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How to best improve your personal branding for artists

Personal branding for artists contributes to a reputable image, enabling you to stand out from the crowd. This article will elaborate on what personal branding is, how you can create your own solid social media presence, and share advice and discounts from industry experts.

Personal branding for artists 

What comes to mind when you hear that?

Having a large PR firm to show you the way? Figuring things out as you go along? Or leaving it to chance?

Actually, it’s neither.

Think about how big brands become household names. Does it happen overnight? Hardly ever. 

Usually, they start out as little-knowns that became trustworthy names because they create unique brands that tell powerful, heartfelt stories. 

And personal branding for artists is the exact same.

What is personal branding for artists

Personal branding for artists is about associating your name with a trustworthy and excellent product/service. But that doesn’t happen overnight. 

Keep in mind that as a voice actor, you’re not just sending auditions and booking gigs. You’re creating a specific voice over brand that clients will associate with you, and only you. It helps you stand out from the crowd, set a benchmark of quality, and creates a basis for a trustworthy reputation.

In voice over, your voice becomes your brand. 

What’s the difference between a company and a brand? 

personal branding for artists

Your company is essentially the details and logistics. And your brand focuses on the image of your company. 

Personal branding is the key that unlocks the full potential of your company. It creates a story behind the name and gives potential clients a glimpse into how you could fill their needs. 

Celia Siegel

On this point, Celia Siegel, author of Voiceover Achiever aptly notes that “language, imagery, font, and color choices all matter in developing a cohesive brand story. When properly executed and marketed, online and across all collateral materials, your brand will educate the world about your voice, open doors, and inspire confidence in both you and your buyer.”

Define your brand with strategies designed for successful personal branding for artists

Personal branding for artists has to be memorable, catchy, and honest. If you’re looking for an in-depth look at the core principles of branding, check out online resources like this branding strategy toolkit or these Hubspot resources. 

Personal branding taglines also summarize your brand in one memorable slogan or catchphrase. 

Some top of mind personal branding taglines are:

personal branding for artists

Now while these taglines had teams of branding experts behind them, you can easily define your brand by answering What is your: 

  • style? 
  • tone? 
  • main quality? 

For example, let’s say the answers were, western, rugged, efficient

After that, you can easily turn that into some personal branding taglines: 

Rugged voice of the west 

Rugged Western storytelling-delivered before sun-up 

But isn’t that too simple? 

Well, standing out doesn’t mean that you have to be dramatic or exaggerate. 

Most importantly, be true to your voice, your authenticity, and keep it simple. You can also brainstorm as many personal branding taglines before settling on one that’s the right fit. 

However, personal branding for artists involves more than a unique and catchy tagline. 

Personal branding do's and don'ts: 

voice over logos

Voice over logos

Following the tagline example ‘rugged voice of the west,’ you’d need to help clients visualize it by using a voice over logo that exudes western culture.

  • Don’t use cliches or cut and paste templates. 
  • Do think outside the box. What image remains in your mind – a smiling cowboy, or a horse with a cowboy hat and a mic dancing in a saloon? Now, you don’t have to use a dancing horse; but you do need a voice over logo that’s creative and creates a lasting impression. 
  • Do test the simplicity of your logo to see if it’s clear and legible. Will it work on a baseball cap, a baby’s romper or fit the specs for your Instagram? Only great logos pass this test of versatility. 
  • Don’t follow trends or use graphics that could become dated. You need your logo to stand the test of time.

Voice over business cards

In 2022, are voice over business cards still viable? Absolutely! Remember, you never know which director or producer’s hands that card could end up in. 

  • Do sync your design to your voice over logo and color palette. This creates brand uniformity. 
  • Don’t forget to check for legibility. Prints that are too small or fancy can be hard to read and should be avoided. 
  • Do make use of digital business cards that can easily be shared online. Websites like Flowcode can help you to create your own QR codes. And Linktree is an easy way to condense your content. 
personal branding business cards
personal branding color palette

Color Palette

Your voice over logo, business cards, and entire brand have to have a specific color palette. Choosing colors isn’t simply about picking your favorite ones. You might love green, but how would that combine with the rugged voice of the west? 

  • Do choose a palette that ties in well with the angle of your brand. 
  • Don’t limit yourself to one color. Nothing brightens up a blue sky like white puffs of clouds with yellow rays of sunshine. 
  • Do choose 2 primary colors and 2 secondary. You can’t go wrong with these four. 
  • Don’t say more than you need to get your message across. Less is always more – and that’s enough. 
Joan Baker

Joan Baker, VP of Sovas points out that “there is no space for the “fake it until you make it”  attitude. From your truth comes your audio/visual brand presentation; website, demos, logo, business cards, photos, etc. Use these to strategically and consistently target clients whom you believe will resonate with your talent. Continue to define your brand through your work ethic, interpersonal skills, and willingness to do what it takes to deliver the best possible performances.”

