How to Reduce Time & Cost Developing eLearning Courses
Listen To Samples Before Buying
Your audio recording vendor should provide a sample of their voice talent before starting your project. This will ensure that your client is happy with the tone and accent of the voice actor or actress you select. Ask your audio production vendor to provide you with rates for revisions prior to scheduling a session. They should explain how they define a “pick up” versus a re-record.
Audio production companies should always take responsibility for fixing mistakes such as feedback (including sighs or “ums”), script deviation, or inconsistencies in the flow of the audio.
Create a Realistic Timeline for Implementation
If you need a high quality video in record time, you may have to pay a rush fee. For the most cost effective solution to your voiceover needs, offer your vendor a reasonable amount of time to cast, record, and edit your project. Feel free to request an estimate of the turn around time when requesting a quote. Also, consider how you would like your project delivered. Some production companies are willing to work tandemly and will deliver the modules incrementally.
Be Upfront with Language Requirements
Before beginning the voice talent selection process, your script must be professionally translated into the foreign languages you require. Find out if your audio production company provides that service or if they can refer you to a reputable translation company. Ask your client specific questions about their target audience. It is important to know the country or region of the audience you are serving before the script is translated or narrated.
Bundle the Production of Multiple Languages Together
Often a voice talent vendor will provide more aggressive pricing based on word count quantity. Some talent vendors offer services spanning multiple languages. You may be able to achieve lower rates by submitting the reads for multiple languages together to a single vendor. You may be able to find even better rates by enlisting a multimedia production company that has the capabilities to localize the video or text components of your course in addition to providing voice talent.
Use Versatile Voice Talent
Does your course contain a lot of bit parts? You may be able to save money by suggesting that your voice talent vendor casts a single actor to voice the roles of multiple characters. After all, they are actors! If the original recording is in English, don’t expect the same intonation and expression from a narrator who speaks a foreign language.
Be Up Front About Your Budget
Are you on a tight budget? Oftentimes a vendor will work with a tighter budget if they know that the client is a nonprofit or small company. Consider the scope of the entire audio/video production. Communicating how much of your budget that you have allocated for the voice talent portion of your course can save time during the bidding process. Finding one vendor who can provide you with balanced and well-produced audio will always save you money in the long run.
Use a Master Course
Like a master slide in PowerPoint, master courses are a base that you can use time and time again. Especially if you are developing the same course in multiple languages, using the same course format will eliminate the need to develop multiple pieces. Instead of starting from scratch for each language, you can use the base structure and adapt each course accordingly.
Ready to Order Voice over Services?
We believe you can reduce time and cost developing your eLearning courses by asking the right questions from the start. If this is important to you, contact us. During our conversation we can discuss feasibility, potential time savers, and if we are the best-fit vendor to provide voice over services for your next project.
