As a Voice Artist, it’s obviously of utmost importance that I look after my voice as best I possibly can. Technically of course, my voice should be insured, but I kind of haven’t got round to that yet. Ho hum.

Like with any business, you have tools of the trade; computers, phones, stationery; we all need them. My main tool happens to be my voice, and it’s the thing that gets used most often. Just like your favourite laptop, it needs some TLC every so often. The thing you may not realise is that your own voice is just as much an important part of your business life as well.

I make money from using my voice. But you know what? So do you. Maybe you’re a business owner, self employed, one-man-band – you’re the only person that can sell your business. If your voice is out of action, it’s just the same as when your computer fails; it needs to be looked after and treated with care. Your voice is your best asset in selling yourself. Just using email alone for the most part just won’t have the same effect.

On a day to day basis, I try and avoid situations that are going to overly tax my voice, like trying to talk in loud places for other people to try and hear, I don’t go karaoke’ing (!), and I try not to be in any situation that requires me to shout. When I’m working on voice projects, I always try and record material (not always possible due to client deadlines) in the afternoons/evenings, as it’s when my voice is warmed up properly.

Quite often, now I think  about it, my voice is often at it’s optimal late at night – I’ve always been a night owl, and if I was ever to do a movie trailer, that’s when I’d much prefer to do it! Bring on the ‘Don LaFontaine‘ voice!

If you’re the type of person who has to regularly speak and present in front of other businesses, maybe in a networking environment, then you really should be looking after your voice on a daily basis, by following the advice above, and also to make sure you keep your throat well hydrated. Drink plenty of water, get a good night’s sleep, and when you don’t need to use your voice, don’t use it – relaxation periods for it are just as important as exercising it. Just like a sportsperson, you should always warm up and cool down when using your voice; you wouldn’t get up in the morning and suddenly run a marathon (I know I wouldn’t, but for very different reasons!).

Now I’ve been following my own advice for about a year or so, (since I’ve become a voice artist), I’ve certainly found my voice is better off for it, and I think you will too. Even if you’re not someone who presents or speaks in public regularly, it’s still worth taking care of your voice, no matter what you do for a living.