corporate narration voice talent

Rise Above Voice Over Competition

Just as it has been, the voice over industry in 2025 is booming—there’s no doubt about that. With thousands of aspiring talents, paid platforms like Voices.com and Voice123, email marketing strategies, and coaches eager to, well, coach, it’s easy to feel lost in the noise. Still, you can rise above voice over competition with a strong strategy.

Even though many voice talents are securing work, many are struggling to stand out and make a sustainable living. The constant cycle of auditions, competition, and the pressure to market yourself tirelessly can leave you feeling defeated.

But here’s the thing: your journey is uniquely your own, and success is within reach, even in an environment that feels saturated. It’s all about finding your own voice, both literally and figuratively, and staying persistent in ways that are authentic to who you are as a talent.

In this post, I want to share with you how to navigate this competitive landscape, how not to get discouraged, and most importantly, how to stand out in a way that doesn’t involve simply trying to “keep up” with everyone else.

Don’t Fall for the Numbers Game

It’s easy to get caught up in the cycle of auditions and competition on platforms like Voices.com and Voice123. On these pay-to-play sites, you can submit dozens of auditions every day, but the odds of getting hired can feel slim. After all, you’re competing with at least 50 others, sometimes more, all vying for the same role.

But here’s the truth: These sites may provide quantity but they rarely provide quality connections. The more you focus on cranking out auditions to meet quotas or to get your name in front of the largest number of people, the more you risk losing sight of what makes your voice unique. You’re a human being, not a robot cranking out auditions as fast as possible. So, stop comparing yourself to everyone else. Instead, focus on crafting a few high-quality auditions where you can truly showcase the nuances of your voice.

Rather than focusing on the numbers, think about what you can bring to the table that others can’t. Are you great at character voices? Do you have a warm, soothing tone that resonates with certain brands? Is your delivery relaxed and conversational, the perfect fit for e-learning or corporate videos? When you focus on that, rather than how many people you’re competing against, you’ll start seeing progress.

Leverage Your Uniqueness

It’s easy to believe that success in voice over means blending in with everyone else. After all, if everyone else submits the same style of reads, why shouldn’t you? But this mentality is a trap. To succeed in the crowded world of voice over, you need to embrace what makes you different.

Voice over work is not just about sounding “good”—it’s about authenticity. There’s a market for every type of voice. Whether you have a quirky, high-energy read, a deep, authoritative tone, or a soft, calming delivery, the key is to find your niche and lean into it. Don’t try to be everything to everyone. Instead, focus on the industries or types of work that are best suited for your sound.

If you’re unsure about what sets your voice apart, ask for feedback from peers, coaches, and trusted colleagues. Recording demos is also a great way to highlight your strengths. Don’t shy away from making bold choices that showcase your style. When you hone in on what makes you unique, you’ll stop seeing yourself as just another voice in the sea of competition—you’ll see yourself as a valuable asset.

Build Relationships, Not Just Email Lists

Many voice talents fall into the trap of thinking that a massive email list is the ticket to consistent work. While it’s true that cultivating a solid client base is essential, it’s not just about numbers—it’s about relationships. Bombarding production studios, agencies, and corporations with impersonal emails may land you some gigs here and there, but it’s unlikely to lead to long-term success. Building genuine relationships with clients, coaches, and other professionals in the industry is key.

To rie above voice over competition, reach out to companies you admire, offer something of value (such as your knowledge or insight into the industry), and show a genuine interest in their work. Be patient. Building real relationships takes time. The voice-over world isn’t just transactional; it’s a community. You’ll find that clients are more likely to return to you for future work when they feel you understand their needs and when you’ve established trust.

Consistency is Key—But So Is Self-Care

In the face of constant competition, it’s easy to push yourself harder than you should. You’re likely hearing about people making money from huge email lists or securing roles on major projects. It can be tempting to double down and grind harder, but burnout is a real risk.

Remember that you’re not in a race against anyone but yourself. While consistency in auditions, outreach, and practice is important, so is knowing when to take a step back.

Don’t get discouraged if your time hasn’t come yet. In fact, treat the industry like a marathon, not a sprint. Make time to improve your craft, develop new skills, and invest in your mental and physical well-being. Your voice is your greatest asset, and if you neglect to take care of it—or yourself—burnout will leave you feeling defeated.

Your Time Will Come

Success in voice over is often not an overnight achievement. It’s the result of persistence, learning from setbacks, and continuing to believe in your unique abilities. The good news is that opportunities are endless, and your time will come—if you remain committed to your craft and stay patient. Think that you can rise above voice over competition!

