The VoiceMe Podcast

Episode 052 - Voiceover Red Flags, Scams, Fake Jobs and When to Walk Away

Welcome to the VoiceMe Podcast, information and advice on the world of voiceover, presented by voiceme.co.za, the South African Search Directory for Voice Artists and Related Services. I'm Andrew Sutherland, founder of voiceme.co.za, and in this episode I'm talking about voiceover red flags, scams, fake jobs and when to walk away.
Topics in this episode:
How to spot and respond to overpayment scams, fake casting calls, impersonation schemes and pay-to-work traps
The AI voice data risk: what to watch for in contract language and clean sample requests from unknown people
Red flags from real clients, including unclear usage, no confirmed rate, unlimited revisions and identity that keeps shifting
A step-by-step verification checklist and what to do if you've already engaged with a suspicious enquiry
More Info:
VoiceMe - voiceme.co.za
Profiles & Pricing - voiceme.co.za/support#pandp
Support - mailto:support@voiceme.co.za
Phone - 0861 VOICEME (0861 864 2363)
Whatsapp - Andrew Sutherland (Bigmouth Studios & VoiceMe)
Facebook - @VoiceMeSA
X - @VoiceMeSA
Instagram - @VoiceMeSA
LinkedIn - @VoiceMeSA

Episode 051 - Available Isn't Ready - Why Clients Book the Voice Artist Who's Easy to Work With

Welcome to the VoiceMe Podcast, information and advice on the world of voiceover, presented by voiceme.co.za, the South African Search Directory for Voice Artists and Related Services. I'm Andrew Sutherland, founder of voiceme.co.za, and in this episode I'm talking about why being available for a voiceover job doesn't automatically mean you're ready to be booked.
Topics in this episode:
Why clients often book the voice artist who feels safest, not just the one with the best demo
The difference between a weak reply to an enquiry and one that wins the job, with real examples
How to be clear about rates and usage so the client knows exactly what's included
The technical and script prep that stops problems before they happen on session day
More Info:
VoiceMe - voiceme.co.za
Profiles & Pricing - voiceme.co.za/support#pandp
Support - mailto:support@voiceme.co.za
Phone - 0861 VOICEME (0861 864 2363)
Whatsapp - Andrew Sutherland (Bigmouth Studios & VoiceMe)
Facebook - @VoiceMeSA
X - @VoiceMeSA
Instagram - @VoiceMeSA
LinkedIn - @VoiceMeSA

Episode 050 - Live Directed Sessions Without the Panic

Welcome to the VoiceMe Podcast, Information and advice on the world of voiceover, presented by voiceme.co.za - The South African Search Directory for Voice Artists and Related Services. I'm Andrew Sutherland, founder of voiceme.co.za, and in this episode, I'm talking about live directed voiceover sessions, and more specifically, how to handle them without the panic.
Topics in this episode:
Why live directed sessions feel harder than solo recording — and the two environments South African voice artists are most likely to encounter, including what changes when you’re walking into a professional studio versus working from your own setup
How to prepare for a pro studio session — arriving warm, knowing the copy, and building a working relationship with the studio engineer, who is one of the most underused resources in the room
How to listen to direction properly, decode vague or conflicting notes, and adjust your performance without ego or defensiveness — including what to do when the room does not yet know what it wants
The hidden skill that separates artists who get called back: emotional regulation — and how to stay steady when the room gets uncertain, indecisive, or just plain quiet
 
More Info:
VoiceMe - voiceme.co.za
Profiles & Pricing - voiceme.co.za/support#pandp
Support - mailto:support@voiceme.co.za
Phone - 0861 VOICEME (0861 864 2363)
Whatsapp - Andrew Sutherland (Bigmouth Studios & VoiceMe)
Facebook - @VoiceMeSA
X - @VoiceMeSA
Instagram - @VoiceMeSA
LinkedIn - @VoiceMeSA

