Setting out my stall

You may or may not know that I live in a very sleepy Hamlet in the French countryside, where the most exciting things that seldom happen are a cow escapes from the field and has a lovely time in the vegetable plot or somebody’s cat gets stuck up a tree causing a veritable commotion of ladders and ropes and spectators for a couple of hours, until it decides to casually saunter back down to earth happy in the knowledge that it’s wasted everybody’s time. 

Every day of the month nothing much happens around our pretty Hamlet and we enjoy a very peaceful life surrounded by wide open spaces and green pastures filled with sheep and cows, but for one day every month, just one single day of the month, one of France’s largest open-air markets takes place right on our doorstep bringing over 12,000 people to this huge event.  Since 1484 “La Foire des Hérolles” has been attracting people from near and far to visit the market for all manner of goods from Fromage and Baguettes to Exotic Fruit and Vegetables, from Leather Handbags and Belts to French Linens, from Quad Bikes and Trailers to Tractors, you can even buy Birds and Animals at la Foire at certain times of the year.

While meandering around the market today, perusing the goods on offer all meticulously displayed to turn customers heads, it struck me that in my line of work as a voiceover, setting out my stall isn’t quite the same.  The product and service I provide isn’t tangible, it’s not something I can take to the market and sell there and then.  Attracting customers as a voiceover and a freelancer takes time, effort and most of all perseverance, it’s a continuous challenge of knocking on doors until eventually you find a client that your voice can help to elevate their or their clients’ brand or product.  But like the stallholders at the market, as a voiceover there are many others offering a similar product in the busy market place so standing out from the crowd can be a challenge too.

Every voiceover has their own unique style, their own way of delivering a message, their own je ne sais quoi!  I suppose as voiceover artists, we are rather like the multitude of goods you can buy at la Foire des Herolles, the everyday essentials voice, the vibrant exotic voice, the rich sensual voice, the bubbly effervescent voice!  And talking of bubbly effervescence, it’s only 1 Euro for a delicious glass of Vouvray wine at La Foire, so Santé!

Here's a little taster of what was on offer at La Foire today.  It’s a great place to visit and take in the fresh air.

If only it was so easy setting out my stall!