When you receive an "out of the blue" request for a quote from a potential translation client, what's the best next step? Is it more advantageous to call the client, e-mail them, ask for more information or send them a rate sheet...or something else entirely? The beauty of impromptu inquiries from … [Read more...] about Responding to a request for quote
Marketing
Marketing your services to translation agencies
Whether to work with direct clients, translation agencies or both is a personal and business decision. I work with both types of clients and I feel that this mix keeps my work volume and income up while giving me a wide range of projects to choose from. Paula Dieli's blog has an insightful interview … [Read more...] about Marketing your services to translation agencies
The tyranny of the sub-goal
I learned the expression "the tyranny of the sub-goal" from my husband, who most frequently applies it to chores around the house, as in "We need to paint the living room but before that we have to fix the hole in the sheetrock where we smashed the corner of the washing machine into the wall." … [Read more...] about The tyranny of the sub-goal
Potential clients and sticker shock
Wiktionary defines sticker shock as "Disgust, shock or fright upon learning the price of an item offered for sale," and this roughly describes the reaction of many would-be translation buyers when they learn the price of a professional translation. This leaves the professional translator with a … [Read more...] about Potential clients and sticker shock
Some thoughts on business cards
Despite the explosion in online and offline marketing techniques, the lowly business card remains one of the most cost-effective and widely used marketing materials in a freelance translator's arsenal. Small, inexpensive, customizable, easy to distribute... business cards have a lot of advantages, … [Read more...] about Some thoughts on business cards