Donuts

Everyone likes the idea of voiceover until it stops being sexy. What's sexier than donuts?!

The voiceover industry is like running a donut shop.

I know what you’re thinking, Homer.

But I said “RUNNING” a donut shop, not eating donuts. And everyone LOVES the idea of running one. They start to picture the cute storefront, the pretty frosting, the sprinkle moment, the whole Pinterest-TikTok-Insta reveal. But nobody wants to talk abot waking up at 3:47am to proof the dough. Or the fact that these little fluffy perfectly glazed masterpieces don’t just show up from a genie. “Poof, whaddya need?”

No. A donut shop owner has to measure precicely, let things rise even when it’s boring, adjust for humidity or cold, toss out bad batches when they screw something up, track which flavors actually sell…yeah, sound familiar? Because that’s YOU with direct marketing spreadsheets and audition trackers and accountability buddies. Because you spend very little time actually performing and most of the time proofing.

But here’s the fun thing about this tasty lil metaphor- you’re the baker who also BUILT the bakery. You didn’t just learn how to fry the donut, you built the storefront and you’re not just waiting for someone to hand you a glazed opportunity. You’re testing that maple bacon masterpiece at 4am and seeing if it converts.

People THINK voiceover is about the sprinkle (I get it, sprinkles are AWESOME) but it’s about the structure of the dough and actors who fail, fail because they opened the box too early due to lack of patience, or change recipes every week due to lack of data, or refuse to follow the temperature requirements due to lack of industry knowledge…or some just blame the oil or the fryer due to lack of structure.

So maybe you’ve wanted a donut shop for a while. (And when I say “donut shop”, I hope you understand I mean “voiceover business”.) Maybe you’ve been gathering some data and doing some things but you still don’t “feel ready” to have a real business yet. And I think it’s because you’ve been thinking about scaling a sprinkle instead of scaling a recipe. You can replicate process, optimize temperature, refine flavor and build loyalty. And when you do that you don’t just make one good donut. You keep the bakery lights on.

And if the lights aren’t on, you can’t fuckin’ see. So here’s the deal. For the next 7 days, here’s what I want you to do:

For the next 7 days, you are the baker.

Every day, you must complete one “proofing” action, which for our purposes is something boring, foundational, unsexy, but scalable.

Here are examples:

• Send 5 targeted, SPECIFIC, direct marketing emails and log them. If you’re having trouble with your emails, check out my marketing courses. When I say “specific”, I want you to think about what the result of your work is for the person you’re emailing. Get clear about WHY you’re reaching out—-what do you want that person to do after reading your email? Add a clear CTA (Call To Action) to make it easy for them to understand next steps.

• Follow up with 3 past contacts. Send them a note reminding them who you are and your VALUE. No “just checking in”s here. What can you provide that’s ADDED VALUE outside of your demo that they’ve already heard? What are their pain points and how can you alleviate them?

• Audit your CRM and clean it up. If you don’t have one yet, start one. You can get a head start using my free Accountability tracker. (Check the bottom tabs). You should be adding leads to your CRM or spreadsheet every week. If you don’t know how to research, get in touch. This is an important step to your direct marketing business.

• Track audition data and analyze one trend. Why? Because it’s important for you to UNDERSTAND YOUR BUSINESS and where you’re marketable. I know a lot of people don’t like to track their auditions because it can feel like a reminder of failure or lulls or emotionally-fueled, negative outcomes. If that’s you, I want to challenge you to think of it differently. Try to track audition data and analyze one trend. This is not to punish yourself, but to understand your business. This isn’t an art diary; it’s market research. I know tracking can feel like staring at a spreadsheet of rejection, like you’re documenting every “no” but that’s only true if you make it emotional instead of analytical. When you quantify your auditions, you shift from “Why don’t they like me?” to “What’s the pattern?” Maybe you book more regional than national, more healthcare than retail, more conversational than high-energy. That’s not failure, moonbeam!! That’s positioning. Businesses measure what sells so they can refine their offerings. If you don’t track, you’re operating on your feelings and those 👏 aren’t 👏 scal-👏-a-👏-ble.

