Liz Drury Voiceovers

06/09/2024

Documentaries are one of my favourite types of project to narrate. I always learn such a lot from the scripts.

A good documentary narrator should almost go unnoticed - the pictures are the star of the show, and the narrator should just be gently pointing things out to the viewer.

Here's little demo of me narrating a nature documentary.

If you're working on a documentary (or any other kind of project) that needs a narrator, if you send me a snippet of your script I'll record a demo for you for free so you can 'try before you buy'.

My contact details are in my profile 😊


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About Me:

🎙️I've been working as a voice over artist for over 10 years
🎙️I have a broadcast quality home studio
🎙️As well as documentaries I narrate explainer videos, e-learning courses and more
🐆 I've never been to the Savannah but it looks amazing!

05/09/2024

Advertising on podcasts can be really cost effective. Research by Acast showed that 72% of listeners visited an advertiser's website after hearing a host-read sponsorship, and 62% of listeners had made a purchase after hearing a host-read sponsorship.

Podcast listeners tend to be loyal and trust the host, which probably explains why these figures are so high.

I am now offering sponsorship packages for my podcast, 'Small Business Big Network' from just £99.

If your ideal customers are small business owners then this could be a great way to tell them about your products or services.

Together we can craft a message for me to read out during the podcast, and you'll also get a mention at the top of the episode too, and in social media posts about the episode.

If that's of interest please get in touch and I can tell you more! My contact details are in my profile.


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About me and my podcast

🎙️My podcast reached number 5 in the Apple Charts for Marketing podcasts
🎙️Two thirds of my listeners are in the UK, and a further 18% are in the USA and Canada
🎙️I am a freelance voiceover artist working from a professional home studio
🎙️My episodes are also broadcast by a couple of community radio stations

04/09/2024

Probably my favourite ever testimonial from a client! Short and to the point 😊

This dates from the first time I worked with Richard, and I've worked with him on further projects since. 😁
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🎤I'm a freelance VoiceOver artist based in the UK
🎤I record voiceovers for videos, training courses, telephone systems and more
🎤I work from a broadcast quality home studio for clients around the world
🎤People who hire me are definitely not fools 😂

03/09/2024

If you’ve never worked with a voiceover artist before, you might be wondering what exactly they need from you. A script obviously – but if you want a really good outcome (and why wouldn’t you) then there are some other pieces of information you can provide that will help the process go as smoothly as possible.

Who is the audience? 👫
Give your voiceover artist as much information as you can about who will be watching/listening to the finished project.

Will there be background music? 🎵
Music makes a huge difference to the overall tone of a piece of audio. The voiceover artist needs to know whether they are going to be speaking over an audio bed, and how loud this might be. If at all possible, provide them with a clip of the music as this will help them match the tone and pace of their voice with the music.

How will the audio be used? 🔈
If it is to be played in a huge stadium and heard by lots of people, the voiceover artist will deliver the script in a very different way to if the audio is to be listened to by a single person through headphones.

Do you have a storyboard or a video? 📹
If you do, share this information as it will help the voiceover artist to really get a feel for your project.

Give them some direction ➡️
You will probably have an idea in your head as to how you want the voiceover to sound. Try and give your voice actor some adjectives to describe how you want the delivery to be. Is it upbeat; casual and conversational; serious and sombre? Don’t go too over the top with direction though as that can get confusing for the actor!

Are there any tricky words in your script? ❓
If for example you have any foreign words, or chemical or medical terms in your script that your voiceover artist might not have come across before, it’s really helpful if you can provide a pronunciation guide.

Do you want to direct the recording session? 👍
Possible options for listening in include Zoom or Skype which are accessible to everyone, as well as audio-only platforms.

Where will the audio be used? 🌍
This information will help the voiceover artist price the job correctly. An internal company video that will only be seen by employees will be charged very differently to a TV advert that will be watched by millions of people.

