I need to update the look of my website and marketing materials; it's a task I really struggle with because I'm just not a very visual person. Read me a sentence and I can tell you right away if I like it or not, but show me an array of colors, shapes and layouts and I'm paralyzed. After listening … [Read more...] about Maybe it's not all about the design
Marketing
Theories about direct clients
Recently, a reader posted this comment on my Wrapping up 2009 post: "I just wonder how one goes about getting direct clients. It seems ideal, but it also seems like a hurdle to get over, that many of us have not learned how to do." I think that a lot of translators feel this way: they'd love to work … [Read more...] about Theories about direct clients
End of year gifts for clients and colleagues
It's that time again... the gift basket catalogs are arriving by the armload, reminding us that it's time to thank our clients and colleagues for their business and support over the past year. What's the best way to do this? Better to go traditional or creative? High-end or fairly basic? The answer … [Read more...] about End of year gifts for clients and colleagues
Why you need your own domain name
What's in a domain name (corny, I know, but too obvious to pass up...)? A lot, as it turns out. As freelancers who are dependent on e-mail to keep our businesses running, domain names are very, very important. The three basic options when it comes to e-mail are: Use a domain name provided by your … [Read more...] about Why you need your own domain name
Avoiding feast or famine by marketing consistently
Ever since the current recession hit, the economy has been doing strange things. While most freelancers I know are at or above their overall income goals, I've talked to numerous people who have gone longer than usual with little or no work. In my own case, my usual holiday slowdown (normally … [Read more...] about Avoiding feast or famine by marketing consistently