Running a successful freelance voice acting business requires more than just great vocal skills. This comprehensive guide reveals the essential tools that can streamline your workflow, boost productivity, and help you stay organised as a voice actor. From creating stunning audiograms to managing clients, discover the apps and resources that can transform your freelance business.
Whether you’re struggling with project management, need better design tools for social media, or want to optimise your website, these tried-and-tested solutions will save you time and help you focus on what you do best: voice acting.
The Reality of Freelance Voice Acting Life
As a freelance voice actor, you’ll know that unpredictability comes with the territory. One day you might be recording a corporate narration, the next you’re auditioning for multiple commercials whilst chasing invoices, updating your website and working on your marketing. Sound familiar?
Before I started helping voice actors be seen (here’s the link to my branding and website services), I spent years in the freelance trenches as a graphic designer. After several redundancies from design agencies (a common tale when they lose big clients), I found myself going freelance in 2014 – not really by choice, but because I needed to pay the bills! What I discovered might surprise you: freelancing actually felt more stable than traditional employment.
The key? Doing a job I LOVE and having the right systems and tools in place to manage the chaos.
Why Organisation Matters for Voice Actors
Most voice actors didn’t come into this world to run a business – but run a business we must! Whether you’re a natural organiser or someone who finds the administrative side overwhelming, the truth is that you don’t need to be a “control freak” like me (cue Rob shouting “She’s finally admitted it publicly!”) to benefit from good systems. You just need the right tools that work for your specific needs as a voice actor.
Whether you’re managing multiple client projects & auditions, telling people what you do (that’s marketing in simple terms btw), or sending invoices, the right productivity tools can transform your business from reactive to proactive.
Project and Client Management
Staying on Top of Your Voice Acting Business
Trello
🔗 Visit Trello
💰 Price: Free & Paid versions (I use the free version)
🎯 Perfect for: Visual project management and staying organised
As a voice actor, you’re juggling auditions, booked jobs, client communications, and business development. Trello’s visual card system makes it easy to track everything at a glance – and trust me, your brain will thank you for getting all this stuff out of your head and onto virtual cards!
Voice actor workflow setup ideas:
- Auditions Board: Track submissions, follow-ups, and results (because we all know how soul-crushing it is to forget whether you’ve already auditioned for something)
- Active Projects: Monitor recording deadlines, client feedback, and delivery dates
- Client Pipeline: Manage potential clients from first contact to signed contract
- Content Planning: Organise blog ideas, social media content, and marketing activities
- Ideas Dump: Never forget a thing and get things out of your head and onto a list.
Trello tip: Use colour-coded Trello cards to prioritise urgent auditions, live sessions, or time-sensitive recordings. Red for “THIS IS DUE NOW!”
All-in-One Client Management
Moxie
🔗 Visit Moxie
💰 Price: Multiple tiers available (Pro tier: £20 p/m approximately)
🎯 Perfect for: Established voice actors ready to professionalise their business operations
Moxie has been a complete game-changer for how I manage client projects – and I started using it relatively recently (August 2024). This isn’t just another app; it’s like having a business manager who never sleeps and remembers everything. I use it alongside Trello.
Key features that’ll make your life easier:
- Professional Quotes: Create branded proposals that make you look like you’ve got your act together and automate followup.
- Contract Management: Digital contracts with e-signature capability built into the quotes
- Automated Invoicing: Set up payment plans and invoice reminders (so you don’t have to be the awkward one chasing money)
- Client Portal: Give clients access to project updates and up-coming tasks
- Meeting Calendar: No more email chains of suggested dates, and automated reminders for all attendees
Investment note: Yes, Moxie requires a monthly investment, but here’s the thing – it replaces multiple tools and honestly, it’s been a game-changer for me. I was previously juggling (and paying for) Calendly, DocuSign, creating manual payment plans, and more. Now I can wave goodbye to all of those and say hello to one streamlined system that actually costs less!
Setup reality check: I’m not going to lie – setting up Moxie wasn’t a walk in the park, and I definitely didn’t tackle it alone. Enter Charlotte Goss – my absolute hero and system setup queen! Charlotte didn’t just help me; she held my hand through the entire process, and did a lot of the automation setup whilst I probably drove her slightly mad with my endless questions. Even with Charlotte’s expertise, it took several months to get everything running smoothly. But honestly? Best investment I’ve made in my business. If you’re considering Moxie, do yourself a favour and get Charlotte on board from day one. Trust me on this one!
The Boring (But Essential) Money Stuff
Keeping Track of Your Pennies
QuickBooks
🔗 Visit QuickBooks
💰 Price: Various subscription tiers available
🎯 Perfect for: Day-to-day accounting that won’t make you want to hide under your duvet
Right, let’s talk about the least glamorous part of running a voice acting business – the money management. QuickBooks integrates beautifully with Moxie (they chat to each other like old friends), which means your invoicing and accounting actually work together rather than existing in separate universes.