Do you need the audio to be edited? ✂️
Let your voice actor know if you have an audio engineer at your end who will be doing all the editing and mastering. If that’s the case then they will send over a raw file (perhaps with mistakes taken out). If not they should be able to undertake basic editing themselves so that you get a clean piece of audio that is ready to use.

Pick up the phone! ☎️
These days most voiceover negotiation and booking goes on via email, but it can be easier to just pick up the phone and have a chat to your voiceover artist! That gives you an opportunity to ask if they have everything they need, and them a chance to clarify anything they are not sure about.

02/09/2024

What’s it really like to be a voice over actor? Guy Michaels is the founder of Voiceover Kickstart, a great place to get started and to progress in VoiceOver. He also writes an excellent blog for and about the VO community. Here's one of his posts for you to enjoy 😊

If you are a voice over actor, you've likely encountered this scenario many times.

02/09/2024

My guest on the Small Business Big Network podcast this week is best selling author Andy Brown.

Andy wrote his book 'The Emotional Overdraft' after hundreds of conversations with leaders, entrepreneurs and founders – all of which pointed to the fact that every single one of them was – to some extent or another - subsidising their business success at the cost of their own physical or mental wellbeing (what he calls their ‘emotional overdraft’).

Andy feels that by networking you can build your own personal business board around you, which will help reduce some of the stresses of entrepreneurship, and help keep you out of the emotional overdraft.

Have a listen to our conversation at www.lizdrury.co.uk/podcast

30/08/2024

What a lovely way to end the week - finding out I'm shortlisted for a Great Big Small Business Award. I was nominated anonymously - so whoever you are who put me forward, thank you!

I'm looking forward to a great night in October celebrating all the wonderful small businesses in our area with E-Factor & The Business Hive, it'll be a good excuse to get dressed up!

Congratulations to all the other finalists 🍾🥂

30/08/2024

I narrate a lot of e-learning courses – its probably the genre of voiceover I work in the most and I really enjoy it. I always learn things from my scripts.

I’ve narrated courses for all sorts of industry sectors and on many different topics including hospitality, food safety, health and safety, safeguarding and more. This is a video demo about preventing the spread of infection in the workplace.

If you’re a course creator, or instructional designer, (or maybe just someone who wants to monetise their knowledge with an online course), and you need help with the narration, give me a shout.

My services include recording and editing the audio, and cutting it into individual files ready to just drop into your project.

I’m always happy to record a few lines for you as a demo so you can hear how I would sound for your course – you get to try before you buy! 😄

My contact details are in my profile. ✉️

-learning

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About me:

🎙️I’m a freelance voiceover artist who loves learning new things
🎙️As well as e-learning I also narrate corporate and explainer videos, telephone systems and more
🎙️I work from a super-quiet home studio
😂 I’ve had to take a course that I narrated! (Safeguarding for members of Parochial Church Councils)

29/08/2024

Networking has been vital for my business.

Through networking I have met some great suppliers, got help with business problems, been able to introduce people who have then worked together, had some lovely food, made some great friends, and picked up quite a bit of business.

I think it's something all small business owners should be doing. But many shy away from it.

Particularly, I've noticed, people in creative businesses. Maybe they think they don't belong in the networking environment, or they think they haven't got anything interesting to say....

If you're one of those people who feels nervous about networking, I've got something to help you.

It's an online course to take you from zero to networking hero, and it's aimed at creative freelancers.

Here's what actor and voice over artist Helena Mitchell said about the course:

“I have already made about 155 network connections in the last week using the information, tips and tricks Liz gave me. Highly recommend!”

Find out more here:

www.businessnetworkingknowhow.com


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About me:

🎙️I've been a voiceover artist since 2013
🏅I've won several awards for my business including Freelancer of the Year at the regional FSB Awards
🤝 Networking is one of the main tools I have used to grow my business
😄 Networking has taken me to all sorts of places - including 10 Downing Street!

“The course was invaluable and full of practical advice on how to find work through business networking. Liz , who has a wealth of personal networking experience is an excellent course leader. She is patient, supportive and always ready to answer questions. The facebook group was great for support ...

