How many times have we heard this classic tale? First, competition makes us better performers, so it should never be perceived as a curse word, but it's a word that always seems to be uttered by a naysayer. I can name several other businesses that are far more competitive; On-camera Acting, music, photography, professional athlete, writer, realtor and more! "It's too competitive" is the number one misleading proclamation about the voiceover business that seems to travel through social media at the speed of light! Here's why I disagree with this;
Most newcomers entering the business have the notion that this is a business where you can make money quickly. Not true but we can thank charlatans on Facebook who pays for ads that make outlandish claims about how easy this is and that you can make big money quickly! Unfortunately, this isn't the case and these sketchy coaches are using misleading information to get your money. If you're serious about having a chance to succeed, work with a team of coaches who provide experienced and truthful information. You need a compass, not eggs in moonshine.
The VO business is a grind and will take money, hard work, time, patience, and perseverance. When many newcomers realize this, they call it a day and jump off the dock. It's no fault of their own. They just picked up a lot of insufficient information from teleseminars, blogs and outdated VO books. Most people will quit before giving it a fair chance; this is why the voiceover business isn't as competitive as some would like to claim. The newcomers who have done the research and are willing to put in the time and effort will have a decent chance to succeed. The "quick money" dropouts are not your competitors.
Talents working for meager rates should never be considered your competition. There is a swarm of talent on Fiverr working for peanuts and while it's irritating to the rest of us who are trying to make a good living at this, you have to put things in perspective and realize these talents are not your competition. Your real competition will be talent with agency representation booking big brand commercials. This should be your goal as well! Don't worry about Wally on Fiverr, who is doing a 3-page medical narration for $50. Nothing we can do about it other than focus on the big prize! Agency representation and good paying clients. They are out there!
We all want to make money doing voiceovers. I've been fortunate to have a successful voice actor career for over thirty years. I worked extremely hard to get where I am today. There's no question that the voiceover business can be a grind, but if you learn the art and work your tail off, you'll have a chance to succeed. Remember, doing voiceovers is fun. So enjoy the journey, learn all you can, never give up and don't lose sleep about who your competitors are.