Do I need an agent to get established as a v/o?
It all depends on yourself, for instance if you’re the sort of person that hates paperwork, dealing with accounts, and ringing an advertising agency every month to enquire about the whereabouts of your long overdue money, then yes… you probably need an agent.
If, on the other hand you are organized enough to find out what stations/media your voice is going to be used on, get a PO (Purchase Order) number from the contact in the advertising agency, write up an invoice, send a statement and pester their accounts department, then no… you don’t need an agent.
We spoke to quite a few clients about this, and a lot of them prefer to deal directly with the talent, especially if they are on a tight budget.
The one essential piece of advise is, you need to be on a site where you are going to be heard, whether you wish to give away a percentage of your earnings or not….only you can answer that one.