs what's booking today
21:30 Track auditions you felt great about - then find what actually booked
22:40 Two callbacks on a national spot that booked something completely different
23:30 Sometimes they don't know what they want until they hear it
23:50 Give one read close to spec, one read way over there - show your range
25:00 For the Spanish market - iSpot TV, demos, and listening to what's on air
26:30 When specs contradict - go wide between your two takes
27:10 Don't lead with your safe take first - and why Marc flipped the order
28:00 The shortlist that came from putting the unconventional take first
28:27 Ad libs at the start - first take or second take?
28:56 Lead-ins before recording - a throwaway line, two different headspaces
30:00 Why more auditions means more reps - and why Marc got back on casting platforms
31:31 Every audition is a rep - valuable whether you book it or not

Rosanna Pilcher is a narrator and voice actor who records under a pseudonym - and she has a problem. So much of social media marketing requires showing your face, being on camera, being "real." But what do you do when you can't reveal who you are?

In this Summer Series episode, Marc breaks down creative options available to voice actors who need to build a brand and a following without ever showing their face.

Inside this episode:

• Why you don't need to show your face to build a loyal following - and the faceless YouTube channels with tens of millions of subscribers that prove it
• POV content - how to take your audience into the booth with you without ever appearing on screen
• Recording in silhouette - and why the mystery can become your most powerful marketing asset
• How to build a visual brand around something other than your face - a signature hat, a color palette, an animated avatar, a mascot
• Making the voice the celebrity - signature lines, consistent music, distinctive performances
• Using book content to drive engagement - the three lines that gave you chills, character showcases, accent challenges, repeatable content pillars
• Why authors understand pseudonyms better than most - and how to turn famous pen names into a content series
• The back catalog strategy - why you don't have to wait for the next book to start building content

Whether you're working under a pseudonym or just prefer to keep your face off camera, this episode will give you more content ideas than you can use.

🎧 Subscribe to the VOpreneur Podcast on your favourite podcast platform - Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen - so you never miss an episode.

CONNECT WITH ROSANNA PILCHER

🖱️ Rosanna Pilcher Website - https://rosannapilcher.com
🖱️ Rosanna Pilcher on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/rosannapilcher/🖱️ Rosanna Pilcher on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rosannapilcher🖱️ Rosanna Pilcher on Facebook - https://facebook.com/rosannapilchervo

🖱️ Marc Scott on Instagram - https://instagram.com/marcscott
🖱️ VOpreneur® on YouTube - https://youtube.com/@vopreneur

RESOURCES FOR VOICE ACTORS

* VOpreneur®
➡️ Visit https://vopreneur.com

* Get an instant $25 credit when you sign up for VoiceZam
➡️ Visit https://voicezam.com/marcscott

* For voice over services:
➡️ Visit https://marcscottvoiceover.com

* Join the VOpreneur Facebook Group
➡️ Visit https://facebook.com/groups/vopreneur

If you need guidance with your voice over business or learning how to more effectively market, I can help. Book a 15 minute free consultation with me to discuss your specific needs. https://vopreneur.com/free15

