Today, I'll be talking about a subject that will make some of you itchy.

Yep, I'm going to focus for just a bit on the corporate world, and how the lessons/studies/tracking there can help keep you in the drivers seat in your home office, studio or whatever space you've carved out for yourself in the world.

I can hear many of you now, "Hold on there Mel - I left the corporate world and I don't want to go back." That's OK - I don't want to send you back. Really.
What I want to talk about are some things that are often missing from the Home Office and Home Studio. Think back, why did you start working from home? You, or someone you may know, was sold on the dream of working from home in your pajamas. Why? Not exactly sure - because there's much more to it than that. The issue for many is that they don't really think of their singing, voiceovers or music playing as a business. You want to enjoy what you're doing and just have the money roll in. Maybe you heard the old saying, "Do what you love and the money will follow"...

Well - you're doing what you love, so...

Why is this falling further into the hobby category?

Where's the money?

What's missing?

One word sums it up - Accountability.

To be accountable simple means; "to be responsible for an action".

Another word that ties in is Discipline, but not the meaning we tend to think of. Discipline can mean punishment, but here we're talking about an "activity, exercise, or regimen that develops or improves a skill."

When you look at those interpretations of Accountability and Discipline, and combine them into; "To be responsible for an action or regimen that develops or improves a skill" it shifts away from the negative - into a positive way to build knowledge and rewarding behavior.

Accountability and Discipline are two terms few may still want to look at. But it may the difference between the hobby and a business. A Hobby is somewhat self rewarding. You sit down, you do something for a short while  and work toward completion of a project. Once it's done, you pat yourself on the back, tell a few friends over a glass of beer, wine or dinner and think of it as time well spent. Maybe you even made a buck.

For a business, however, it's not exactly the same. Though those routine goals can still be very rewarding - there needs to be a bigger picture. Think of it as time spent, and time well spent. When you had money as a kid - there were two options. 1 - Save money for that new bike or, 2 - Spend it on candy and comic books. Of course, there's also option 3 - Save 50% toward the bike and spend 50% toward candy and comic books. When you have enough money - you go buy the bike. Accountability and Discipline helped you reach that goal, but it's not really as simple as that though - is it?

Part of why it's so difficult is that people get hung up on how to keep track of things and what to keep track of. Can you wait three years to buy the bike, or do you want it in six months? How will that bike help you? Will it cost more than it gains in the long run? Maybe you decided to follow metrics to see how you're doing, but that's not right either. To paraphrase, "Using metrics is like driving a car by looking at where you're been to direct where it is you're going."

So where did I get this quote - from FranklinCovey's Four Disciplines of Execution. Years of research on Accountability and Discipline went behind this program. There are some eye opening statements in the videos located on the Franklin Covey website about the topic. One of them is by looking strictly at 'metrics', or something that you may prefer to call Performance Measurement. Now those metrics can be valuable, but - just because 500 people visited your site, or listened to your demo - doesn't mean you'll get hired unless you are sure that the people listening are the right people. And what about follow up?  If you aren't practicing Accountability and Discipline - are you even following up? Are you waiting too long to follow up or, even worse, are you following up too frequently?

As you watch those videos, take some notes that pertain to you. Then take that list and look at the basic areas of your growing hobby, home business or studio you are operating. Ask yourself not only what 's most important, but why:

1. Goals - What are you working toward?
   
2. Budgets - Not just expenses, but what will you do with profits?
   
3. Motivation - What motivates you? Money? Seeing the impact your work?
   
4. Rewards - Are you rewarding yourself?
   
5. Education - If you aren't learning, something isn't right!
   
6. Improvement - How can you do what you're doing better?
   
7. Evaluation - How do you know you're being effective?
   

One very simple way that you may be able to get all of this done is with software built for for Customer Relationship Management aka CRM. Many of these above challenges are built right into the software. The great thing is - many CRM solutions are FREE! Now, of course, some of those free versions can be a bit limiting, so look them over and see what you believe your needs are. From ZoHo to Insightly, Really Simple Systems, Karma and more (Small Biz CRM has a good list) you can use many without any cost, or apply add ons for a small fee.

