Start with the audience, not an adjective
Words such as warm, premium or energetic mean different things to different people. Describe who is listening, what they should feel and what action follows. That gives an artiste a more useful performance brief.
Listen for relevance and range
A reel should contain work close to your format: a commercial, corporate film, course or character. Also listen for variation in pace and intention rather than one polished delivery repeated throughout.
Check language and pronunciation
For multilingual Indian projects, ask whether the artiste performs naturally in the required language and can follow a pronunciation guide for brand names and technical terms.
Confirm recording and delivery details
Agree on file format, naming, editing, directed-session needs, turnaround and revision terms. A treated recording space and consistent microphone technique matter as much as the voice itself.
Clarify usage before pricing
A private internal film, paid national advertisement and perpetual synthetic-voice dataset carry very different usage. Share media, territory and duration so the quote is accurate and rights are clear.