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About free samples...(Personal opinion)


ubun97

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Hi, thanks for stopping by.

All written down below is only my personal experiences and opinions.

I am a freelance voice over artist since Nov 2021. I often asked by buyers to give them my voice sample for free in order to get approval from their client especially explainer video creators.

I do not mean that I dislike or hate them. I understand their position and very welcome them to collaborate together. But I feel very unsecure if I give them my samples. I  spent long times, worked very hard and provided quality products even though it's just a sample. I understand free sample can be part of the promotion or commercial of your service but I am very worry about my samples will be resell or misuse. In the past, most of the results when I gave them free voice sample(90%are custom made sample) are just no further contact and just wasting my time doing those samples and lost track of it. In the end is worked but no money. (In my case, I gave out my samples  to over 30 potential clients and 100% of the clients I gave my sample DID NOT contact me again at all!!!)

Here is one of my most recently personal experience. A buyer(explainer video creator, Top Rate Seller) reached out to me and asked for my samples(which posted in my gig). In my gig, I already wrote no sample before order. At the same time, I was trying to sell my sample with condition to those who want. I told the buyer share my gig link to your client and say we'll collaborate together or if you want downloadable my samples, you need to buy my gig. The buyer ended up asking me why have to purchase and he/she only use it for getting approval from his/her client. I am very upset about it and was wondering "Why I have to be responsible to get you your client's approval?".

As a creator, every single work (even sample) should be appreciate. All sample should be made and own by yourself ,not asking others to give you their samples for free and just send to your client. 

After deep consideration, I decided to stop giving free or sell my sample. In the other hand, I decided to suggest buyers share my gig to their client and said we'll collaborate together or ask me for my Youtube's VO sample (which contains my gig's info). I am still considering other ways(such as paid test) to get clients. If you have suggestions, it'll be appreciate if you leave a comment.

Maybe some people will say I am overthink or disagree with me, but this is my opinion. Free samples might work out at the start of freelancing to get customers' attention but I noticed 99% of the customer will just disappear. In the long period of time, in the end you will end up with losing most of your efforts and times. But if you need money and don't care about these problems, you can give your free samples as long as you like.

Hope this article helps you and thanks for reading.

Best regards,

Vivian

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Hi Hubun97! I checked out your gig and through your gig videos, and you more than offer enough free samples to satisfy any buyer and their client. I would say you are very generous in the variety and quantity of voice samples that you display in your gig videos.

However, you do make it sound like you are not offering any free VO samples. Buyers also don't know what samples are included in the gig video until they listen to it. And some buyers are lazy and won't listen to it unless directed. It would be helpful if you referenced the video time stamp and VO type (0:32 - English intercom voice). Some buyers are only looking for one type of VO and don't want to listen to the whole thing. You can put this time-stamped list in the visual of the video, an attached PDF, or in the gig description.

If you do offer any custom samples, it should definitely be a paid trial, and the customer should understand that. Agree on the price with the customer for the first 15-20 seconds of audio.

All in all, you do excellent work and buyers should appreciate the efforts you put into doing quality VO's. I wish you the best!

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58 minutes ago, vickieito said:

Hi Hubun97! I checked out your gig and through your gig videos, and you more than offer enough free samples to satisfy any buyer and their client. I would say you are very generous in the variety and quantity of voice samples that you display in your gig videos.

However, you do make it sound like you are not offering any free VO samples. Buyers also don't know what samples are included in the gig video until they listen to it. And some buyers are lazy and won't listen to it unless directed. It would be helpful if you referenced the video time stamp and VO type (0:32 - English intercom voice). Some buyers are only looking for one type of VO and don't want to listen to the whole thing. You can put this time-stamped list in the visual of the video, an attached PDF, or in the gig description.

If you do offer any custom samples, it should definitely be a paid trial, and the customer should understand that. Agree on the price with the customer for the first 15-20 seconds of audio.

All in all, you do excellent work and buyers should appreciate the efforts you put into doing quality VO's. I wish you the best!

 Hi Vickieito,

Thanks for the comment!

Very appreciate you checked out my gig and the advises. 😄 

Your advises are very helpful. I am still learning about marketing my freelance business and still "upgrading" my gigs.

Wish you all the best too~ 🥰

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Not trying to repeat what they said above, but I'm going to keep this short and straightforward: you displayed videos on your gig, your bases are covered in terms of free samples. If they would want further samples, I would charge $5 for a batch of samples that you can pick and choose which ones they get based on their needs that way if they don't decide to work with you, you at least got the sale for audio only samples, but that's just me. I'd put in your gig that if they want audio only samples, then they're going to have to pay you that money but only list it in the gig description by saying "voice over samples can be provided upon custom order." or something like that.

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41 minutes ago, jgoff1995 said:

Not trying to repeat what they said above, but I'm going to keep this short and straightforward: you displayed videos on your gig, your bases are covered in terms of free samples. If they would want further samples, I would charge $5 for a batch of samples that you can pick and choose which ones they get based on their needs that way if they don't decide to work with you, you at least got the sale for audio only samples, but that's just me. I'd put in your gig that if they want audio only samples, then they're going to have to pay you that money but only list it in the gig description by saying "voice over samples can be provided upon custom order." or something like that.

Hi jgoff1995,

Thanks for your advises.

Very appreciate your comment~

Your advises are very helpful. I am still learning about marketing my freelance business and still "upgrading" my gigs.

Wish you all the best too~ 🥰

 

 

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