A quality voice over artist can add a lot to an audio project, whether you are dealing with a corporate DVD, radio spot, audio-book, or any other genre of project in which you want people to listen to a message. But how can you know when you are listening to a good vocal talent? There are several things you should think about, of course, if you have the money and the time and the knowledge to consider them. However, since time is often in short supply and you may not have the resources to do a nationwide search and take all the time you need to make a decision, remembering a few basic things can help you hire the best person for your project.

Keep your audience in mind. When it comes to hiring an actor, you have to consider more than just which voice you find most attractive. You have to think about what your audience will find appealing ? and what they will find believable. If you are convinced you can sell more radiator-fluid by letting your customers hear a happy female voice, then that is the person you should choose. Perhaps all the other radiator fluid stores are using men who sound like mechanics and you think this will help your store stand out. However, if you think they are more likely to listen to a guy who sounds like a mechanic, then use that one.

Make sure they have your best interest at heart. This isn't as corny as it sounds. As good at their jobs as some of them may be, they are probably taking the job for money. They aren't voicing your project because they think you're going to save the world from fluidless radiators and they think that is a good cause: They are doing it to get paid. However, they should be concerned about what type of product they are providing you. Therefore, they should be able to listen to you and make sure they know what you want before they proceed. If you are talking to an actor and he or she doesn't seem to hear what you're trying to say, then no matter how good a fit for your product the voice is, they won't give your needs much thoughtful consideration.

They should understand the relevance of timing. Many voice professionals get by on an attractive voice. For some projects, this may be all it takes. But if your project needs dramatic pauses, inflection and emotion, then ensure that the person you're looking at has that sort of ability. The way you accomplish that, of course, is two-fold. To start with, you have to conduct auditions. Run them through situations that are similar to the situations you are going to need. The 2nd part of that, ideally, is for you to know your own project well enough to comprehend what you need from the actor. Don't expect that he or she will magically know what you need. After all, every project has different requirements.

Your project needs the best treatment that you can possibly give it. If you have set aside the cash to hire a professional voice artist, then make sure you set aside the time to be sure that you're getting the right one for the job. After all, voice artists are not created equal. Some are better, and some are better for your project.