One great way is with applications that plug into Google Apps. I have worked with several clients who own a domain and use the clunky email interface from their webhost. But - if you sign up for a Free Google Apps account, instead of a paid business account, you can have easy access to email for a few users for free. Google even walks you through the whole process. The bonus - your CRM application may integrate right into your Google Apps account - and it's all in one easy to remember, easy to access, spot. Other systems plug right in too - so you can have an easy way to build newsletters, send out emails to new prospects and more. One thing to remember, don't go crazy - look over the options, find one of two that might work for you, and test them. Do a trial run with a few - see how you like it. Personal preference is key - so make sure you find the one that works best for you. Don't put valuable information into them until you find one you like.

Now, admittedly - I made a comment above about working in your PJ's. The reality is - I researched and wrote this article in mine - but my mentality is never about being in my PJ's - I just jumped on the computer with my notes for this article early in the morning and never left until it was finished (except to grab a cup of coffee when it finished brewing). The good thing is, I can wear my PJ's and remain motivated. It's all simply because I keep track of what's going on, hold myself accountable, practice discipline and get the job done. It's really it's own reward - the benefit is that I hear back from others that what I teach them is working for them as well. Armed with some tools, and a dash of inspiration, it may work for you too! If nothing else, you'll know more about being accountable, and about being disciplined. The corporate mentality doesn't need to enter my home or yours, but learning how to operate more efficiently and 'work smarter not harder' is welcome anytime as far as I'm concerned.

For those who are struggling, you can hire us at Your Audio Pro on as your own personal coach. We'll help start you down this path, build some goals and hold you accountable while you set things into place. It might surprise you how a simple goal can quickly grow your hobby into an income generating business.

All the best, from  Mel and the rest of the Your Audio Pro team.

We're still amazed at home many people are gaining great insight from the 'Home Studio Equipment' series. If you record yourself, or your instrument(s) from home, it's a great way to get some insight on the proper setup.

For those who already have that setup - we'll now delve into how you can embark on making a profit from it. One great way is with an 'Elevator Speech'. Today's topic is written from the perspective of voiceovers. however, swap out voiceover with any business you do from your home, or even for a big business, and you might find a much more compelling way to perform - be it B2B sales, electronics repair or selling pet food.

So what is an "Elevator Speech"?

Initially it was called an 'Elevator Pitch' and was used as a way to talk to an investor - in the time it took to ride the elevator from the bottom floor to their top floor offices. If done well, you would win a new investor, an invite into their office to hear more, or at least schedule a time with their secretary.

Not a compelling pitch - you rode the elevator back down to the first floor.

The idea caught on - though it's focus has shifted. Now, it maybe the information you pass on to a local client who has no idea how your voiceover or your music is something they may need. Maybe you wrote a jingle that they have to hear, maybe your voice fits their product quite well. At the very least, it's what you can say to someone at a networking event, how you tell your neighbor that you now work from home. In essence, an "Elevator Speech" is a concise, carefully planned, and well-practiced description about your company. it should be simple enough that your mother should be able to understand what you're talking about and should still be said in about the time it takes to ride up an elevator.

However - that being said - you will want to write it longer than what can be said in a short elevator ride. More on that later...

What an "Elevator Speech" is not:

It is not really a "sales pitch." Don't get caught up in using the entire speech to tell a potential client how great your voice is. The Producer or Client is "buying" your professionalism and ability to get it done, not just your voice. At it's core, it's the basis for a coherent conversation. It's a way to speak about yourself without feeling like you're gloating. Aand always keep in mind this rule:, "If you don't connect with a client, they won't trust you can connect with their customers"

Section A - Creating the "Elevator Speech"

There are six questions your "Elevator Speech" must answer:

1. Why they need your service?
Describe what it is you do for clients. Do not go into excruciating detail.

2. Who is your market?
Briefly discuss what you specialize in, what your niche is.

3. How does a voice-over really drive or motivate people?
How is it that a voice-over would work, as opposed to just a PowerPoint slide show??

4. Who is behind the voice?
"Bet on the jockey, not the horse" is a familiar saying. Tell them a little about you, your background and achievements (as it relates to voice-overs) or what qualifies you so well for your work. Remember - people buy why you do it, not just what you do.

5. Who is your competition?
Don't have any? Think again. Briefly discuss who they are and what they have accomplished. Successful competition is an advantage-they are proof your business model and/or concept work - i.e. - why do so many movie stars do voice-overs?

