Marketing For Translators And Interpreters, Part 2 of 3: Offline & Online

Offline and Online Marketing for Translators and Interpreters

In our first blog we talked about the internal process of marketing.  

In this second blog of our three-blog series we will review the external aspects of marketing, that I hope you will find useful. 

Since your marketing is promoting and selling yourself, your services, quality, and the value you add, first impressions are everything.  

Whether it is your home office or your cyber office, these lists will help your marketing get professional, organized, optimized, and leave an overall good impression on your potential clients and current ones too.

First we will split external marketing into two categories, offline and online.  

Offline is your office in the real world, and online, is your cyber office on the Internet.

Below are the four main sections that your offline and online marketing play an active role:

1. Productivity
2. Documentation
3. Branding
4. Public Relations

You will notice that each item on the offline lists has an equivalent or similar action on the online lists.  

See how much you already have done.

PRODUCTIVITY

Before you can be successful, you must strengthen your foundation and perfect your business as it is today.

Offline

•      Keep your office clean and organized
•      Find ways to optimize your office space
•      Use ergonomic equipment
•      Keep your office well lit and without distractions
•      Maintain your IT equipment in working order
•      Have a business phone line or answering service
•      Learn how to use all your office equipment's features
•      Follow your working hours schedule as best as you can
•      Keep an organized library of all your dictionaries, glossaries and resources
•      Have your marketing material close at hand
•      Keep pictures on your desk or walls of your family, trips, favorite quotes and/or landscapes for motivation

Online

•      Remove the clutter from your content, keep your message simple and clear
•      Find ways to optimize your SEO, social media, and website
•      Adjust your computer settings to avoid eye strain
•      Avoid websites that distract you, or disconnect from your phone while you work
•      Periodically update your operating system, programs, and web browser
•      Use an email address dedicated for business use only yourname@yourcompanyname.com and create standard reply emails you can personalize when a potential client emails you
•      Learn new technologies and improve your computer skills
•      Follow your working hours schedule as best as you can
•      Favorite your website resources, dictionaries, and glossaries
•      Regularly update your website and social media profiles etc.
•      Have your marketing material updated
•      Follow other colleagues online who have the same specialties, services, interests, and hobbies for friendship, inspiration, insight, and motivation

DOCUMENTATION

Don't be everything to everyone, simply be the best at what you know and love to do.

Offline

•      Organize your business documents (contacts, expenses, jobs, etc.)
•      Organize the files in your computer
•      Maintain a calendar with all your appointments, events, jobs, etc.
•      Regularly update all your marketing material
•      Write a business plan
•      Prepare a resume and CV    

Online

•      Organize and standardize your social media profiles, avatars, banners, etc
•      Organize your emails, pictures, and other files online
•      Sync your offline calendar with an online calendar
•      Regularly update all your marketing material
•      Regularly conduct online market research 
•      Update your work history, CV, and sample work online
• 
  

BRANDING

Make sure you have a crystal clear and concise vision of your brand.  

If your client perceives any part of your business as a gimmick, you run the risk of not gaining their trust.  

Remember, honesty, hard work, and a good story will open more doors than any other marketing tool.

Offline

•      Create a unique business logo and color scheme for all your marketing material
•      Make business cards and marketing material. Do not lose sight of the call to action for the client (i.e. brochures, letterhead, envelops, thank you notes, client gifts, etc.)
•      Always dress professionally when meeting clients and wear a signature piece, something that stands out and will stay in the client's mind
•      Work on a slogan or a catch phrase       

Online

•      Use your business logo and color scheme throughout your social media and website
•      Buy a domain name and build a website, including an "About Me" page with your unique message or story which reflects your brand message (do not lose sight of the call to action for the client)
•      Use a Gravatar to make sure your picture shows up next to your blog comments (dress professionally, wearing your signature piece)
•      Create an email signature with all your information, your picture, logo, links, slogan or catch phrase

PUBLIC RELATIONS

Show your potential clients how you will help them make money, sell their products, services, and access new markets.  

Highlight your specialty, expertise, experience, knowledge, training, background, education, credentials, and much more.  

Offline

•      List your services on local bulletin boards.  Offer your services to family, friends, local businesses, and non-profits
•      Go to business networking events, local government groups, charters, and clubs
•      Join an associations and attend professional events
•      Write a book, article, or get interviewed by the local paper
•      Return calls in a timely manner
•      Build real relationships       

Online

•      Have a business website and keep it updated
•      Register your business on Yelp.com and similar review sites
•      Join and participate in online groups and forums
•      Have a social media presence like LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook
•      Create a blog, vlog and/or write an e-book
•      Answer emails in a timely manner
•      Build relationships and connect with colleagues online and if possible meet in person

So there you have it.  

These lists are not complete or perfect by any means, if you can think of something to add or have a suggestion, please let me know.  

These checklists are here to help us all improve our marketing efforts.

In the final part of this three-part series we will examine your services and clients, the last piece of your marketing puzzle.

As always, thank you for reading and sharing my posts. Please if any of my blogs inspire you, give credit where credit is due.  Let's be fair, honest, and professional. Let's help each other be great and stay great!

 Feel free to connect or email me, Carmen Arismendy.  I'm a professional Spanish interpreter-translator and founder of eLingual.Net.  I started the eLingual Network because I could not find a fair, no middleman, no job bidding, ethical, and transparent meeting place for translators, interpreters, and clients online.  The website is in beta phase and by no means perfect but it's a step in the right direction.

eLingual.Net's mission is to spread happiness worldwide through happy translators, interpreters, and clients.

For the professional translator and interpreter, this means no middleman, no job bidding, the freedom of setting their own fees, having control over their services, and who they choose to work with.

For the clients, this means working directly with ethical and professional translators and interpreters committed to quality and value.

Join our happy community, let's work together!

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Updated 11.29.16