When talking about feedback in the realms of audio, we are all familiar with what that sounds like! In regards to feedback from our clients or boss, or friends and family for that matter, it’s a very different thing, but it can sometimes sound as excruciating!
Personally, I LOVE feedback… the verbal kind, that is. This could be a result of growing up in a family where everything was judged, for good or for bad…you become addicted to it. Even as a very young child, I would ask at the dinner table, “How am I doing, Oma?” That was a bit of a running joke, but really, I’ve come to crave feedback as I was nurtured to think that I needed it.
I had to learn quickly that if I was interested in having my own business in voice-overs, I needed to put my need for feedback in check!
Indeed, I have some lovely quotes from clients that I hoard like nuts in the winter, precious comments of affirmation for my work with them. However, working from home, in a business where I rarely speak on the phone with anyone, emailing work back and forth, I’ve had to learn that “no news is good news”! After a day of sending out audio files, indeed I receive a good handful of thank yous, occasionally “Great read!” (Thanks, Barb!), but usually silence. Thus learning … if I don’t hear anything back from a client, to simply stay optimistic.
All this to say … in my business of voice-overs, it is not uncommon to hear the sound of silence.
Hi Natasha, I did a PSA today and HATED the way I sounded on playback in the radio studio but the techie seemed to think it was OK so thanks for this timely input (above).
As with you (and after the valuable advice you gave me) I’ve done a couple of voice overs for radio ads but have heard nothing, so thanks for today’s blog, if nothing means they (hopefully) were OK. If not, I got paid anyway but I would have liked to have known…
Keep doing what you’re doing and thanks for everything!
So glad you are recording, Juliet! And, I’m glad my blog was timely for you. Indeed, no news is good news. Keeping in mind supply and demand, I encourage you to keep going and look outside your market when you are ready! You have such a unique and appealing voice!! Looking forward to hearing more!
Love this post, Natasha. It actually fits in with my work on the phone and helping people understand that “the sound of silence” on behalf of a customer or prospect isn’t a negative, simply an indication of their busy schedule. You are absolutely right to embrace – and remind us – that no news is good news!
Indeed, it is the same situation! As one of my clients mentioned, once the recording is complete, they move on to the next thing. We’re all moving on to the next “thing” constantly, so it makes sense to keep that in mind! Glad you found my post relevant!