• Rewrite your website bio for clarity. I can already tell you it’s too long. I KNOW IT IN MY BONES. You’re not Alexander Hamilton and no one actually gives a shit. “But Mandy, SEO! SEO SEO SEO!!!”. Yeah, figure out another way. I promise you there are many that don’t require BLOCKS AND BLOCKS of text on your page that NO ONE CARES ABOUT. Sorry not sorry.

• Research 5 new agencies and note submission requirements. You should be building agency lists the same way you build your lead lists. Research. Ask yourself, “Why do I want to be with THEM? What is it about THEM that interests me beyond just brand recognition?” Yes, a shiny sparkly agency may seem EMOTIONALLY appealing for your ego. But is it right for your brand? Research. Ask questions. Take meetings.

• Batch record 3 social videos strategically (not emotionally). Not because you “feel inspired.” We have to stop WAITING to FEEL. Make content, not because you’re spiraling. Not because someone else posted something that triggered you. Be STRATEGIC. Meaning: what is the purpose of this content? Are you building authority? Nurturing trust? Driving to a lead magnet? Positioning yourself for a specific vertical? Social media is not a diary, it’s distribution. When you batch, you remove mood from the equation. You decide the message first, then execute. You look at your audience and ask, “What does my future client need to believe about me?” not “What do I feel like saying today?” Three videos planned with intention will outperform fifteen reactive ones. Strategy builds brand equity. Emotion builds noise. I promise I’m right about this.

Now, at the end of 7 days, answer this:

1. What rose?

2. What felt dense?

3. What needs more time?

4. What actually sold?

REAL DATA THAT CAN HELP YOUR BUSINESS! AND ALL FOR FREE. Imagine that.

LOTS ON THE CALENDAR THIS MONTH:

🎙 Luck of the Draw, MARCH 9th 730PM EST In this class, your script will be decided by luck! You can choose from commercial, interactive, or elearning and then the rest is up to Lady Luck. We will focus on cold reads and not obsessing over a take 1.
$35 to participate: https://www.actingbusinessbootcamp.com/offers/37iG2Vi4/checkout
$20 to audit: https://www.actingbusinessbootcamp.com/offers/rhMoENmr/checkout

🎙Same Script Challenge, MARCH 18th 730PM EST Get ready work from the same script!! This will help actors to learn about how to change it up, listen to other'’ interpretations, and find how to stand out in this competitive marketplace.
$35 to participate: https://www.actingbusinessbootcamp.com/offers/t4ZGkEoY/checkout
$20 to audit: https://www.actingbusinessbootcamp.com/offers/xgbqACab/checkout

🎙Accents + Characters, MARCH 26th 730PM EST In this class, we will focus on putting on accents for interactive characters. You don't have to be an "accent pro" to learn how to use your voice in this way! Let's play!
$20 to audit: https://www.actingbusinessbootcamp.com/offers/xgQzieLV/checkout

💌 EMAIL MARKETING FOR VOICEOVER ACTORS: If you’re not sure who to target and how to speak their language, these THREE email courses will help you scale your business through direct marketing.
🌟For Agents: https://www.actingbusinessbootcamp.com/offers/wh3UQzLL/checkout
🌟For Entertainment Clients: https://www.actingbusinessbootcamp.com/offers/YxaCyFEH/checkout
🌟For Cold Leads Outside of Entertainment: https://www.actingbusinessbootcamp.com/offers/p87wxWS4/checkout

And of course, enrollment for THE VOICEOVER ACTOR ROAD MAP is open. If you’re ready to kick your career in gear, then please, join me for business coaching!! I can’t wait to help you craft the career you want to have. (Reach out to me for a 15% off coupon)