What QuickBooks does for voice actors:
- Expense Tracking: Keep tabs on all those microphone cables, studio furniture, and coffee shop invoices
- Income Management: Track which clients pay on time (and which ones don’t)
- Tax Preparation: Make your accountant’s life easier at year-end
- Financial Reports: Actually understand whether your business is thriving or just surviving
Reality check: Is accounting exciting? Absolutely not. Is it necessary? Unfortunately, yes. QuickBooks makes it as painless as possible, and future-you will be grateful when tax time rolls around and you’re not drowning in a sea of receipts and panic.
And yes, I use it alongside payment apps like Stripe and PayPal.
Email Marketing That Actually Works
Connecting with Your Audience
Mailerlite
🔗 Visit Mailerlite*
💰 Price: Free version available, paid plans from approximately £150/year
🎯 Perfect for: Email marketing that doesn’t require a degree in rocket science
After years of wrestling with MailChimp (which felt like trying to design something in a Word doc.), I discovered Mailerlite – and honestly, it was like a breath of fresh air! Once again, the wonderful Charlotte Goss helped me set this up properly.
Why Mailerlite works for creative businesses:
- Drag-and-Drop Editor: Create beautiful emails without wanting to throw your laptop out the window
- Automation: Set up welcome sequences and follow-up emails that work while you sleep
- Segmentation: Send relevant content to different groups (clients vs prospects vs fellow voice actors)
- Analytics: See who’s actually reading your emails (spoiler: it’s usually your mum)
- GDPR compliant: Easy unsubscribe options, that I’m genuinely happy that people click on.
Mailerlite in action: If you’re subscribed to our newsletter (and if you’re not, give this link a little tap), then you’ve seen Mailerlite in action. It powers both B Double E and The Voiceover Social newsletters, and makes staying in touch with our community an absolute doddle.
The switch from MailChimp: Making the change was one of those “why didn’t I do this sooner?” moments. Mailerlite is more intuitive, more affordable, and doesn’t make me want to question my life choices every time I need to send an email.
*affiliate link. I may get a small bonus if you sign up to Mailerlite via this link.
The Slightly Controversial AI Section
A Writing Assistant That Sparks Ideas
Claude AI
🔗 Visit Claude AI
💰 Price: Free version available, paid plans for heavier usage
🎯 Perfect for: Brainstorming, data analysis, and writing assistance (with a massive disclaimer!)
Right, here’s where I might fall out of favour with some of you – but hear me out! Claude AI has genuinely helped me write better blogs, including this very one you’re reading. Before you start typing angry comments, let me be clear about something: I’m painfully aware of the ethical and environmental impact of AI, and it’s not a decision I’ve taken lightly (read more about my thoughts on AI here – Voiceover and AI – make sure you’re in control).
How I use Claude (responsibly, I hope):
- Brainstorming: When I’m stuck for blog topics or can’t quite articulate an idea
- Data Analysis: Making sense of website analytics, social media stats, or survey results
- First Draft Assistance: Getting past the dreaded blank page syndrome
- Structure Help: Organising my rambling thoughts into something resembling coherence
The golden rule: I never, EVER use AI content without a lot of rewriting and personalisation. The tone, the stories, the sometimes questionable humour – that’s all me, I’m afraid! AI might help me organise my thoughts, but the personality and authenticity? That’s irreplaceably human. (I’m surprised, and a little disappointed Claude didn’t crash on me at this point).
Environmental consciousness: Yes, I worry about the carbon footprint. I use AI sparingly, for specific tasks, and I’m always looking for more sustainable alternatives. If you have suggestions for eco-friendly productivity tools, I’m all ears!
Website Optimisation Tools
Essential Tools for Your Voice Acting Website
TinyJPG
🔗 Visit TinyJPG
💰 Price: Free
🎯 Perfect for: Optimising website images for faster loading
Your voice acting website is your digital storefront, and speed matters. Slow-loading images frustrate potential clients and hurt your search engine rankings. TinyJPG compresses your images by 30-80% without visible quality loss.
Voice actor application: Compress all your headshots, studio photos, and promotional images before uploading them to your website. Your site will load faster, improving user experience and SEO.
Reliable Web Hosting
34SP.com
🔗 Visit 34SP
💰 Price: Various hosting packages available
🎯 Perfect for: Voice actors who need reliable, UK-based hosting with excellent support
After years of using various hosting providers, 34SP stands out for their exceptional customer service and reliability. Based in Manchester, they understand UK business needs and offer eco-conscious hosting.
