Choosing a voice-over artist for your corporate video is an important decision. Pick a voice that represents your brand and speaks to your audience and you’ll reach your target market. Choose a voice that’s off-putting or grating and your potential customers may never give you a chance. Here are some things to keep in mind when giving voice to your brand.
Branding
A good place to start when choosing voice-over talent is to think about your brand. What emotions describe your brand? Or more specifically, what emotions are you trying to evoke in your audience? Do you want them to feel confident and reassured? Are you looking to instill feelings of warmth and serenity? You want the consumer to associate your product with the emotions conveyed by the voice representing your brand.
Another consideration when it comes to branding and voice-over is the terms of your relationship. Are you looking for a voice that can be a long-term representation of your overall brand? Or are you trying something new for a specific campaign? Depending on how you answer the question, you could be looking for someone who represents your core values or someone who speaks to a niche market within your audience.
Homegrown Talent
Companies that use the president, founder or another figurehead to act as the face of their company may want to use that same person for voice-overs. If the audience already associates this person with your product, it’s a good choice to stick with them. If this person won’t be appearing on-camera, their voice should be recognizable. Or you may choose to use them just because they have a voice that’s a good fit for your video!
Male or Female?
In many ways, male and female voices are interchangeable. Each can be strong and authoritative; each can be soft and reassuring. Try to imagine yourself as a member of your target market and think about the voice that would best communicate your message. Consider your brand, tone and the product itself. Beyond the simple choice of male or female, you may also want to think about using talent with an accent or recording in a language other than English. There are even voice-over trends you may want to consider.
Listen
If you’re still unsure of what you want in a voice-over, start listening. Go online and screen other videos to form an opinion of what sounds good and appeals to you. Conversely, is there any voice or delivery you think absolutely will not work for your brand? Seek out companies and products similar to yours and listen to the voices they’re using. Do they convey the tone and feeling you desire?
Listen to demo reels and see if there’s a voice that stands out. After you hear a few voices, you might be able to narrow your search and focus on talent with specific attributes. If you’d like to use a person who can voice multiple videos, consider someone with the kind of range that can be used with a variety of concepts.
Make the Call
At Key West Video, we provide clients with a selection of voice-over options. We’ll help you find the person who’s the perfect fit for your brand. Call us today for a free quote.
