Choosing a Professional Voice Over Talent for Your Brand

So the bean counters have decided it’s time to ramp up the marketing, and you need to get a voice for the brand. Maybe because you have a video project which requires narration, you’re thinking of doing a radio commercial, you want to capitalize on in-store opportunities with in-store messaging, or because you’re getting a brand new phone system which has an auto attendant feature, and it’s also time to get an on-hold message.

Whatever the reason, most folks simply listen to a few voice over samples and choose which one they think sounds good to them, or select whichever is the cheapest and that’s what they go with. Truth be told, this is not a very successful approach. Why? Well, the voice of your brand should match the culture of the brand,  but just as importantly the target audience with whom you’re trying to connect – not what you find to your own personal liking.

What are the demographics? What’s the age range? Male, Female or Both? Are they consumers or professionals? Is the message you’re trying to send supposed to be young, hip, corporate, friendly, bubbly, professional, sexy?

All that being said, it isn’t just about the voice talent’s sound, but about being able to provide the right delivery and effectively tell your story. Do they need to sound informal, like talking to a friend, or does the role require more professionalism or authority? Not just any voice will do, as the voice you choose will end up as an Ambassador of your brand.

There are various read-styles of voice actors, and we’ve included a list below. Think about how you would want the voice to engage with the viewing audience.

Girl (Boy) Next Door

This read-style has to do with being transparent, trustworthy and intimate. Think of how someone would communicate when speaking to a family member, the girl next door, a friend, or an individual they are comfortable around. There is an authenticity to this role that oozes genuine relationship.

The Announcer

The Announcer role is about speaking authoritatively and with conviction. 

The Narrator

A good narrator knows how  to draw an audience in and suspend their disbelief.

Corporate

A corporate read-style is one that exudes confidence and trustworthiness. This role speaks on behalf of a company, institution or organization and should be informed, accessible and polished.

Instructional

Last but not least the Instructor. This style comes from the perspective of  an expert who can guide the viewer or listeners through a series of steps. Many explainer videos are voiced this way in order to present the content accurately, purposing to place a greater emphasis on learning than on developing a deeper relationship with the viewer.

Choosing the voice: As you can see, there are a lot of considerations needed when selecting a voice for your brand, and defining which role the voice over talent will play. The right voice over talent  should have the ability to tell your story, communicate more effectively, and share your message in a variety of ways by choosing to interpret the script through the lens of a particular role.