28/08/2024

Did you know a professional voiceover artist could save you time, and help you make more money?
No, Karl Douglas of Beverley Travel didn't know that either, until he hired me to record some messages for his phone system. The results were surprising!
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🎤I'm a freelance VoiceOver artist based in the UK
🎤I record voiceovers for videos, training courses, telephone systems and more
🎤I work from a broadcast quality home studio for clients around the world
🎤I can save your business time and make you more money!

27/08/2024

What are you the voice of?

This is a question I often get asked when people meet me for the first time. As soon as I mention I’m a voiceover artist they’ll say, ‘Where will I have heard you?’, and the answer is that they probably won’t have heard me!

A lot of the work I do is for relatively small audiences, or even restricted audiences. For example, I’m the voice of the online hospitality training that staff of Hilton Garden Inn in the UK have to go through – but unless you work for Hilton Garden Inn you won’t have heard it. 🏨

If you’ve ever visited JCB for their factory tour then you’ll have heard me, as I’m the voice of the health and safety video you have to watch before you go round, but it’s only shown at the factory, so if you haven’t been, then you won’t have heard it. 🚜

If you’ve visited the Escher in het Paleis gallery in The Hague and you’ve taken the English audio tour you’ll have heard me. I’ve voiced a lot of other museum and gallery tours too, and guided walks around historic cities, but not many of them have been for places in this country. 🏰

You might have been on-hold with me as I have recorded the voicemail and on-hold messages for dozens of businesses around the country, including a few hotels, lots of accountants and solicitors, beauticians, hairdressers, garages, and a variety of other industries. 📞

It’s possible you’ve been to a conference and had me telling you to take your seats – if you work for Booking dot com or Nestlé that is, or if you attended the TUC conference. 📢

You might have heard my voice on a video on a company webpage or YouTube channel – I’ve recorded a lot of those, for example for Klix vending machines. And I’ve also narrated a lot of explainer videos that explain products and services, such as Ecoffeed (which creates animal feed from coffee waste). But if you’ve never visited these companies’ websites, or searched for them on YouTube, then you won’t have heard me…. 🎙️

I think you get the picture! My voice has been used by some big brands, but not necessarily to advertise their product, which means you may well not have heard me.

Thousands (well millions) of people HAVE heard me, and it’s perfectly possible that you’re one of them, it’s just difficult to say where you might have heard me, as my voice is in lots of places, with a relatively small reach.

If you think you’ve heard me somewhere let me know and I can tell you if you’re right! 🤷‍♀️


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About me:

🎙️I'm a freelance VoiceOver artist with over 10 years experience
🎙️I work from a professional home studio for clients around the world
🎙️My voice has been heard on most continents (except Antarctica)
🎙️If you'd like to hire me for your next voiceover project do get in touch - my contact details are in my profile! 😄

26/08/2024

Voice over artists – an afterthought Guy Michaels is the founder of Voiceover Kickstart, a great place to get started and to progress in VoiceOver. He also writes an excellent blog for and about the VO community. Here's one of his posts for you to enjoy 😊

Transform your media production process! Discover why integrating Voice Over artists from day one boosts creativity, saves money, and enhances quality.

26/08/2024

On the Small Business Big Network podcast this week you can hear a conversation with Sophie Kirk.

Sophie is on a mission to revolutionise the way we perceive and approach mental health. Her dedication stems not only from a deep passion for helping people but also from her extensive experience in assessing, treating, and genuinely improving the lives of individuals grappling with mental health conditions.

She has also developed the Melp App to give people access to various tools to tackle mental health issues and wellbeing.

Have a listen at www.lizdrury.co.uk/podcast

23/08/2024

Corporate video narration is one of the genres of voice over that I work in the most.

Many companies have videos on their website, or social media to explain or promote their products or services.

Sometimes businesses have video presentations made to show at conferences, or exhibitions, or for a pitch.

I've voiced many of these over the last decade or so that I've been in business.

Here's a demo of a corporate video with some great driving music that really adds to the overall feel of the piece.