6. What is your competitive advantage?
Simply being in an industry with successful competitors is not enough. You need to effectively communicate how you are different and why you have an advantage over the competition. A better voice, a lower cost, more timely turn around, understanding their company, product or service?

Section B - What your "Elevator Speech" must contain!
Once you've written the first part out, look to highlight these...

1. A "hook"
Open your speech by getting the potential client's attention with a "hook." A statement or question that piques their interest to want to hear more.

2. Not too much!
Your pitch should go no longer than 30-45 seconds (less is more)

3. Passion
Producers and potential clients expect energy and dedication from you.

4. A request
At the end of your pitch, you must ask for something. Do you want their business card, to listen to your demo, to speak more (in person or by phone), to ask for a referral/recommendation?


Section C - Evolve!

A good Elevator Speech doesn't just 'happen'. It will evolve over days, weeks or months. You'll learn where and how it needs to be modified. When it's best to use one, and that waiting for perfection means many lost opportunities. Use what you have today, and it will perfect itself in time.

Section D - Don't be a robot!
Your Elevator Speech is not something you should memorize and rehash to each person in exactly the same way. It's a framework you can use to speak to a specific client in a specific way. Memorize the parts and the pieces, and have a conversation with the client. It will be difficult to say everything in the limited time you have, so focus on having a memorable conversation and let parts of the overall speech enter into the conversation.

Example of creating an "Elevator Pitch"
Here is an example of what you might use in developing an Elevator Speech for a fake VO company - let's call it "YourVoiceOver". Remember - this isn't what you would memorize and repeat verbatim, you would try to memorize the 'bullet points' of the following, and flavor your conversation with a potential client by adding the following at the appropriate point in a conversation:

YourVoiceOver is changing the future of voiceovers - as part of a $12 Billion Dollar a year, and growing, industry - on a local level. While many are familiar with commercials - they represent only 20% of voiceovers being done.

YourVoiceOver offers producers or clients an efficient and interactive method for creating a standard voice across the spectrum for our clients that can represent them in commercials, in store announcements, presentations, voicemail and more - because YourVoiceOver has 24/7 access to a professional recording studio, which means no additional studio fees and quick turnaround time.

YourVoiceOver is a local company working with neighboring businesses and supporting the community by working with non-profits like Reading for the Blind and Disabled (or whatever non-profit you choose).

YourVoiceOver has specific experience the Producer or clients can tap into to represent their topic or industry - years of public speaking, specialized training (perhaps ProTools Classes with Your Audio Pro), industry specific knowledge (if applicable in the medical field, IT, Telecommunications, legal, automotive, etc.) recording training narrations or by working with similar clients at XYZ companies, etc.

Our industry continues to grow as more companies realize a professionally done voiceover humanizes a company at the consumer level - giving you a connection and therefore great potential advantages over a competitor who doesn't. As an example, Morgan Freeman, James Earl Jones and other actors, who have successful movie careers, continue to do voice-overs because they work so well that companies are willing to pay top dollar for star power.

YourVoiceOver is a professional business committed to representing it's Producers and Clients well, and working with you to assist in improving your bottom line. YourVoiceOver is not interested in rushing you through a process and will work with your timeline.

YourVoiceOver continuously improves our facilities, studio equipment, vocal training and accessibility by reinvesting a portion of our income.

Here's my business card, and I have a compelling demo I can send to you by email to let you hear examples of what I do for my clients. Do you prefer a link or attachment?

Now that you have this framework, start writing things down and make a call. Start with a friend and role play with them as if you were trying to get them to invest in you. Who knows, maybe you'll convince them!

To your future!
Mel - Your Audio Pro

For those who are keeping score - it's time for part #10 in our Home Studio Equipment Reviews and Recommendations Series. Part 10 is all about the Cables and Accessories. Don't brush this off as unimportant - if it wasn't, it wouldn't be on the list.So here's the list; In the order of importance as I see them they are as follows:

1. Microphone
   
2. Computer
   
3. Audio Interface
   
4. DAW Software
   
5. Power Conditioner
   
6. Headphones
   
7. Acoustic Treatment
   
8. Studio Monitors (speakers)
   
9. External Hard Drive
   
10. Cables & Accessories

Amazingly, many people make some elementary mistakes that can either cost you in excessive amounts of cash - or in an unhappy client - this is one of those often overlooked areas.

