A good voice-over demo costs a lot of money. A good demo producer will produce a demo that sounds fantastic. Once that’s done, at some point you’re going to have to audition, and if you’re not ready, all that money and time you spent on your demo is worth nothing. Have you ever seen a glamorous headshot, and then seen that the actor looks nothing like their photo? That’s what a good demo coupled with a poor audition is like. So before you get your demo done, here are my suggestions for what you can do to make sure you’re getting your money’s worth: 
Practice. Practice. Practice.
Record yourself (most smart phones have some sort of voice memo capabilities). Mimic the radio and television spots that you hear. Remember specifics about campaigns on the air. How was the tag line delivered? Know a good spot when you hear it, so you can strive to deliver it yourself.
Be a fabulous “cold reader.”
Get a script (if you can’t find voiceover copy, try a newspaper or magazine ad). Record yourself. Make the strongest choice you can. Then figure out another strong choice. Show your range, your creativity, and your personality. You need to be open to taking risks.
Get an “outside eye.”
After you record yourself, get someone you trust to listen to it – do they believe you? You should sound like you’re talking to someone, not reading at them. At the very least, when you listen to your own playback, don’t read along with your script – turn the paper over and just listen (if you read along, you’ll interpret what you hear through what you’re reading). Listen critically – do you believe you?
Listen to demos.
Every talent agency website has voiceover demos that you can listen to. Hear what a good demo sounds like, so when you’re shopping for a demo producer, you know what you’d like to accomplish.
If you feel you can deliver a believable read EVERY TIME, then maybe you’re ready to get your demo done. If not, consider taking a class – it’s always good to “work out” surrounded by like-minded and supportive people. Have fun – and see you in the studio!
Norm Boucher has been a professional actor for over twenty-five years, is a proud member of SAG, AFTRA, and AEA, and has done voiceovers for radio and television, on-camera industrials, and numerous commercials, including two Super Bowl spots. On television, he has appeared in the NBC series Chicago Fire, Chicago PD and the CBS series Early Edition. He has performed in many Chicago-area theaters.
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