If I can be of help with narration for your next video, let me know. I'm always happy to record a sample so you can hear how I would sound for your project.

My contact details are in my profile 😊


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About me:

🎙️I'm a British voice over artist with a broadcast quality home studio
🎙️I've been working in VoiceOver since 2013
🎙️I've lost count of the number of businesses that have used my voice!
🎙️Some of the well-known ones include JCB, Hilton, Danone, Barnados, HSBC and many others

22/08/2024

If you're not working, try networking!

Without networking my business would not be where it is today.

As a small business owner with limited funds for marketing, I have found that getting out there and meeting people and telling them what it do is a really effective way to build relationships - and people who know, like and trust you will want to do business with you, or refer you to people they know.

It's a common mistake to just look at the people in the room at a networking meeting, and think that if you can't do business with any of them directly then you've wasted your time...

It's actually pretty rare to meet someone at a meeting with that you can work with (at least not straight away)!

What does happen (if you keep going) is that the people in the room will introduce you to people in their network that you can do business with. And of course you should be trying to think of people in your wider network that might be of help to the people in the room too...

I've found that creative people in particular tend to be daunted by the whole idea of networking. So I've put together an online course to help! Many creative people have already been through it including voiceover artist Romi Santosh who had this to say about it:

“The course was invaluable and full of practical advice on how to find work through business networking. Liz , who has a wealth of personal networking experience is an excellent course leader. She is patient, supportive and always ready to answer questions. I am so glad I did this course and I highly recommend it.”

Find out more at www.businessnetworkingknowhow.com


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About me:

🎙️I've been a voiceover artist since 2013
🏅I've won several awards for my business including Freelancer of the Year at the regional FSB Awards
🤝 Networking is one of the main tools I have used to grow my business
😄 Networking has taken me to all sorts of places - including 10 Downing Street!

21/08/2024

I was delighted to receive this compliment from one of my e-learning clients.

There is so much talk about AI taking over the work of voiceover artists, especially in the field of online learning, that I was really encouraged by this lovely feedback.

I'm hoping that all my other clients feel the same and will continue to use real humans for their projects too!

I'd love to know what your experience of AI voices in learning has been - either as a creator or as a learner. Let me know!
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About Me:

🎤I'm a freelance VoiceOver artist based in the UK
🎤I record voiceovers for videos, training courses, telephone systems and more
🎤I work from a broadcast quality home studio for clients around the world
🎤I'm definitely human!

20/08/2024

My latest blog is about the value of podcast sponsorship.

If you sponsor a podcast episode, don't just pay your money and run. If you get involved by sharing the episode and shouting about your sponsorship, you'll get so much more from it!

And podcasts have longevity, so there is the opportunity to get lots of bang for your buck! 😁

If you sponsor a podcast, don't just pay and run. If you get involved by sharing the episodes with your audience you'll increase your return!

20/08/2024

What’s the difference between a voice over artist and a voice actor?

Well arguably not a lot!

The terms are often used interchangeably and I would say I often see the terms voice actor and voice acting used more on the other side of the Atlantic, with people referring to themselves as VA’s (which I always associate with virtual assistants).

I always describe myself as a voiceover artist (or a voice over artist depending on your preference), and the reason for that is that I mostly work in the corporate and e-learning sectors and I think this is probably the term my prospective clients might be searching for.

If I worked in the animation, audio drama or gaming industries I would probably describe myself as a voice actor. These genres of voiceover are more likely to need character voices and more ‘acting’.
However, all voice over requires acting to some degree. When I’m narrating an e-learning course I might be playing the role of a teacher, a mentor, a health professional etc. When I’m voicing a corporate video script I could be the CEO of a company, the HR manager, or a colleague.

Whatever the script is there is always an element of acting. Every script is different and needs approaching in a different way. The first thing to establish is who you are as the narrator (what role you are playing), and then you need to know who your audience is. For one script I might be the voice of the marketing department talking excitedly about a new product or service the company is launching, and for another I might be the Health and Safety manager briefing new colleagues on how to stay safe on site. Both of these would fall under the ‘corporate narration’ umbrella but they would be approached in very different ways.