Voice over is an industry that rewards resilience. Keep refining your skills, building relationships, and embracing your individuality. Your moment will arrive when the right client hears your voice and recognizes that you’re exactly what they need.

Final Thoughts on Voice Over Competition

The key to thriving in this competitive environment is simple: Be authentic, be persistent, and be kind to yourself. Don’t fall into the trap of comparing yourself to others, especially those who seem to have “figured it out.” Embrace what makes your voice special and continue to show up every day with dedication and belief in your abilities.

The voice-over world is vast, and there is room for everyone. The only question is: Are you ready to trust the process and keep going, even when it feels like the odds are stacked against you? Stay confident, stay unique, and most of all—stay persistent. Your time will come.

I’m busy with voice over, but every now and then, I need a little “atta’girl” too! I love my voice over work in corporate narration and medical narration, especially. It’s all about the joy (and making a living!) as you rise above voice over competition.

Check out my voice over work here.

How to Build a Successful Relationship with Your Voice Over Agent

Voice Over Blog

You want to build a successful relationship with your voice over agent. Navigating the competitive world of voice over work can be daunting, especially when it comes to finding and working with an agent.

A good voice over agent can be your biggest ally, opening doors to opportunities and helping you grow your career. However, it’s essential to establish a solid working relationship. Here are some key strategies to ensure that you and your agent are on the same page.

Whether you’re doing commercial voice over, focusing on corporate narration, or another VO genre, you may really appreciate working with a great agent.

Understand Your Voicer Over Agent’s Role

Before diving into the specifics of how to work effectively with your agent, it’s crucial to understand their role in your career. Your agent is there to:

Market Your Talent: They present you to potential clients and auditions, showcasing your unique skills.
Negotiate Contracts: Your agent will handle the nitty-gritty of contract negotiations, ensuring you get fair pay and terms.
Provide Industry Insight: Agents often have years of experience and can offer valuable advice on trends, skills to develop, and networking opportunities.

Recognizing this will help you appreciate their expertise and build a collaborative relationship.

Maintain Open Communication in the Relationship

Communication is the cornerstone of any successful partnership. Here are some ways to keep the lines of communication open with your agent:

Regular Check-ins: Schedule periodic updates to discuss your career goals, recent auditions, and any changes in the industry. This ensures that both you and your agent are aligned in your pursuits.
Feedback Loop: Encourage your agent to provide feedback on your auditions, and be open to constructive criticism. This will help you improve and stay competitive.
Be Proactive: Don’t hesitate to share your thoughts, ideas, or interests. If there’s a specific type of work you’re passionate about, let your agent know. They may be able to align opportunities that fit your aspirations.

Set Clear Expectations in the Relationship

From the onset, it’s vital to establish clear expectations between you and your agent. Discuss your goals, availability, and preferred communication style to avoid misunderstandings. Here are some areas to cover:

Career Goals: Share your long-term and short-term goals. Whether you aspire to work in audiobooks, or animation, your agent can tailor their efforts to suit your aspirations.
Availability: Be upfront about your availability for auditions and projects. If you have a busy schedule, let your agent know when you can realistically take on new work.
Response Time: Discuss how quickly you expect to hear back about auditions or opportunities. Agreeing on a timeline can help manage expectations on both sides.

By setting these expectations early on, you lay a strong foundation for a productive working relationship.

Be Professional and Respectful in the Relationship

In the creative industry, professionalism goes a long way. Here are some best practices to keep your relationship with your agent positive:

Timeliness: Always be punctual for auditions and meetings, and meet deadlines for any required materials. If you need to cancel or reschedule, do so with plenty of notice.
Respect Their Time: Understand that agents often juggle multiple clients. If you have questions or concerns, try to consolidate them into fewer communications to avoid overwhelming your agent.
Express Gratitude: Simple acts of appreciation can make a big difference. Whether it’s a thank-you note after landing a gig or a message acknowledging their hard work, expressing gratitude fosters goodwill.

Keep Improving Your Skills

Lastly, your personal growth as a voice over artist can enhance your relationship with your agent. Here are some ways to invest in your skills:

Training: Regularly attend workshops, classes, or seminars to refine your craft. This not only improves your abilities but also demonstrates your commitment to growth, which agents appreciate.
Diversify Your Skill Set: Explore different genres or styles of voice acting. Being versatile can make you more marketable and open up more opportunities.
Stay Informed: Keep abreast of industry trends, technology, and changing client needs. This knowledge can be invaluable during discussions with your agent and can help you both stay ahead of the competition.

