Remember the movie, Say Anything with John Cusack? Yeah, this dates me a bit, but it was a great movie back in the '80s. Lloyd's buddies were constantly hanging out at the Gas N' Sip. Voiceover forums on social media can be similar to convenience stores in the 80s. They had everything you needed, and it was a place to meet up with your friends. But did you spend too much time outside smoking and loitering? I sure did! Haha!
Don't get into the habit of just hanging out in various voiceover forums all day. Eventually, you need to get some training, a demo produced, and start marketing. We all get hooked on social media, and the forums, at times, can become addicting. It's like working in a busy office and spending too much time socializing with our work friends. It can turn into a real timesuck and a distraction. On the other hand, voiceover groups are great places to gain a little knowledge and connect with other voice talents. Still, if you're spending more time chatting in various groups than marketing your voiceover business, it's time to adjust your schedule.
I created and moderate two voiceover groups on Facebook, and I am guilty of spending too much time on them myself. With social media in general, I set a timer. When the alarm goes off, I log out and get back to work!
Voiceover Forums are fun but make sure you stick to those moderated by working professional voice actors. Facebook currently hosts an ocean full of voiceover groups moderated by amateurs who have no business offering up professional advice on the voiceover business. I realize this is only a hobby for some, but many others take this profession seriously and some of the advice being handed out in these groups can be severely misleading.
The coaches here at UVT coaching run a FB group called Voiceover Camp! If you're brand new to the business, feel free to join our group. We have a lot of helpful discussions, Trish Basanyi does a weekly live Q&A, and we post announcements about our coaching and classes.
The noteworthy voiceover groups on Facebook are a decent place to start when researching the business, but they are not a replacement for training. Like anything you see on the internet, you have to take the information with a grain of salt. Like I mentioned above, stick to the forums moderated by professionals who are making a living doing voiceovers and stay clear of those moderated by talents who just started yesterday. You know how social media is these days. Everyone is a guru so peruse the groups cautiously.
Don't get caught by your coach hanging out at the Gas 'N' Sip all day long when you should be spending more time working on your business. Oh man, now I have to watch "Say Anything" again!