It’s the little things that can get you. Make sure you think of them!

Microphone Stand – avoid straight floor and desktop stands which allow only one configuration – a ‘boom’ stand allows multiple options to allow you to find a configuration that works for you and your microphone. For those with very limited space the Desk /Drum Adjustable Boom Mic Stand

Music Stand, hang-able Clipboard or Copy Holder. Be hands free in front of your microphone! If you do get a Music stand, cover it with a carpet sample to reduce vibration and echo off the surface.

Shockmount. Some come with the mic, some don’t. Which one you need depends on which microphone you have. The one above is for the Electro-Voice RE20.

Shure Popper Stopper Pop Filter – great to have, though I have seen them home made with nylons and needlepoint hoops - this tried and true product is a staple in any recording studio that clips onto the Microphone Stand.

Windscreen – not a replacement for a popper stopper, but useful if you tend to breathe on the mic. Typically these are made specifically for a microphone, the one above is for the Electro-Voice RE20  family of microphones.

Microphone/XLR Cables & Monitor cables – there are three basic connector types XLR, RCA , TRS and multiple combination of those three. Which one you need depends on the monitors and interface you purchase. Try Sweetwater’s cable finder: http://www.sweetwater.com/shop/cables/finder.php If you can’t see it on Sweetwater’s Cable finder, ask an expert at the store (most online stores have a tech to call or online chat you can use for this purpose) to let you know which ones will work. If you have to buy them and are unsure, try buying the bundled wires, rather than the plastic packaged. This way you can test the connectors without opening a package and the hassles of trying to return opened items.

Desk– get a dedicated workspace for your EQ to sit on, and for you to sit at for editing, contacting clients and following up on your tasks. The easier you can access and use your space, the more likely you will be to use it. This Computer Office Desk isn't unlike mine in some ways. It's just big enough for my work that has to do with audio. I have my speaker stands on either side of a compact & dedicated space.

Recordable CD's or Recordable DVD's – occasionally you will have a client who wants a demo CD, or a project burned to CD/DVD and shipped to them. You may also find an agent or casting group that doesn't want to be emailed demos, they want them on CD's. So make sure you can make your own CD’s or DVD’s. I recommend buying the CD’s in packs of 25 minimum, and you can keep just a DVD or two around in case you need it. If you really want those CD's and DVD's to shine, you could even pick up an Inkjet Printer that prints directly to printable CD's and DVD's.

Flash Drive aka Thumb Drive – What if the Internet goes down and you need to get a file to a client?! Keep a thumb drive handy and you can go to a friend’s house, library or right to a client if they are nearby. I've even heard of some printing their logo , name, phone number and email, with digital contact card and demo on these as giveaways. While it might be a bit pricey - the client will likely use it or pass it on, and keep you in mind.

Home/Office Surge Protector or Outlet with Remote Control . In a prior post we talked about power conditioners. These are great, protecting your equipment and potentially extending it's life. So why am I know saying get a surge protector? Simple - they have a nice switch on them that allows you to turn all the power on and off. Why is this important? Any gear that you can't easily turn on is a potential excuse you will use to not do work. The electrical outlet with remote seems silly, as is normally used for Christmas lights, but is perfect for that hard to reach outlet. It gives you a great way to power everything on at the push of a button. Just hang the 'fob' on your desk and 'presto' - you're ready to go.

Thanks for following along!

Coming up next week - we'll talk about developing an 'Elevator Speech',  why it's important to have one and how not to throw a very forgettable sales pitch at a client.

Mel -Your Audio Pro

As we approach the final entry in our Home Studio Equipment Reviews and Recommendations Series, it's important to stop at Part 9 - External Hard Drives. Also known as Hard Disk Drives - we'll just call them "HDD" from now on.