It’s a Two-Way Street in the Relationship

You can build a successful relationship with your voice over agent, and it requires effort and collaboration. I’ve learned that by understanding their role, maintaining open communication, setting clear expectations, demonstrating professionalism, and continually improving your skills, you can create a dynamic partnership that propels your career forward. Remember, your agent is there to advocate for you, but it’s a two-way street. Investing in this relationship will pay off as you navigate the exciting world of voice over work.

May you and your agent book the most coveted spot in this week’s auditions! Go get it!

Corporate Narration for Professional Branding

Voice Over Blog

Corporate narration can build your brand even stronger. In the wide world of voice over, this extensive category fills a myriad of purposes for the client and provides plenty of opportunities for voice over talent. With the use of corporate narration for professional branding, companies can find “the right voice” to interpret and deliver “the right message” to achieve marketing and branding goals—to increase visibility and sales, and ultimately, revenue. It’s just good business!

Narration differs from commercials by the length of copy, which can be hundreds of words. It’s not for first timers.

A commercial, on the other hand, is typically :15, :30, or :60 seconds. Corporate narration voice talent requires vocal stamina and excellent breath control. There’s a certain discipline that comes with reading longer copy. Some voice artists, such as Stephanie Stephens, relish the opportunity to showcase lots of experience in corporate narration.

Corporate Narration Enhances Branding

Corporate narration can enhance corporate branding for customers when used in an external-facing manner. Maybe the voiceover must explain how things work or what the benefits are of “X” product or “Y” product.

Internally, corporate narration is ideal for communicating training policies, or delivering instructions to employees and staff. It can be used at meetings, events, forums, conferences, online, and more. Maybe it’s needed for recruitment, or it contains product information, or it’s a “how to do this” video.

Remember that corporate narration is NOT commercials, audiobooks, podcasts, or eLearning.

If you’re considering using corporate narration to strengthen your corporate message, they think, “Ah, that’s World’s Best Company.”

Think of your corporate narration voiceover as an extension of your graphics, logo, colors and “look,” but in this case, it’s your sound.

Qualities of a Corporate Narration Voice Talent

The voice over talent you choose for your internal projects should be approachable and friendly, yet skilled in delivering technical or complex information. And that voice should be able to command and retain the listener’s attention. Some companies require employees to watch a certain number of internal videos each year. That means you must ensure they’re “listenable” and that those listeners understand and retain key messages is so important.

Maybe your company is creating videos that include creative and entertaining graphics or animation. They need just the right voice so that video correctly reaches the audience it’s designed for. It’s important to choose a voice talent with the education and experience to narrate specific terminology. If needed, they’ll read those longer sentences that exactly communicate your chosen message.

Having a great corporate voice over puts the responsibility of adjusting tone and style of your copy and the read to “sound like” your brand.

Generally, that means hiring a voice talent with lots of experience, to essentially join your “corporate communications” team. And this can be for a small or large company.

Don’t Skimp on Corporate Narration Voice Talent

Corporate narration for professional branding can really work for your company. Make the investment in a corporate narration professional, instead of using someone on staff who isn’t comfortable on mic but is free. It’s a wise decision that will prove to be a return on investment. When you think “value added,” think professional corporate narration voice talent.

You want that voice talent to deliver your words and message clearly, authentically, and with purpose—sounding like they’re “one of you.” They must be able to think and speak “on their feet,” quickly and accurately, so as not to waste precious studio time. Expect them to be prepared, articulate, reliable and conversational. This goes such a long way for a successful corporate narration voice talent.

That’s key if the audience is your employees, and if it’s the public, you want them to hear the relatable and knowledgeable voice that sounds so well paired with your message and your branding.

Corporate Narration with Stephanie Stephens

You’d ideally want your voice talent to inform you know if something in the copy went askew: maybe the grammar or sentence construction, or a need for more explanation. That requires more than a few previous rounds in the sound booth. It requires the ability to advise you quickly that “Maybe we should rethink the way this reads…”

Choosing Stephanie Stephens for corporate narration voice talent means you’re choosing someone with years of experience. She works as a “voice” on radio and television and stage, and now as a narrator for your copy. She can self-direct and can edit or connect you with a top U.S. editor for detailed finishing touches.

She’s been a corporate executive, too, and has written the kinds of copy and scripts you want to use for your corporate narration. In fact, as a very experienced writer in general, she’ll write your next corporate narration script for voice over.

If you think corporate narration for professional branding can elevate your brand, reach out to her here. She’ll be happy to return a custom audition or give you a quote today. For Stephanie, there’s nothing more fun and professionally satisfying than completing a project for you and making it “sing.” Listen to her corporate narration demo now here.

Stephanie Stephens

Voice Over Talent