00:00 Summer Series intro - welcome Rosanna Pilcher
00:13 Rosanna's question - how do I market my pseudonym without revealing who I am?
01:01 Benjamin Franklin and Silence Doogood - a 300-year-old pseudonym strategy
02:15 Create a completely separate set of social accounts for your pseudonym
02:45 LinkedIn is different - the rules and why it matters
03:15 People don't need to see your face - the faceless YouTube channel proof
03:45 In a Nutshell, WatchMojo, The Infographic Show - tens of millions of subscribers, no faces
04:15 POV content - the camera sees what you see
04:37 Come into the booth with me - what the audience actually experiences
05:06 Get a manicure - it's a business expense now
05:30 POV, avatar, silhouette - three ways to stay on screen without showing your face
06:30 Recording in silhouette - the mystery is the brand
07:15 Build a visual anchor that isn't your face - logo, color palette, mascot
07:49 Make the voice the celebrity - signature lines, music, distinctive performances
08:10 The DocuShort approach - B-roll with voiceover narration
08:45 If you're in audiobooks - dramatic lighting, candles, vintage typewriters, bookshelves
09:15 The three lines from the book that gave you chills - repeatable content format
10:00 A 10-second short that requires nothing but a background and text on screen
10:20 Celebrate the work without revealing your identity
10:45 How many voices can you fit in one chapter? Character showcase content 11:20 Characters, voices, and the images used for inspiration
11:45 The hardest accent you've ever narrated - and why that's content gold
12:25 Tips from coaches, the visual in your head - repeatable content pillars
13:00 When the villain speaks - the shift every reader feels
13:30 Every book gives you new content - and it's all repeatable
14:00 Promoting the book and the author is a win-win
14:22 Create an entire series around famous pseudonyms
14:45 Benjamin Franklin, Silence Doogood, and why the mystery becomes the hook 15:15 Your audience is authors - and authors get it
15:45 The time-lapse booth session - in, record a chapter, out, face never shown
16:35 Warm-up rituals, prep process, behind-the-scenes - second nature to you, fascinating to them
17:00 Pillar content, back catalog, don't wait for the next book
17:30 Tag the author, tag the book - instant top-of-mind reconnection
18:00 Pick a platform, set up the accounts, find your pillars, and start

Ali Lazari has her commercial and narration demos - but she wants to specialise in corporate narration and she's not there yet. Her question for Marc: what do you do in the meantime? Do you reach out to leads? Do you wait? Do you do nothing?

Marc's answer: you don't sit on the sidelines.

In this Summer Series episode, Marc breaks down every option available to voice actors who are working toward the demo they really want - without putting their business on hold while they get there.

Inside this episode:

• The voiceover chicken and egg problem - and why you don't have to stay stuck in it
• How to use Voice123 auditions as demo clips (with the right permissions)
• The 30-day CRM follow-up that turns finished client work into new samples
• How to break up a broad narration demo into targeted clips on your website - without recording a single new thing
• Using AI to write practice scripts for corporate narration - and why Marc has no guilt about doing it himself
• How your existing commercial demo can still get you in the door with the right clients
• Building a frame of reference by listening to the best corporate narration demos out there
• The one recording that becomes four pieces of marketing content - audio clip, video sample, social post, and website case study

Whether you're waiting on a demo or building toward your next one, this episode is full of things you can do right now.

🎧 Subscribe to the VOpreneur Podcast on your favourite podcast platform - Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen - so you never miss an episode.

CONNECT WITH ALI LAZZERI

🖱️ Ali Lazzeri Newton Website - https://www.alivoicemagic.com/
🖱️ Ali Lazzeri on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/alilazzeri
🖱️ Ali Lazzeri on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alilazzerivoiceover
🖱️ Ali Lazzeri on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@AliVoiceMagic

🖱️ Marc Scott on Instagram - https://instagram.com/marcscott
🖱️ VOpreneur® on YouTube - https://youtube.com/@vopreneur

RESOURCES FOR VOICE ACTORS

* VOpreneur®
➡️ Visit https://vopreneur.com

* Get an instant $25 credit when you sign up for VoiceZam
➡️ Visit https://voicezam.com/marcscott

* For voice over services:
➡️ Visit https://marcscottvoiceover.com

* Join the VOpreneur Facebook Group
➡️ Visit https://facebook.com/groups/vopreneur

If you need guidance with your voice over business or learning how to more effectively market, I can help. Book a 15 minute free consultation with me to discuss your specific needs. https://vopreneur.com/free15