A question I am often asked is whether I do accents. The answer is hardly ever. Generally if a client wants a particular accent, especially for a corporate or commercial voiceover, they will want that accent to be genuine – not my version of it! If I worked more in the animation/gaming world then I probably would do more accents as directors often ask their voice actors to play multiple characters, and of course they all need to sound different.

So, there is no hard and fast rule as to whether you call yourself a voice actor (VA) or a voice over artist (VO), but to me the distinction lies in which fields of voiceover you work in (or want to work in).


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About me:

🎙️I'm a British voice over artist (or voice actor if you like), based in the UK
🎙️I work from my broadcast quality home recording booth for clients around the world
🎙️I've lived in the USA but didn't pick up the accent like my kids did!
🎙️My natural accent is neutral/East Midlands UK

19/08/2024

7 Voiceover Mistakes to avoid Guy Michaels is the founder of Voiceover Kickstart, a great place to get started and to progress in VoiceOver. He also writes an excellent blog for and about the VO community. Here's one of his posts for you to enjoy 😊

Avoid common voiceover mistakes that can derail your project. Voiceover expert Guy Michaels gives some useful tips to help your project succeed!

19/08/2024

My guest this week on the Small Business Big Network podcast is Neil Giller. Neil’s aim in life is to “Inspire before he Expires”. Neil is an international Business and Personal Development Speaker, Business Transformational Consultant, Trainer, Mentor & BNI Managing Area Director. He also runs an expert Marketing Mailing Service known as “Stuff the Rest”.

Neil's mantra is that you should leave the people you meet with something they didn't have before you met them - even if that's just a smile, and I'm pretty sure this episode will make you smile 😊

Listen at www.lizdrury.co.uk/podcast

16/08/2024

Why choose a professional voiceover for your corporate video?

There are a few reasons! Have a read of my list here and then listen to the sample video to hear how it's put into practice.

Let me know if you can think of other reasons I've missed 😁

Credibility and Professionalism:
👔 A professional voiceover adds a layer of credibility and professionalism to your corporate video. It sets the tone, creating an impression that resonates with your audience. And as we all know, first impressions count!

Crafted Tone and Style:
🎨 Tailored to perfection, a voiceover artist can alter their tone and style to match your brand personality. Whether your brand is authoritative, friendly, or motivational, a VoiceOver artist will match their delivery to your needs.

Clarity and Message Delivery:
🚀 The clarity of communication is paramount. A skilled voiceover artist ensures your key messages are delivered with precision, enhancing the understanding of your product or service.

Engagement Throughout:
🤝 A professional voiceover keeps your audience engaged from start to finish. With the right pacing, intonation, and emphasis, every word becomes an invitation to listen and absorb.

Consistency in Branding:
🌟 Your brand deserves a consistent voice - just in the same way as your logo/colours/fonts are consistent, so should your audio be consistent too! A professional voiceover artist becomes an extension of your brand.

Elevated Production Quality:
🎬 Quality matters. A professional voiceover elevates the overall production quality of your corporate video, leaving a lasting impression on clients, partners, and stakeholders.

Ready to amplify your corporate story? Let's have a chat! My contact details are in my profile.


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About Me:

🎙️I've been working as a voice over artist since 2013
🎙️I mostly work in the corporate and e-learning sectors
🎙️Some of the brands that have used my voice include Hilton, JCB, Mastercard, and Emirates
🐕 My studio manager is a brindle lurcher called Marble

15/08/2024

Do you have an online course or a membership? If you do, is there a welcome video to tell people what they can expect?

If not, it's something you might want to consider as it gives your course/membership a professional touch.

You could even use such a video on platforms like Eventbrite to encourage people to sign up with you.

If you're not confident enough to create such a video yourself I can help!

If you've got any video footage or even still photos that showcase what you do, I can help you create a video with voice over, that you can then share.

You can even add a video to your Zoom waiting room - did you know that?!

