Marketing for a freelance translator is like marketing any other business and it is the best way to put yourself out there and to make yourself visible. It consists basically in making sure people actually know about the service and product you offer. A translator’s service is the activity he or she does while translating and the product is the final document. Here are some tips to help you do your best while marketing your services to translation agencies.
- Target your market
It is important to identify a target market in order to develop effective marketing communication strategies. In the same way, identifying the market can help personalize the email of introduction. Offering a generic email is rarely as effective as using one that states something that caught your attention about the company or why you would like to work with them.
- Get online
Having presence online is important not only to be visible for locals, but also for people who may be thousands of miles away. It is the most effective way to expand operations. Besides, we live on an era in which having online presence is as important as physical presence. Having LinkedIn is a must but you can also create a website and let people know about your work.
- Find agencies suited to your skillset
Instead of sending out mass applications to a large number of agencies, it would be better if you focus on agencies that specialize in fields or languages you want to focus on. By doing so, you have a bigger opportunity to fit in and to be more comfortable with the job.
- Use networking
Networking is a great way to get your name and portfolio out there. Most agencies hold networking events for freelancers to attend and this is a great way to meet people and for people to get to know you. Going to an event organized by an agency you worked with in the past offers the perfect opportunity to start networking.
- Use objective data
Do not market to agencies as if you were sending cards to every relative. If you target your market accurately and find agencies suited to your objectives, you can pick among them and choose based on your business goals. For example, you could search based on Payment practices and target agencies highly rated by other translators, or you could use other characteristics such as Flexibility, or specific topics.
- Stand out from others
Standing out from the rest is vital considering the competitiveness in the translation world. You can stand out because of your expertise on Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) tools or because of using a certain software, but having online presence is also a great way to stand out. Be active on social media and share your body of work. This will help agencies to notice you and perhaps consider you for future opportunities.
- Create a portfolio
In the case of translator, a strong portfolio offers increased credibility. Therefore, it is a powerful marketing tool that collects samples of your work. The best way to create a portfolio is to select meaningful samples and use a smart layout. You could also have different portfolios divided by topics of specialized areas. For example, editorial translation, subtitling, patents, medicine, etc.
RSS-Feed