⏱️ CHAPTERS
00:00 Summer Series intro - welcome Ali Lazari
00:33 Ali's question - what do I do while I wait for my corporate narration demo?
00:47 The voiceover chicken and egg problem
01:30 Shorter clips and samples - the shift happening in the industry
02:15 Using Voice123 auditions as demo clips
03:00 The 30-day CRM follow-up - turning client work into samples
04:10 Marc's Voice123 profile - 70 clips built from projects and self-produced spots
05:00 Breaking up a broad narration demo into targeted clips on your website
06:00 Directing a client straight to the corporate clip they're looking for
06:35 Using AI to write practice scripts - ChatGPT and Claude
07:15 Marc's real estate demo - built with AI-written scripts
08:00 The end goal is still the professional demo - but don't wait to start
08:30 Do you use online casting platforms? Why that could help
09:15 Your commercial demo can still get you in the door
10:00 Being strategic about which clients to target right now
10:50 There's a lot you can do - you're not stuck
11:20 Building a frame of reference - listen to great corporate narration demos
12:30 Watch brand videos on YouTube to understand tone and delivery
13:45 Corporate narration isn't over-produced - you can create passable samples
14:30 Pick four different reads and record a clip for each one
15:45 Ali's son edits video - now the clips become video samples too
16:20 Video plus audio is more engaging - and shareable everywhere
17:00 One recording becomes four pieces of marketing collateral
17:45 Turn it into a case study page on your website

Syan Newton is ready to record her first voiceover demo - but she has questions. How do you know when you're ready? How much should you spend? And how do you find the right producer?

In this Summer Series episode, Marc gives Syan everything she needs to walk into that demo session with confidence.

Inside this episode:

• How to know when you're actually ready to record - and why a good coach will tell you the truth
• The trap of kicking the can down the road - one more session, one more workshop, one more reason to wait
• Why spending more on your demo is an investment, not an expense - and the math that proves it
• The price range you should expect for a broadcast commercial, corporate narration, or gaming demo
• The producers Marc has worked with and recommends - including J. Michael Collins, the Demo Dream Team, Anne Ganguzza, Dave Walsh, Everett Oliver, and more
• What a truly great demo producer does differently - custom scripts, deep collaboration, and why they have as much skin in the game as you do
• The red flags that tell you to walk away from a producer fast
• Why your first demo will likely have the shortest shelf life - and why that's completely okay

Whether you're recording your first demo or thinking about your next one, this episode will help you make a smarter, more confident decision.

🎧 Subscribe to the VOpreneur Podcast on your favourite podcast platform - Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen - so you never miss an episode.

CONNECT WITH SYAN NEWTON

🖱️ Syan Newton Website - https://voiceactor.com/site/syannewton
🖱️ Syan Newton on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/syannewtonvo
🖱️ Syan Newton on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/syan-newton-vo/
🖱️ Syan Newton on TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@syannewtonvo

🖱️ Marc Scott on Instagram - https://instagram.com/marcscott
🖱️ VOpreneur® on YouTube - https://youtube.com/@vopreneur

RESOURCES FOR VOICE ACTORS

* VOpreneur®
➡️ Visit https://vopreneur.com

* Get an instant $25 credit when you sign up for VoiceZam
➡️ Visit https://voicezam.com/marcscott

* For voice over services:
➡️ Visit https://marcscottvoiceover.com

* Join the VOpreneur Facebook Group
➡️ Visit https://facebook.com/groups/vopreneur

If you need guidance with your voice over business or learning how to more effectively market, I can help. Book a 15 minute free consultation with me to discuss your specific needs. https://vopreneur.com/free15