Do get in touch if you'd like to know more. All my contact details are in my profile.
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About me:

🎙️I've been a freelance voice over artist since 2013
🎙️I narrate a lot of videos for all kinds of businesses and organisations
🎙️I'm the voice of several courses for the Church of England!
🎙️I'm based in North Lincs, but I work across the world from my broadcast quality home studio

14/08/2024

Audio guides for museums and galleries are one of my favourite kinds of project. I always learn so much while I'm recording, and I sit in my little padded cell thinking 'ooh I'd love to go there'...

Where have you been where you've listened to a good audio tour? (I think Alcatraz is my all time favourite).
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About me:

🎤I'm a freelance VoiceOver artist based in the UK
🎤I record voiceovers for videos, training courses, telephone systems and more
🎤I work from a broadcast quality home studio for clients around the world
🎤I have a PhD in Archaeological Science and I love a project with an historical angle!

13/08/2024

Have you ever bought a product or service that you heard about while you were on hold?

Apparently 15-20% of callers do.

Which means that if you have a business where callers might spend time on hold whilst waiting for the right person to pick up, you should use that time to play them informative messages about your business, or you'll miss out on a huge marketing opportunity!

The worst thing you can do is leave people in silence - 60% of callers will hang up, and 30% won't call back, so at least play people some music so that they know they are still connected.

However you have to be careful about what music you choose - you don't want to fall foul of copyright laws...

One of my favourite sites for sourcing royalty-free music is Audioblocks. It's a subscription site and I use it multiple times a year to help clients find the right background music for their on-hold messages. They also have a wide range of sound effects should that be something you need!

What is your worse 'on-hold' experience? I have to say I really detest that tinny version of Greensleeves that seems to be used by lots of companies and goes on and on and on...


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About me:

I'm a freelance voice over artist based in North Lincolnshire
I'm the voice of dozens, maybe hundreds of company phone systems
If you don't like how your voicemail greeting or on hold messages sound, give me a call!
If you want a top song from Tudor times I've always thought that 'Pastime with Good Company' would be a better choice than 'Greensleeves'...😂

12/08/2024

An Article Written by AI About AI Voiceover Guy Michaels is the founder of Voiceover Kickstart, a great place to get started and to progress in VoiceOver. He also writes an excellent blog for and about the VO community. Here's one of his posts for you to enjoy 😊

AI voiceover, powered by cutting-edge AI voice generator technology, has emerged as a fascinating tool in the world of content creation. In fact, this very

12/08/2024

My guest on this week's edition of the Small Business Big Network podcast is Vicki Allen from Ashore VA.

Vicki's journey has been an exciting mix of live broadcast, windsurfing waves, and now, conquering the digital seas as a Social Media Manager and Consultant. She didn't do any networking for the first year of being self-employed, but now she sees it as vital for her business.

Have a listen to what she had to say at www.lizdrury.co.uk/podcast

09/08/2024

Do your clients engage with video?

It's my guess that they engage far more with your video content than any documents or reports you put out - am I right?

I know I am much more likely to watch a video for a couple of minutes than read a wall of text that might take me 10 minutes to wade through.

If your clients prefer video, my next question is how are your videos sounding?

Don't forget that audio is as much a part of your brand as your logo, fonts, colours and business tone of voice!

If you want to make a good impression on your clients and potential clients (and let's face it who doesn't), make sure you pick a voice that matches your brand. 😊

I'm always happy to provide a custom demo so you can hear how I would sound for your particular project.

Here's a little snippet about a successful factory, with a jolly, upbeat voiceover from me to match the mood of the piece.

Do get in touch if you'd like to know more about how I can help your business sound amazing 😁. My contact details are in my profile.
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About Me:

🎙️I'm a freelance voice over artist based in North Lincolnshire
🎙️I started my business in 2013 whilst living in the USA
🎙️I work from a broadcast quality home studio - or my padded cell as I like to call it
🏅In 2023 I won 'Freelancer of the Year' at the regional FSB Awards