A new video! I felt more like talking than writing today... Lots of people ask why a freelance translator needs a partner, and how to find the right person. Here's part I, in which I briefly answer those questions; in part II, Eve Bodeux and I will talk about how we work together. … [Read more...] about Video: the why and how of finding a translation partner
Direct clients
Marketing by e-mail, on paper, or both
In marketing your freelance services, you may wonder (or at least I do!) whether it's better to market to direct clients by e-mail, on paper, or both. I don't have a succinct answer to that, but here are a few thoughts. For a long time, I was a devotée of marketing on paper: writing out a full-page … [Read more...] about Marketing by e-mail, on paper, or both
It's a Courtesy…
Translator mailing lists and message boards are full of translators asking, "Can you charge extra for...?" (formatting, translating from a poor-quality PDF, talking to the client's staff on the phone, and so on). If the client is an agency, you have to negotiate those extra charges (or extra unpaid … [Read more...] about It's a Courtesy…
Using clients' names: OK or not?
A reader asks: On my website and resumé, is it OK to use my clients' names? Does it matter if I worked for them directly or through an agency? Short answer: To be safe, never use a client's name without their permission. If you're "sure that the client won't mind," then why not take two minutes and … [Read more...] about Using clients' names: OK or not?
Beyond the Basics of Freelancing: starts tomorrow!
The next session of my online course for established freelancers, Beyond the Basics of Freelancing, starts tomorrow (August 20), and I have three spots open. This class is for freelancers who have established freelance businesses and want to focus on refining their specializations, marketing to … [Read more...] about Beyond the Basics of Freelancing: starts tomorrow!