⏱️ CHAPTERS

00:00 Summer Series intro - welcome Syan Newton
00:30 Syan's question - how do I know I'm ready and what should I spend?
01:45 Two sides of readiness - what your coach says and what you feel
02:10 Why a reputable demo producer will be honest with you
03:15 The danger of kicking the can down the road
04:20 You need to feel ready and confident before you walk in
05:00 Marc's own demo sessions - wanting to dominate the room
05:45 Why spending more on your demo is an investment
07:00 The ROI math - spend $2,500 to make $100,000
07:45 Price ranges for commercial, corporate, and gaming demos
08:30 Syan's plan - commercial first, then corporate narration
09:00 Why commercial is still a smart and safe genre
09:45 Why corporate narration is still booking consistently
10:30 The producers Marc recommends - J. Michael Collins
11:00 The Demo Dream Team - Michelle and Steve Sundholm, Ryan Paul James, Melissa Disney
12:00 Anne Ganguzza, Dave Walsh, Everett Oliver, Global Voice Acting Academy, David Rosenthal
12:45 Atlanta VoiceOver Studios - a local resource for Syan in Atlanta
13:15 What a great demo producer does differently - no generic scripts
14:00 Deep collaboration - custom writing, brand alignment, personalised scripts 15:00 The red flag of a producer who says shut up and do what I tell you
15:45 Trusting your producer vs. having a voice in your own demo
16:30 Why great producers want you to succeed as much as you do
17:15 Your first demo will likely have the shortest shelf life
18:00 Rapid growth means demos get replaced - and that's okay

Terry Briscoe is five years into his voiceover career and starting to see real momentum. His question for Marc: what do you do next? How do you take that leap from where you are to the next level?

In this Summer Series episode, Marc gets honest about his own leveling-up process - including the year he booked zero agent jobs, the hot seat session that left him beat red in front of 121 people, and the mindset shift that led to four national bookings in the first quarter of 2026.

Inside this episode:

• Why leveling up never stops - and why the moment you feel like you've arrived is actually the moment you start going backwards
• The right kind of coaching for where you are right now - and why you need someone who will tell you when you suck
• Why leveling up your network is just as important as leveling up your skills - and what that actually looks like in practice
• The rooms voice actors avoid because they don't feel ready - and why those are exactly the rooms they need to be in
• Marc's hot seat session with Hugh Klitzke - 121 people, beat red, sweating, and convinced he was going to make a fool of himself in front of the whole industry
• Andy Roth's four-word response that changed how Marc thinks about auditioning
• Zero agent bookings in all of 2025, four nationals in Q1 2026 - what changed
• Why finding your why is the foundation of every level-up decision you'll ever make

Whether you're five years in like Terry or fifteen years in like Marc, this episode is a reminder that the next gear is always there. You just have to be willing to feel uncomfortable to find it.

🎧 Subscribe to the VOpreneur Podcast on your favourite podcast platform - Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen - so you never miss an episode.

CONNECT WITH TERRY BRISCOE

🖱️ Terry Briscoe Website - https://briscoevo.com
🖱️ Terry Briscoe on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tbriscoevo/
🖱️ Terry Briscoe on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/terry.briscoe/
🖱️ The Microphone Insider - https://www.themicrophoneinsider.com/
🖱️ The Microphone Insider on YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/@TheMicrophoneInsider

🖱️ Marc Scott on Instagram - https://instagram.com/marcscott
🖱️ VOpreneur® on YouTube - https://youtube.com/@vopreneur

RESOURCES FOR VOICE ACTORS

* VOpreneur®
➡️ Visit https://vopreneur.com

* Get an instant $25 credit when you sign up for VoiceZam
➡️ Visit https://voicezam.com/marcscott

* For voice over services:
➡️ Visit https://marcscottvoiceover.com

* Join the VOpreneur Facebook Group
➡️ Visit https://facebook.com/groups/vopreneur

If you need guidance with your voice over business or learning how to more effectively market, I can help. Book a 15 minute free consultation with me to discuss your specific needs. https://vopreneur.com/free15