Social media marketing

Social media marketing for actors is a key component of branding. You already have your name, website, logo, voice over business cards, tagline, studio, and talent. Now you need to create an online face for your brand, build up a reputation, network, and give clients a glimpse into your personality. 

That’s a lot of pressure riding on a few social media pages. Moreover, this type of personal branding for artists is different from logging into Facebook, just to say hi to your friends. You might imagine it as ‘post a couple of pictures, comment here and there, and poof – you have a social media presence.’ 

To clarify, that’s definitely not the case. Now, you don’t have to overthink it, nor do you need a BA in marketing. But you do need careful planning and forethought.  

Rudy Gaskins

Rudy Gaskins, CEO and Chairman of Sovas advises you to “think strategically about what you say and do as it helps clients better understand your unique value. If you’ve been interviewed for podcasts, articles, etc., share these items (if they are well produced) as they will help shape and give concrete existence to your brand.  All your social media channels should express a well-honed theme that expresses what you believe to be your brand.” 

Social media etiquette FAQ's

When and what to post

How often should you post? 

Well, try to be active every day. But avoid posting just for the sake of it. For example, it could be a re-share of something noteworthy you read or found online. 

In addition, ask yourself these questions to decide if something is post-worthy. 

  • Will this embarrass me? 
  • Will it make a client feel awkward? 
  • Does it associate me with any negative trends or hashtags? 
  • Will I dislike it in 2 years? 
  • Will it hurt my chances of being hired? 

If you can answer yes to any of these questions, don’t post it. The internet lasts forever, and your posts can be found anywhere by anyone. Consequently, be sure to periodically visit your social media pages to delete irrelevant posts. 

So, what should you post? 

First, keep in mind that social media marketing for actors is about showcasing a successful voice over portfolio and image. That will help you to decide if something is post-worthy, or cringe-worthy. 

Secondly, if you’re posting pictures, make sure they’re not only pictures of you smiling in your booth. Or mixed up with pictures of your parent’s anniversary. While it’s not wrong to have pictures of friends and family that humanize you, they should make a positive contribution to a client’s decision to hire you. 

Next, if you’re posting quotes or taglines, be careful of the brands they’re associated with and how their meanings could be misconstrued. 

And finally, keep in mind that networking is not about name-dropping through pictures. It’s about tactfully showing how versatile your network is. 

“Voice actors overlook a clear objective. Are you trying to use social media to reach new clients vs. email marketing? Are you connecting with existing clients to remain top of mind? Or, are you trying to increase your followers to use as leverage? Or maybe some combination of these? Define your focus and craft a content creation strategy from there!” – Melissa Moats from The Voice Actor Studio

8 steps to create a social media strategy

Some of the greatest composers and artists like Da Vinci and Beethoven never created their masterpieces by throwing random music notes or colors together, hoping it would turn into something glorious. It took a combination of talent, skill, and preparation.

Similarly, when you’re working on social media marketing for actors. You can’t throw together a few posts, random comments, or quick tweets in hopes that it will create a memorable online presence. In other words, the best way to get it right is by having a well-planned strategy.

8 easy steps you can start implementing now! 

  1. First, decide on the best platforms to set up online profiles based on your knowledge, time, and niche. While it’s good to be visible on every platform, rather start with one or two. Then you can work your way up. 
  2. Second, take time to fill out the information; bio, headline, tagline, and be sure to add your voice over logo. Always check for typos, accuracy, and make it reader-friendly. 
  3. Third, post pictures of yourself in different business situations. This allows clients to get to know the face behind the brand.
  4. Fourth, be creative with your posts. For example, share a small clip of a well-chosen voice over sample from your portfolio with a redirect to your website, where they can listen to the complete sample and contact you.  
  5. Fifth, set aside a day and time to post and reply to any comments. As a result, it will then become a regular part of your schedule, which creates a sense of consistency. 
  6. Sixth, make a list of ideas for posts that represent your brand. Most importantly, it will also help to humanize you to the viewer.
  7. Seventh, integrate client interactions into your CRM for easy access and follow-up. 
  8. Eighth, don’t be afraid to be personable. For instance, share a story to show who is the voice behind the brand, and who is the person behind the voice? 

Download and keep this social media strategy checklist! 

Download here

Helpful branding resources and exclusive deals

Looking for a professional to help you kickstart your personal branding?

There are countless marketing and social media experts who can help you to define your brand and create a reputable social image. Some even specialize in personal branding for artists. 

Here are a few options to help you get started!

Check out Celia’s branding methodology in her book Voiceover Achiever and visit celiasiegel.com to schedule a free CSM 15-minute consultation. 

Join The Society of Voice Arts and Sciences at their 2021 That’s Voiceover career expo. Get a 15% discount through this link and discount code TVO2021.

Use the promo code VOICE123 for 50% off any Intro to VO workshop at The Voice Actors Studio

Learn how to showcase your voice actor website to boost your brand

Read here

Boost your voice over work opportunites with a paid Voice123 membership

First-time paying members are eligible for a discount