Have you ever noticed that often times when listening to an advertisement a distinct voice may stick with you, and you associate it with a certain product? It can be advantageous to have an unusual voice in some circumstances. Different businesses are always looking for new voices. Why not make your voice available to them?

Why would business be willing to pay people for their voices? Many businesses need a great voice for voice-overs, books on CD, television and radio advertising, customized answering machine tapes, product demonstrations, and more. You should target these businesses in offering your voice for these types of jobs. Often businesses would like to have a recording of your voice to listen to for evaluation. If you have the ability to accomplish this on your own, record your voice with many different inflections. If you are not sure what to say, use the words in their advertisements you have already heard.

For jobs with books on CD, make sure you are able to read with proper reactions to punctuation in each sentence you read. Taking breaths at the proper time and stressing the proper words in each sentence. This is a valuable skill, which many do not understand, so take your time in understanding the proper way to read with emphasis on the right words at the proper times. Correct reading also requires breathing properly at the right times too, so be sure to know your punctuation in each sentence and breath at the right time with each word. As with any skill or art, 'practice makes perfect' so don't hesitate to practice regularly until you feel sure of the information you are about to record.

Show listeners that you are able to pronounce clearly all of the words read. This is a serious concern with reading skills; if you mumble or are lazy at pronouncing words correctly, you defeat the purpose of an advertisement. Read a few tongue twister poems or jokes also, to show your skills and abilities. Some require clear fast speaking too, so be sure to record this ability if you possess it.

If you are excellent at different accents, record these too. If comfortable with humor and if you can copy voices of famous people, be sure to include these skills. The more versatile you are, the more marketable you are!

If you ever have the opportunity to listen to cartoons, you will hear some pretty strange voices, so if you have some odd voices that might appeal to this market be sure to include them in your voice recording too.

If you have a great voice that others find appealing, or different in some way, this may be the 'business idea' for you! This could be just the type of profession you find enjoyable too!

As for the investment in this type of business, your voice is the product. You will need to have some way of making your recordings, and the ability to sell yourself to businesses that are looking for new voices to represent them. This will require persistence on your part when dealing with companies. Do not become easily discouraged by many that will turn you down. Remember, there will be a right match eventually, but it may take a while until you find the best job matches with your voice qualities, and what they are looking for, at that moment. Do not give up easily, believe in your skills, and convince others in them too.

Be sure to have important information such as; who you are and how to contact you, printed professionally on the recordings you send to businesses. Be prepared to audition for them at the drop of a hat, in case they put you on the spot to accomplish this without warning. Always carry business cards with you to give to anyone interested in your abilities. These business cards could mean the difference between getting a new job and not, you want to be easily contacted and remembered by those you give them to.

Resources:

http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

http://www.videomaker.com/article/643/

http://www.ncvs.org/ncvs/svi/voicetalk.htm