⏱️ CHAPTERS
00:00 Summer Series intro - Terry Briscoe is back
01:08 Terry's question - how do you take the next leap after five years?
01:27 The leveling-up process never stops
02:00 Coaching with the right people - zero to five vs five to ten vs ten to twelve
02:45 Brad Hyland and what Marc needed from a coach
03:50 The coaches who only ever say great job - are you really growing?
04:35 Leveling up your network is just as important as leveling up your skills
05:20 Samantha Damiano and what a 10X network looks like in two years
05:55 What leveling up your network actually means - and what it doesn't
06:35 Put your butt in the room even if you don't feel ready
07:01 Atlas, DPN, CESD - how do you think that happens?
07:22 Swing for the whole fence when you get the chance
07:48 The people on the pedestal are actually your biggest fans
08:45 Casting directors want you to succeed - Marilyn, Kelly, Tina, Andy
09:25 Growing pains - you have to hurt a little to stretch
10:10 Meeting Kelly Moscinski at Mavo - how Marc got on her roster
11:40 Don't be the smartest person in the room
12:09 Your peer group grows at different rates - when to find a different room
12:41 The summer series exists so Marc can lift people up - and he has people who lift him 13:15 Model the people who are crushing what you want to crush
14:17 Terry's session with Tina Morasco, Brad Hyland, and Jim Frank
15:37 Marc's hot seat with Hugh Klitzke - beat red, sweating, 121 people
17:27 Terrifying situations force you to evolve
17:38 Walk in feeling like you might make a fool of yourself - that's where growth is
18:36 Tell the coach to push you harder - Marc's first conversation with Brad
19:31 Terry's question - does this come from being a firefighter?
19:55 A wife, four daughters, a mortgage, and an AI wipeout - that's Marc's why
21:15 Why do you get in the booth? Find your why
22:23 Willingness to be uncomfortable - the talent who are afraid to try something new
24:00 The big voiced announcer read - and why Marc is still waiting for it to come back
26:25 Complacent is the right word - not satisfied
27:14 Andy Roth - "that sounds like a you problem"
28:53 Zero agent bookings in 2025. Four nationals in Q1 2026
29:30 Change your mindset, change your narrative, change your results
31:16 Put yourself in rooms that make you uncomfortable

Leigh Laird has been watching Marc Scott's documentary short videos on LinkedIn and wants to know everything - how he picks topics, how he writes scripts, how he produces the videos, and whether the strategy is actually working.

In this Summer Series episode, Marc pulls back the curtain on the full DocuShort strategy - from the AI-assisted scripting process to the one-to-two hour production workflow, and all the ways a single short video gets repurposed into demos, casting site playlists, website pages, and GEO content.

Inside this episode:

• How Marc identifies documentary topics by starting with the networks he wants to work with - and then using AI to generate ideas within those themes
• The full production setup - phone video, studio audio, Adobe Audition, Adobe Premiere, and Envato Marketplace stock footage
• Why Marc records himself on camera during every video - and how that one decision separates him from AI-generated content
• The honest answer on results - no documentary booking yet, but four direct invites and a booking on Voice123 this week alone
• How he cuts each DocuShort into 15 to 20 second clips for casting site playlists, giving him dozens of new SEO opportunities per video
• Why he builds a dedicated website page for every video he creates - and how that is starting to show up in AI search results
• The 40-second average view time that proves people are watching his short content all the way through - and what he does in the first three seconds to make that happen
• Why Instagram is currently outperforming every other platform - including the video that just crossed 40,000 views after a year of consistent posting

Whether you're targeting documentary narration or a completely different genre, this episode gives you a clear and practical framework for turning one piece of content into a full marketing strategy.

🎧 Subscribe to the VOpreneur Podcast on your favourite podcast platform - Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen - so you never miss an episode.

