How to Talk Rates Without Blowing the Deal
With Dervla Trainor
Presented by The VO Pro Community
Talking money with a client can feel deeply personal, especially when the product you’re selling is you.
In this candid conversation, voice actor, producer, and business educator Dervla Trainor reveals what’s really happening on the other side of the negotiation and why a client’s first budget may not be their final budget.
You’ll learn how to quote more confidently, protect yourself from dangerous contract language, and decide when accepting a lower rate actually makes good business sense. Dervla also shares what to say when a client can’t afford you and how to walk away without burning a bridge.
Stop treating every rate conversation like a referendum on your worth and start handling it like the business negotiation it is.
About Dervla Trainor
Dervla Trainor is a freelance voice actor, business educator, and entrepreneur with over 12 years of experience building a successful voiceover career - booking the majority of her work through direct client relationships.
Her career has given her a unique perspective on pricing and negotiation from both sides of the industry. In addition to working as a voice actor, Dervla has worked as a TV commercial producer and production manager, giving her firsthand insight into production budgets, client expectations, and how voiceover rates are evaluated behind the scenes.
Dervla is also the co-founder of V.O. North, Canada's largest voiceover conference, where she spent years collaborating with some of the industry's leading agents, casting directors, coaches, studio owners, and working voice actors. Those relationships have helped shape her understanding of industry standards, industry trends, and best practices.
Passionate about helping others build sustainable voiceover careers, Dervla is the creator of the VO Kickstart Program and host of the Voiceover Speaker Series, where she has educated and supported thousands of voice actors around the world with practical business and marketing strategies.
Before entering the voiceover industry, Dervla built her negotiation skills through careers in commercial real estate and live music booking, and she holds a degree in psychology, which influences her strategic approach to communication, pricing, and negotiation.
Today, Dervla combines her experience as a working voice actor, producer, entrepreneur, and educator to help voice actors build profitable, sustainable businesses through effective marketing, strategic pricing, confident negotiation, and practical business education.