Why it matters for voice actors: When a potential client visits your website, you need it to work flawlessly. 34SP’s reliability means your demo reels, contact forms, and booking systems are always accessible.
Bonus: Mention ‘b-double-e.co.uk’ when signing up and we both get a month’s free hosting!
Website Maintenance Made Easy
Broken Link Checkers
Multiple free options available:
💰 Price: Free
🎯 Perfect for: Maintaining professional website standards
Broken links frustrate visitors and hurt your search engine rankings. These tools scan your entire website and identify any links that no longer work.
Voice actor maintenance routine: Check your website quarterly for broken links, especially if you link to client websites, social media profiles, or external resources.
Accessibility and Professional Design
Colour Contrast Checkers
Multiple free options:
💰 Price: Free
🎯 Perfect for: Ensuring your website is accessible to all potential clients
Good colour contrast isn’t just about aesthetics – it’s about accessibility and professionalism. These tools ensure your website text is readable on all devices and for visitors with visual impairments.
Professional impact: Accessible design demonstrates professionalism and consideration for all potential clients, potentially expanding your market reach.
Want to dig deeper?: I’ve written in more detail about it in my blog ‘Bringing colours to life: Your simple guide to inclusive branding and website design’ – so go and read more my friends – and bring your designs to brilliant, bright and fully-accessible colourful life!
Design and Branding Tools
Visuals Made Simple
Canva Pro
🔗 Visit Canva
💰 Price: Free version available, Pro version recommended
🎯 Perfect for: Voice actors who need professional visuals but lack design skills
For voice actors, visual branding is crucial. Canva Pro offers thousands of templates specifically useful for our industry: social media posts showcasing your latest bookings, professional business cards, website banners, and even presentation slides for client pitches.
Key features for voice actors:
- Brand Kit functionality to maintain consistent colours and fonts
- Stock image library for professional headshots and backgrounds
- Social media scheduling (save time by batching your posts)
- Video editing tools for creating behind-the-scenes content
Voice actor use case: Create a cohesive designs showcasing your branding and batch-schedule social content to save time (and keep you from doom scrolling quite so much)
Creating Stunning Audio Content
Headliner
🔗 Visit Headliner
💰 Price: Free version available, premium options
🎯 Perfect for: Voice actors creating audiograms and social media content
Headliner is great for voice actors looking to showcase their work on social media. This tool transforms your demo reels and voice samples into visually engaging audiograms that stop the scroll.
Why voice actors love it: Upload your audio file, choose from professional templates, add your branding, and you’ve got shareable content ready for Instagram, LinkedIn, or your website. The free version offers plenty of functionality for most voice actors starting out.
Pro tip: Create custom background images in Canva first, then import them into Headliner for truly professional-looking audiograms.
The Ultimate Business Tool
Your Website Should Work as Hard as You Do
Professional Website Design
🔗 Get in touch with me!
💰 Price: Bespoke packages available
🎯 Perfect for: Voice actors ready to transform their online presence
Your website isn’t just a digital business card – it’s your always-visible sales representative, working to attract clients whilst you’re busy recording or auditioning. But creating a website that truly represents your brand and converts visitors into clients? That’s where having the right expertise makes all the difference.
What professional website design does for voice actors:
- Showcases your demo reels effectively so potential clients can hear your talent immediately
- Creates clear client journeys that lead visitors from discovery to booking
- Builds trust and credibility through professional presentation and authentic branding
- Works on all devices because clients browse on phones, tablets, and desktops
- Optimised for search engines so casting directors can actually find you
Why work with someone who gets the voice acting world: [*insert shameless pitch here*] I don’t just design pretty websites – I create digital solutions that understand the unique challenges of our industry. Every element is designed with voice acting businesses in mind, from your “About” page that builds trust to contact processes smooth enough that busy casting directors won’t give up halfway through.
Voice actor transformation: Stop wrestling with website builders and DIY solutions that never quite look right. Let’s create something that feels unmistakably you and works harder for your business than any app ever could.
Beyond the Tools
Tools are brilliant for streamlining your workflow, but sometimes the most powerful tool in your business isn’t software – it’s having the right expertise when you need it. Whether that’s professional website design [*cue me jumping like Donkey in Shrek* “Pick me! Pick me!”], a systems specialist like Charlotte, or any of the productivity tools we’ve covered today, the key is knowing when to invest in solutions that truly move your business forward.
Ready to streamline your voice acting business? Start with one tool from this list and see how much time you can save. Your future self (and your clients) will thank you.
Looking for more voice acting business tips and website advice? Subscribe to our newsletter for regular insights that help voice actors build stronger, more profitable businesses.