Episode 049 - Revisions, Pickups and Scope Creep

Welcome to the VoiceMe Podcast, Information and advice on the world of voiceover, presented by voiceme.co.za - The South African Search Directory for Voice Artists and Related Services. I’m Andrew Sutherland, founder of voiceme.co.za, and in this episode, I'm talking about revisions, pickups, and scope creep, and why this is often the point where an otherwise good voiceover job starts to go sideways.
Topics in this episode:
The difference between a correction, a pickup, a performance revision, a script rewrite, and scope creep, and why treating them all as "just a revision" is costing you time and money
Why voice artists keep saying yes, how scope creep builds quietly, and how to recognise the moment a job has grown beyond what you originally quoted
Ready-to-use phrasing for communicating additional charges calmly and professionally, without damaging the client relationship
Practical tools including a simple three-part request filter, how to set revision windows, and why "unlimited revisions" is riskier than it sounds
 
More Info:
VoiceMe - voiceme.co.za
Profiles & Pricing - voiceme.co.za/support#pandp
Support - mailto:support@voiceme.co.za
Phone - 0861 VOICEME (0861 864 2363)
Whatsapp - Andrew Sutherland (Bigmouth Studios & VoiceMe)
Facebook - @VoiceMeSA
X - @VoiceMeSA
Instagram - @VoiceMeSA
LinkedIn - @VoiceMeSA

Episode 048 - How to Read a Client Brief Like a Producer

Welcome to the VoiceMe Podcast, Information and advice on the world of voiceover, presented by voiceme.co.za - The South African Search Directory for Voice Artists and Related Services. I’m Andrew Sutherland, founder of voiceme.co.za, and in this episode, I’m talking about how to read a client brief like a producer.
Topics in this episode:
Why a client brief is evidence, not just instructions — and how to read it that way
The four layers every brief contains, and why most voice artists only read one
Red flag phrases that signal a job needs more definition before you proceed
How reading a brief properly improves your performance, your quoting, and your professionalism
 
More Info:
VoiceMe - voiceme.co.za
Profiles & Pricing - voiceme.co.za/support#pandp
Support - mailto:support@voiceme.co.za
Phone - 0861 VOICEME (0861 864 2363)
Whatsapp - Andrew Sutherland (Bigmouth Studios & VoiceMe)
Facebook - @VoiceMeSA
X - @VoiceMeSA
Instagram - @VoiceMeSA
LinkedIn - @VoiceMeSA

Episode 047 - The Client’s POV - What They Really Hear

Welcome to the VoiceMe Podcast — information and advice on the world of voiceover, presented by voiceme.co.za, the South African Search Directory for Voice Artists and Related Services.
I’m Andrew Sutherland, founder of voiceme.co.za, and today we’re stepping into a perspective that voice artists don’t often get to hear — the client’s.
Topics in this episode:• Why clients use abstract language when giving notes• What they actually care about (it’s simpler than you think)• How to translate vague direction into actionable performance• Ways to manage contradictory feedback from multiple stakeholders• Practical strategies to become a “translator” clients trust
More Info:
VoiceMe - voiceme.co.za
Profiles & Pricing - voiceme.co.za/support#pandp
Support - support@voiceme.co.za
Phone - 0861 VOICEME (0861 864 2363)
Whatsapp - Andrew Sutherland (Bigmouth Studios & VoiceMe)
Facebook - @VoiceMeSA
Twitter - @VoiceMeSA
Instagram - @VoiceMeSA
LinkedIn - @VoiceMeSA
 

