I have a little story to share with you guys. One day I was in the office of a well known agent who is also a very good mate of mine. He was going through his post of the day and there was few CDs, as usual.
At this stage of the story you've got to know that they all have a cardboard box, a big drawer, or something to store the CDs they receive AND decide to not bin straight away, to listen to them 'one day' when they have the time'. You've got to remember to established agents don't really need new clients - they'd rather find work for their existing ones. So you've got to have a voice they don't already have in their book, be very good at selling yourself or prove them that they can make money with you, by bringing them a regular gig you found yourlself, or proof that you already worked and are in demand (hard without an agent I know, but not impossible).
going back to my mate, opening the few CD envelops and getting the CDs out, with the CVs. And for each, he looked at me and said "what do you think? Bin or cardboard box?" I think he kept one, for which the artist took the effort of having a jacket designed (I mean well designed and not designed by someone who thought he could design - graphic design is a skill!), a CD with a sticker printed nicely (that was before printable CDs existed, few years back), and funnily enough the demo was professional too.
A CD is what sells you, and if you don't make the effort to use it as a marketing tool and make it look professional but like a crap, botched job then why the person receiving will assume that what's inside is as unprofessional as what's outside - and most often it's true. After all, if you can't be bothered making even your demo good inside out, then my guess is you won't be bothered giving your best in studio. Not having a dig at anyone, just telling it how it is and what to expect!
Oliver I started a thread on voiceovers, hope this helps!
http://uk.castingcallpro.com/viewtopic.php?topicnum=10040&chain=90
Alastair what Bernard said was true about Equity, thing is, thankfuly nobody (beside small local radio stations) follows Equity guidance re. fees in voiceovers, beside ADR and BBC work. Truth is, you need to be based in London because most of the VO work that pays real money is done here - or you need a home studio and try to get a share of this fast-expanding market of internet recording (gigging small jobs, small money but they add up fast). There is an enormous amount of work, not easy to get but then again not easy to get work as an actor either, and this doesn't stop us from trying right?
As for voicefinder.biz, I also do producing and when I need VOs this is where I go for castings as it's efficient and fast as duck to find suitable talent. As I said already I'm on it as a VO artist (www.voicefinder.biz/voice/pierre-maubouche) and I also advertise on it, because it works for me. Having said that, I don't only rely on it for people to call me - I have agents, I'm proactive, I have my link to my page at the bottom of each of my emails, I network, I distribute business cards, in short I self-promote.
On the other hand, I have actor mates who never did a VO demo and virtually live of ADR (£220/half day) except when they're shooting or on stage of course - but they've been around the blocks few times and got to know the ADR voice providers. But again, they are based in London.
Good luck to all!