So here's the list; In the order of importance as I see them they are as follows:

1. Microphone
   
2. Computer
   
3. Audio Interface
   
4. DAW Software
   
5. Power Conditioner
   
6. Headphones
   
7. Acoustic Treatment
   
8. Studio Monitors (speakers)
   
9. External Hard Drive
   
10. Cables & Accessories

[EDIT] First very important to point out, if you have a desktop/tower, much of this can be done with an internal HDD so you aren't writing to the drive with the OS, however the vast majority of those we work with setting up home studios do so with a laptop, or the odd Mac mini, so we wrote this with that perspective in mind[EDIT]

Why is it important to have an external HDD? Not only will this free up your computer's internal hard drive, give you portability and flexibility in your recording environment, it may be *required* by your DAW Software. We're talking about ProTools, in case you haven't read the instructions that came with your software. Even if you don't use ProTools, an external HDD can be a real necessity - a life saver even. Keeping your files stored on an external HDD gives you easy access, and keeps a client happy, if your computer is unexpectedly out of commission and the file you sent was lost or accidentally deleted (happens at least a few times a year). 

So what is it about an external HDD that make some recommended, and others not? There are a number of considerations (especially with ProTools) that you will want to know first. Already know - go see the full list in our Store.:

1) Is it large enough?
    If you are just looking to store files, or backup your computer's internal HDD, then you're in luck - that's easily done and several HDD options will work. While I highly recommend LaCie or Glyph drives (Glyph is ProTools certified), your preference  may be different and run more in the Western Digital territory. If you are just in need of an option for automated backup, get an external HDD  at least 2-3x bigger than your internal drive - this will allow for automated programs to back up your files properly. My recommendation - buy *at least* a 1TB HDD. External HDD's are very affordable these days and audio files can be surprisingly large. While you may ultimately send the files in mp3 format, always save the originals in the highest quality (PCM WAV, AIFF or similar), then convert them to the desired format. It might be overkill, but it's come in handy several times before with clients. Just remember you can never truly 'upsample' a low quality audio file, but you can always 'downsample' a high quality audio file.

2) Is the External HDD spinning at the same speed as your internal HDD?
    The speed we're talking about is the disk speed. The two most common are 5400 RPM and 7200 RPM. It's part f the formula of making sure you're matching the disks up properly. It might not seem important, but if your external HDD is slower than your internal HDD, it may always be behind, trying to play catchup and your data may be lost in the process. Unless, of course the next question makes that moot.

3) What is the actual write speed of the external HDD vs the Internal HDD?
    You want to insure that, when writing data to an external HDD, it's going to be able to receive the information from the internal HDD where the files are temporarily cached. Without getting too technical, the 7200 is usually faster - just don't assume it will be. Insure as well that you're connecting by a means that will actually use the speed of the hard disk drive - that means Firewire 800 or eSATA (potentially USB 3.0 - though most computers only suport USB 2.0) Solid State Drives are not on this list as of yet, but keep your eye on them in the future.

4) What are the power requirements of the external HDD?
    Are you going to be working in the field? Then lugging around a generator to power your external Hard Drive might not be an option. The usual conundrum is - USB powered options don't write fast enough and Firewire doesn't power an external HDD. However, with the Firewire, there are a few exceptions. One, used by a team member, is the 'Mercury On-The-Go Pro' in 500GB, 750GB and 1.0TB.

5) What options for connecting are available/required with my external HDD?
    Several options are available  and the requirements depend on your intended use. Using a software like ProTools, that requires you to write to the external HDD, means using the fastest option available - namely Firewire 800 or eSATA (potentially USB 3.0). Anything else will not write fast enough and you may experience a bottleneck of too much data flowing through too small a connection. Again, if you're just using the drive for storage or backup - USB 2.0 will do well enough for you. Soon, new technologies, like Firewire 1394d and USB 3.0, may become standard. They promise to be incredibly fast, though some emerging USB 3.0 products have shown to be a bit less than favorable.

6) How do I keep it all organized? (this is just a bonus for you)
    Use a filing system! Many talents explain their in detail on forums - Just Google it. Below is an example of one client's folder. For me - I start off with the Client name (the computer automatically puts them in alphabetical order). In each of those client folders, is a folder for the year (2011, 2010, 2009), and in each of those a folder for a month I did work for a client. This is very useful when the client says, ‘can you do this job just like you did that one last March?’ When I no longer do work for a client, I typically compress (aka 'zip) the files move them into an 'inactive client' folder. After another 6 months I may decide to archive or delete that folder.

I name my individual files as follows: year_month_day_client_project_my firstname_mylastname.wav So a recent file is named ‘2011_06_03_Client_elearning_Mel_Allen.wav’

 I did a screenshot of an example of the folder structure for you below:

Now that you know what the requirements are, go see the full list in our Store.