CONNECT WITH LEIGH LAIRD

🖱️ Leigh Laird Website - https://leighlaird.com
🖱️ Leigh Laird on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/leigh-laird-voiceover/
🖱️ Leigh Laird on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/leighlaird_vo/

🖱️ Marc Scott on Instagram - https://instagram.com/marcscott
🖱️ VOpreneur® on YouTube - https://youtube.com/@vopreneur

RESOURCES FOR VOICE ACTORS

* VOpreneur®
➡️ Visit https://vopreneur.com

* Get an instant $25 credit when you sign up for VoiceZam
➡️ Visit https://voicezam.com/marcscott

* For voice over services:
➡️ Visit https://marcscottvoiceover.com

* Join the VOpreneur Facebook Group
➡️ Visit https://facebook.com/groups/vopreneur

If you need guidance with your voice over business or learning how to more effectively market, I can help. Book a 15 minute free consultation with me to discuss your specific needs. https://vopreneur.com/free15

⏱️ CHAPTERS
00:00 Summer Series intro
00:31 Leigh's question - how does the DocuShort strategy work?
01:21 Picking topics - start with the networks you want to work with
02:22 Using AI for topic generation and scripting
03:30 Using analytics to identify what themes are performing
04:42 Seasonal relevance and evergreen content
05:05 Production setup - phone, studio audio, Premiere, Audition
05:55 Envato Marketplace for stock footage and music
06:35 Why Marc is always on camera - proving he's human
07:42 The comments that prove it's working
08:10 Honest results - no documentary booking yet
08:40 Network expansion and what's happening behind the scenes
09:20 Casting site playlists - 15 to 20 second clips for Voice123
10:35 Four direct invites and a direct booking this week
11:02 Building website pages for every video - SEO and GEO
11:53 Starting to appear in LLM search results
12:01 The competition - Morgan Freeman and David Attenborough
12:20 One piece of content, multiple marketing uses
14:45 The long game - one year in, 40,000 views on Instagram
15:30 Why narrowing Instagram to one content type changed everything
16:37 LinkedIn for reaching documentary producers directly
17:53 Writing different posts for different platforms
19:04 How long does one video take to produce?
20:30 The long game mindset and continuous improvement
21:30 Thumbnail text, the three-second hook, and average view time
23:36 Leigh's plan - HGTV narration and bathroom renovation content
24:41 Marc's advice on going in with a full strategy
27:12 Posting cadence - once or twice a week

Cameron Pister has been working her CRM leads through a full sequence and getting no response.

Her question for Marc: what do you do when someone goes through your entire follow-up cycle without ever getting back to you? Do you start them over? Find a new contact? Or just let them go?

In this Summer Series episode, Marc walks through his exact strategy for handling dormant leads - and explains why his nine-year personal record from first contact to booking is proof that giving up too soon is one of the most expensive mistakes a voice actor can make.

Inside this episode:

• Why a lead who goes through your entire sequence without unsubscribing is probably still interested - and what that means for how you treat them
• Marc's dormant lead strategy - what it looks like, when to use it, and how to set it up in your CRM
• When to try a secondary sequence vs. when to find a different contact at the same company
• Why you should never delete a lead from your CRM, even after years of silence
• The mindset shift that makes following up feel less like pestering and more like good business
• How Marc used nine-year-old leads to kickstart momentum when a new commercial demo landed
• Why segmenting your CRM opens up follow-up opportunities that have nothing to do with voiceover pitches
• How social media can pick up where email leaves off - and why LinkedIn comments have turned into audition opportunities

Whether you're sitting on a list of leads that haven't responded in months or you're brand new to CRM outreach, this episode gives you a clear and practical framework for staying in the game longer than your competition.

🎧 Subscribe to the VOpreneur Podcast on your favourite podcast platform - Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen - so you never miss an episode.

CONNECT WITH CAMERON PFISTER

🖱️ Cameron Pfister Website - https://cameronpfistervo.com
🖱️ Cameron Pfister on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameronpfistervo
🖱️ Cameron Pfister on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/CameronPfisterVo
🖱️ Cameron Pfister on X - https://x.com/CameronsVoic3
🖱️ Cameron Pfister on BlueSky - https://bsky.app/profile/cameronpfistervo.bsky.social
🖱️ Cameron Pfister on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/CameronPfisterVO

🖱️ Marc Scott on Instagram - https://instagram.com/marcscott
🖱️ VOpreneur® on YouTube - https://youtube.com/@vopreneur

