VO Pro: The Business of Voiceover and Voice Acting
Voiceover Business Strategies That Work
The VO Pro Podcast is the go-to show for voice actors who want to grow their voiceover business without relying on casting sites or waiting for agents to hand them work. Hosted by voice actor and business coach Paul Schmidt, this podcast delivers no-fluff, tactical advice on how to market your voiceover services, attract high-quality clients, and build a profitable VO business in a world of AI-generated voices and shifting industry standards.
You’ll learn practical voiceover marketing tips, how to master direct marketing for voice actors, build a solid client base, and use tools like email outreach, SEO, and strategic positioning to stand out. We cover how to price your work, optimize your VO website, and navigate topics like AI and voiceover with clarity and confidence.
Each week, we bring you insights and strategies from Paul, and interviews with working voice actors, coaches, casting directors, and experts who understand the business of voiceover from the inside out.
If you're a freelance voice actor looking to take control of your career and actually get booked, this is the podcast for you.
Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Audible, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, SoundCloud, Deezer, Podcast Addict, Castbox, and RSS, and wherever you get your podcasts.
You’ll also find helpful information including my free Move Touch Inspire newsletter for voice actors at VOPro.pro.com/newsletter
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Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/vofreedom
Say Hi on Social:
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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulschmidtvo/
My voiceover website: https://paulschmidtvoice.com
Episodes
145 episodes
The REAL Reason Your Voiceover Business Isn’t Growing
Struggling to get voiceover clients even though you’ve got the talent and the gear? You’re not alone—and it’s probably not your demo holding you back. In this video, we break down the real marketing strategies voice actors need to start booking...
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Season 1
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Episode 145
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10:46
6 Steps You're Missing & Why it's KILLING Your VO Business
Struggling to find voiceover clients? You’re not alone — and you’re not doing anything wrong. In this video, we break down how to find voiceover clients without relying on casting sites or burning yourself out.Whether you’re brand new a...
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Season 1
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Episode 144
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12:42
THIS Is How You Beat AI as a Voice Actor
AI voices are here—and they’re not THAT awful. So where does that leave you as a professional voice actor?In this episode, we break down exactly how to position yourself to beat AI voices and stay booked in an industry that’s changing fa...
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Season 1
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Episode 143
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11:00
The 4 Social Media Content Types That Actually Get BOOKINGS
Want to get booked more from social media — without going viral, dancing on TikTok, or posting random mic-and-headphones pics? In this video, I’m breaking down the 4 content types that actually attract voiceover clients. These aren’t tre...
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Season 1
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Episode 142
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10:14
10 Steps to Market Your VO Business WITHOUT Feeling Salesy
Marketing your voiceover business shouldn’t feel like selling your soul. If “promote your VO services” makes you break out in hives, this one’s for you. In this video, we’re flipping the script on everything you think you know about mark...
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Season 1
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Episode 141
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15:15
Is Voice Acting Right for You? The NO BS Truth No One Tells You
Thinking about becoming a voice actor? Wondering if you’ve got what it takes to actually make money in the voiceover industry? In this video, I’m pulling back the curtain and giving you the real, no-BS, no-hype voiceover career advice y...
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Season 1
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Episode 140
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11:13
Can AI Replace Voice Actors? The TRUTH About AI & VO Work
🎙️ Can AI really replace voice actors… or is that just hype? AI-generated voices are getting scary good—and fast. But what does that mean for real working voice talent? In this video, we expose how AI is already changing the voiceover in...
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Season 1
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Episode 139
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10:37
Want a Thriving VO Business? MASTER This One Skill!
There’s a moment every voice actor dreams of—when a client emails, not for an audition, not to ask about rates, but to say, “Hey, we’ve got another project for you.” No hoops, no hurdles, no audition, just repeat business landing straight in yo...
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Season 1
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Episode 138
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10:37
How Much Should New Voice Actors Charge? The TRUTH About VO Rates
If there’s one question every new single solitary voice actor who’s starting to seek work asks starting out it’s this: How much should I charge? If you're just starting out, the answer isn’t as simple as “pick a number and hope for the b...
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Season 1
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Episode 137
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10:17
$1.1M Audition! Why I PASSED and Maybe YOU Should Have Too
Why would anyone in their right mind PASS on a $1.1 million audition? And Paul, aren’t you the one always beating us over the head with, “Stand up for pro rates, “Know your worth,” “Make it worth your time,” and on and on? First of all, ...
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Season 1
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Episode 136
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15:32
Voiceover Beginner Starter Pack: What Gear Do You REALLY Need?
So, you’ve decided to get into voiceover. Whether you’ve decided you want to do this as a career or just looking to make some cash on the side, you need gear. But not just any gear. The RIGHT gear. Because no one wants to oversp...