Episode 046 - Marketing Outside the VO Bubble

Welcome to the VoiceMe Podcast — information and advice on the world of voiceover, presented by voiceme.co.za, the South African search directory for voice artists and related services.
I’m Andrew Sutherland, founder of voiceme.co.za, and in this episode, we’re diving into a topic that could change the way you think about finding work - Marketing Outside the VO Bubble.
Topics in this episode:
Why the VO bubble is so crowded, and how to stand out by stepping outside it.
Which industries are ripe for voiceover work (and often overlooked).
How to reframe your marketing so it speaks your client’s language, not just VO jargon.
Practical strategies: partnerships, case studies, and cold outreach that works.
The challenges of educating first-time clients, and how to turn them into loyal, repeat business relationships.
More Info:
VoiceMe - voiceme.co.za
Profiles & Pricing - voiceme.co.za/support#pandp
Support - support@voiceme.co.za
Phone - 0861 VOICEME (0861 864 2363)
Whatsapp - Andrew Sutherland (Bigmouth Studios & VoiceMe)
Facebook - @VoiceMeSA
Twitter - @VoiceMeSA
Instagram - @VoiceMeSA
LinkedIn - @VoiceMeSA
 

Episode 045 - Demos Done Right

Welcome to the VoiceMe Podcast — information and advice on the world of voiceover, presented by voiceme.co.za — the South African Search Directory for Voice Artists and Related Services. I’m Andrew Sutherland, founder of voiceme.co.za, and today we’re talking about one of the most powerful tools in your entire voiceover career — your demo.
Topics in this episode:
What a Demo Is (and Isn’t)
Booking Scenarios from Specific Demos
How to craft your demo like a powerful sales tool
The pros and cons of a single multi-clip reel vs individual clips
Tips for Updating and Refining Your Demo Over Time
More Info:
VoiceMe - voiceme.co.za
Profiles & Pricing - voiceme.co.za/support#pandp
Support - support@voiceme.co.za
Phone - 0861 VOICEME (0861 864 2363)
Whatsapp - Andrew Sutherland (Bigmouth Studios & VoiceMe)
Facebook - @VoiceMeSA
Twitter - @VoiceMeSA
Instagram - @VoiceMeSA
LinkedIn - @VoiceMeSA
 
 

Episode 044 - How to Build Repeat Clients

Welcome to the VoiceMe Podcast, Information and advice on the world of voiceover, presented by voiceme.co.za - The South African Search Directory for Voice Artists and Related Services. I’m Andrew Sutherland, founder of VoiceMe and in this episode we’re going to dig into one of the most valuable skills you can learn as a voice artist: building repeat clients.
Topics in this episode:
Why repeat clients are such a game changer
The five essential client retention behaviours that lead to repeat business
Simple daily routines and habits that can help you establish trust and loyalty
Common mistakes that make clients disappear
More Info:
VoiceMe - voiceme.co.za
Profiles & Pricing - voiceme.co.za/support#pandp
Support - support@voiceme.co.za
Phone - 0861 VOICEME (0861 864 2363)
Whatsapp - Andrew Sutherland (Bigmouth Studios & VoiceMe)
Facebook - @VoiceMeSA
Twitter - @VoiceMeSA
Instagram - @VoiceMeSA
LinkedIn - @VoiceMeSA

Episode 043 - Cold Outreach That Doesn't Feel Cold

Welcome to the VoiceMe Podcast, Information and advice on the world of voiceover, presented by voiceme.co.za - The South African Search Directory for Voice Artists and Related Services. I’m Andrew Sutherland, founder of VoiceMe, and today we’re going to talk about something that tends to make even seasoned voice artists squirm: cold outreach.
 
Topics in this episode:
Cold Outreach Strategies
Crafting Relevant Messages
Following Up with Leads
Related VoiceMe Podcast Episodes
https://voiceme.podbean.com/e/episode-006-getting-vo-work-marketing/
https://voiceme.podbean.com/e/episode-011-features-and-benefits-in-voiceover-marketing/
https://voiceme.podbean.com/e/episode-012-how-to-slide-into-your-client-s-inbox/
 
More Info:
VoiceMe - voiceme.co.za
Profiles & Pricing - voiceme.co.za/support#pandp
Support - support@voiceme.co.za
Phone - 0861 VOICEME (0861 864 2363)
Whatsapp - Andrew Sutherland (Bigmouth Studios & VoiceMe)
Facebook - @VoiceMeSA
Twitter - @VoiceMeSA
Instagram - @VoiceMeSA
LinkedIn - @VoiceMeSA