RESOURCES FOR VOICE ACTORS

* VOpreneur®
➡️ Visit https://vopreneur.com

* Get an instant $25 credit when you sign up for VoiceZam
➡️ Visit https://voicezam.com/marcscott

* For voice over services:
➡️ Visit https://marcscottvoiceover.com

* Join the VOpreneur Facebook Group
➡️ Visit https://facebook.com/groups/vopreneur

If you need guidance with your voice over business or learning how to more effectively market, I can help. Book a 15 minute free consultation with me to discuss your specific needs. https://vopreneur.com/free15

00:00 Summer Series intro
00:20 Cameron's question - what to do with leads that never respond
01:20 Non-response doesn't mean no - Marc's optimistic take
01:50 Two strategies for dormant leads
02:40 The dormant stage in Nimble - what it is and how it works
03:50 Never delete a lead - the rule and the reason
04:27 Going back to 2016 and 2017 leads with a new demo
05:43 The results - responses after five and six years of silence
06:05 Nobody knows how long it's been - and they don't care
07:15 Finding a new contact at the same company
07:50 Social media as a follow-up channel
08:25 Marc's nine-year record from first contact to booking
09:10 Prioritising new leads vs. working dormant ones
10:18 CRM segmentation - why it multiplies your outreach options
11:40 Cameron's LinkedIn success story
12:00 Segmenting by platform, industry, and AI usage
14:17 The mindset behind consistent follow-up
15:00 The only real loss is giving up on all the leads
15:38 It only takes a few to respond to keep you going

Fred North has spent over 20 years building a full-time voiceover business on direct marketing - primarily retainer work with radio and TV stations. Now he wants to add a pay-to-play platform to the mix.

The problem? He has no idea where to start.

In this Summer Series episode, Marc Scott breaks down the four pay-to-play platforms worth considering in 2026, gives his honest take on each one, and explains exactly what an established voice actor needs to know before signing up for any of them.

Inside this episode:

• Why Bodalgo is the most talent-friendly platform on the market - and why that comes with a trade-off
• The truth about Voices.com, including the 92.5% hidden commission Marc uncovered a decade ago - and what's changed since
• How Voice123's tier and algorithm system works - and why starting at the bottom can make it incredibly hard to work your way up
• Why booking a job off-platform on Voice123 can actually hurt your ranking on the site
• What VO Planet offers and why the quantity just isn't there yet
• Why having 50 to 100 short clips on your profile matters more than uploading a handful of full-length demos
• What Voice Realm's reputation is - and why Marc is still cautious despite reports of new ownership

Whether you're brand new to pay-to-play or an established voice actor thinking about adding it to your business, this episode gives you a clear and honest framework for making the right choice.

🎧 Subscribe to the VOpreneur Podcast on your favourite podcast platform - Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen - so you never miss an episode.

CONNECT WITH FRED NORTH

🖱️ Fred North Website - https://frednorth.com

🖱️ Marc Scott on Instagram - https://instagram.com/marcscott
🖱️ Marc Scott on YouTube - https://youtube.com/@MarcScottVO
🖱️ VOpreneur® on YouTube - https://youtube.com/@vopreneur

RESOURCES FOR VOICE ACTORS

* VOpreneur®
➡️ Visit https://vopreneur.com

* Get an instant $25 credit when you sign up for VoiceZam
➡️ Visit https://voicezam.com/marcscott

* For voice over services:
➡️ Visit https://marcscottvoiceover.com

* Join the VOpreneur Facebook Group
➡️ Visit https://facebook.com/groups/vopreneur