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Season 1
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Episode 135
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17:36
The Voice Actor’s SURVIVAL Guide to Direct Marketing
Marketing directly to prospects as a voice actor can feel like standing on a diving board, staring into the deep end, and wondering if there’s a shark or a nuclear bomb in the water. You’ve probably heard about cold emailing and thought...
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Season 1
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Episode 134
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15:38
8 MUST-HAVE Resources Voice Actors CAN'T Ignore, Newbie or Pro
You have the passion, the talent, and the excitement to kill it into the world of voiceover. But there is more to success in this industry than having a smooth voice and good gear. Voiceover is a mix of artistry, business, and endurance....
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Season 1
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Episode 133
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17:40
The 10 COMMANDMENTS of VO Every Voice Actor NEEDS
Completely unlike Moses from the mountaintop, I bring you these 10 Commandment of Voice Over. Trust me, it’s not every day you get 10 commandments from an atheist. 😉 Now before you get your hackles up, we’re playing fast and loose with t...
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Season 1
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Episode 132
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15:01
Advocating for WOMEN in VO: Building Doors w/ Christy Harst
Fact: Women account for over 40% of the fan bases of the NFL, MLB, and NHL. Fact: Women comprise 47.7% of viewership of Super Bowl 58. Fact: Media coverage of women's sports has nearly tripled in the last five years. So ...
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Season 1
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Episode 131
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42:33
The 7 BEST Tools for Voice Actors to FIND CLIENTS in 2025
Voice acting is an art, but landing clients? That’s a science—and one that can feel like a unicorn hunt if you don’t have the right tools in your box. Sure, word of mouth, referrals, and P2P and gig sites are all fine and well, but ...
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Season 1
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Episode 130
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14:07
Casting Director Libby Clearfield of Voiceover Activate
Today we sit down with Casting Director, VO Coach, voice actor, and head of Voiceover Activate, Libby Clearfield. Libby shares her journey from theater to voiceover, her experiences in casting, and the challenges and rewards of freelancing.
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Season 1
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Episode 129
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35:16
SEO for Voice Over: 7 Strategies to Improve Your RANK
So recently a big healthcare advertising agency reached out to me through my website and handed me a great non-broadcast project for a massive pharmaceutical company. They handed me the project, no audition necessary. And there are more...
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Season 1
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Episode 128
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14:50
Going Full-Time in Voice Over? 10 CRUCIAL Mindset Shifts!
Alright, let’s talk about the mental game of going full-time as a freelancer. I’m talking about the shifts that take you from “Hey, I’m doing this voiceover thing on the side” to “This is what I do. Period.” The mindset stuff is just as...
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Season 1
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Episode 127
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19:46
The Beginner’s Guide to Voice Over Conferences with Survival Guide
Today, we’re diving into voice over conferences—what they are, why they’re a must for serious voice actors, and how to navigate your first one like a pro. If you’re a new voice actor looking to grow your skills, connect with the VO community, o...
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Season 1
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Episode 126
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25:46
Making Wavs with Bobbi Maxwell and Kevin Kilpatrick
Kevin Kilpatrick and Bobbi Maxwell, hosts of the Making Wavs podcast, join me to discuss their backgrounds in radio and how they transitioned into voiceover. Kevin primarily works in automotive and e-learning, while Bobbi focuses on com...
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Season 1
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Episode 125
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29:26
Tracy Lindley, Queen of LinkedIn, on VO, Marketing, and Kids
In this first-ever chat with our friend and colleague, we chat with the Queen of LinkedIn for VO, Tracey Lindley about her journey into the voiceover industry, her experiences with LinkedIn, and the importance of community and organization in b...
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Season 1
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Episode 124
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30:45
How In-Perpetuity Contracts Can Limit Earnings in Voice Over
Alright, so you’ve landed a big commercial gig, and the client’s ready to pay you thousands to use your voice. You’re stoked, right? But then, buried in the contract, you see it: in-perpetuity rights. Sounds fancy, sounds official, but ...
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Season 1
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Episode 123
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18:44
The VO Strategist Tom Dheere: "Voice Over Is Contracting!"
Tom Dheere, known as the VO Strategist, shares his origin story as a voice actor and discusses the changes in the industry over the past 30 years. Tom emphasizes the importance of being a good storyteller and adapting to the evolving in...
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Season 1
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Episode 122
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40:09
The REAL PROBLEM with Voice Over - NOT What You Think!
The current state of the voice over business is not the problem. Generative AI, the pay-to-plays, the glut of talent, the seemingly endless string of strikes… none of that is the reason you’re not succeeding in voice over. Today, I’m tal...
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Season 1
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Episode 121
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10:41