Book a free 15-minute consultation: https://vopreneur.com/free15min

00:00 Summer Series intro
00:19 Fred's question - which pay-to-play site is right for him?
01:02 Why pay-to-play is always a controversial topic
01:32 Marc's own history with pay-to-play platforms
02:27 What Fred is looking for - commercial and big voice work
02:51 The four platforms worth considering in 2026
03:28 Bodalgo - most talent-friendly, fewest hoops, European focus
04:34 Bodalgo's vetting process and competition pool
05:39 Voices.com - the controversial pick and why Marc recommends it anyway
06:00 The 92.5% hidden commission story
07:00 How Voices.com commissions work today
08:21 Why profile clips matter more than full demos on Voices.com
09:39 Voice123 - the OG platform and how the tier system works
11:00 Why starting at the bottom tier makes it hard to climb
12:01 How Marc got punished for booking a job off-platform
12:28 How to optimize your Voice123 profile
14:12 Volume comparison - how many auditions to expect per day
15:00 VO Planet - top tier quality, limited quantity
15:30 Voice Realm - the reputation and why Marc is still cautious
16:39 Fred's next steps and final thoughts

Are voice actors now expected to be on call 24/7, travel with gear everywhere they go, and never miss an audition?

That's the question audiobook and narration voice actor Amy Tallmadge brought to Marc Scott after hearing some interesting conversations at VO Atlanta - and the answer might give you permission to actually enjoy your next vacation.

Marc gives his honest take on whether the industry has genuinely changed its expectations, or whether something else is really driving the always-on mentality that so many voice actors feel.

Inside this episode:

• Whether the 24/7 on-call expectation is a real industry shift or mostly FOMO in disguise
• Which voiceover genres actually do have higher availability requirements - and why commercial in general is not one of them
• The grocery store story - how FOMO over missed auditions drove Marc off pay-to-play sites entirely
• How early delivery built Marc's business fast - and what the old guard had to say about it
• Whether casting directors really listen to every audition - and what that means for the ones you submit late
• Marc's practical travel kit setup for when you do want to record on the road
• Why Amy's return to commercial VO may have fewer barriers than she thinks

You get to decide what kind of voice actor career you want to build. This episode is a reminder that the industry isn't taking that choice away from you.

🎧 Subscribe to the VOpreneur Podcast on your favourite podcast platform - Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen - so you never miss an episode.

CONNECT WITH AMY TALLMADGE

🖱️ Amy Tallmadge Website - https://amytallmadge.com
🖱️ Amy Tallmadge on Instagram - https://instagram.com/amytallmadge
🖱️ Amy Tallmadge on Blue Sky - https://bsky.app/profile/amytallmadge.bsky.social Z
🖱️ Any Tallmadge on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyltall

🖱️ Marc Scott on Instagram - https://instagram.com/marcscott
🖱️ Marc Scott on YouTube - https://youtube.com/@MarcScottVO
🖱️ VOpreneur® on YouTube - https://youtube.com/@vopreneur

RESOURCES FOR VOICE ACTORS

* VOpreneur®
➡️ Visit https://vopreneur.com

* Get an instant $25 credit when you sign up for VoiceZam
➡️ Visit https://voicezam.com/marcscott

* For voice over services:
➡️ Visit https://marcscottvoiceover.com

* Join the VOpreneur Facebook Group
➡️ Visit https://facebook.com/groups/vopreneur

Book a free 15-minute consultation: https://vopreneur.com/free15min

00:00 Summer Series intro
00:19 Amy's question - do voice actors have to be on call 24/7?
01:16 On call to the voiceover gods - Marc's take
01:43 How fast delivery built Marc's early business
03:59 Joe Cipriano and the promo VO reality
04:41 FOMO vs actual industry expectation
06:02 What Marc's agents actually require
07:05 Phone auditions and recording quality on the road
09:57 Automotive and political VO - the real exceptions
12:20 Genre determines the expectation
13:11 Does the early bird really get the worm?
14:36 Marc's travel gear setup
15:37 The tri-booth at the mother-in-law's
16:54 Why Marc quit pay-to-play casting sites
18:18 If you need travel gear, that's a good problem to have
19:15 Amy's return to commercial VO
20:26 You decide - bagged milk at 3am
23:14 Every talent builds the career they want