Moving the first steps: how to win new clients

Moving the first steps:
how to win new clients
#LSLive #movingthefirststeps
@LanguageShow @3P_Translation
M AR T I N A E C O
m a r t i n a @ 3 p - t r a n s l a t i o n . c o m

About Me
 Italian translator & interpreter (IT, EN, FR)
 London, UK
 3P Translation
Martina Eco | 3P Translation | martina@3p-translation.com
Facebook: 3P Translation
Twitter: @3P_Translation
Web: 3p-translation.com

Translation Seminars
11.30 - NRPSI and Regulation in the Second Decade of the 21st Century
12.30 - Translating Europe: Young People in Translation
13.30 - Inspiring Confidence and Enhancing Credibility
14.30 - Ssh? Confidentiality Issues for Freelance Interpreters and Translators
15.30 - Working with Languages: Vendors' and Agencies' Perspective

Overview
WHY
The importance of finding clients
WHAT
Types of clients
WHO
Researching clients
WHERE
On and offline opportunities
HOW
Contacting clients
WHY
WHAT
Types of clients
WHO
Researching clients
WHERE
HOW
Contacting clients

When you’re an employee…

But when you’re a freelancer…

Clients are key!

Why keep searching?
Demand is volatile
 Some clients will need
your services all the time
 Some others will only
need them once

Why keep searching?
The market is volatile
 Some companies will last
forever…
 Some others will not

Your Client Base
How it should be
 Varied
 Reliable
 International
 Numerous

WHY
WHAT
Types of clients
WHO
Researching clients
WHERE
HOW
Contacting clients

Translation Agencies
CONS
Lower rates
Tighter deadlines
Less bargaining power
Own terms & conditions
More competition
PROS
Easier to find
Easier to approach
Easier to research
They know the business
More willing to trust newbies

Direct Clients
CONS
Harder to find
Harder to approach
Harder to research
Might not know the business
Less willing to trust newbies
PROS
Higher rates
Better deadlines
More bargaining power
Agreed T&Cs
Less competition

What if you get a call…
…from someone who
needs a translation.
It’s a lot of words, it’s
going to keep you busy
for weeks, and they’re
willing to pay your
full rate. Sounds
amazing, doesn’t it?

But then…
…you carry out all the
work, deliver the
translation, send your
invoice, and when it’s
due… there’s no money in
your account. You email
the client and they don’t
answer. You look for a
telephone number and you
find no companies with the
name that this person gave
you. You just lost a lot of
time, effort and money.

The key is…

Where to look
 Companies House / Registrar of companies
 http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk/
 https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk
 EU VAT number check (VIES)
 http://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/vies/
 Google

Where to look
 Translator websites
 http://www.proz.com/blueboard/
 http://www.translator-scammers.com
 http://www.atc.org.uk/en/
 Facebook groups
 Speaking Dolphins (invite only)
 Watercooler
 The League of Extraordinary Translators
 Pick up the phone

Where do you find clients?

Offline
 Trade shows
 Networking events
 People you know
 Walk around…

Online
 Websites
 Social media
 Chamber of commerce
 Forums

Go Global
 Don’t stick to one country or market
 Explore opportunities abroad
 More possibilities
 Think of your language combo(s)

YOUR CLIENT BASE
How it should be
 Varied
 Reliable
 International
 Numerous

Let’s play ‘Employee’ again

Freelancers do it themselves

My experience
 Low response rate
 Lower conversion rate
EVERY CLOUD HAS
A SILVER LINING

CV: what not to do
 Overwhelming information
 Irrelevant information
 All work experiences &
education

CV: what to do
 Keep it simple
 Keep it short
 Keep it relevant
 Be creative

My personal case
 Simple, clear,
concise, personal
email & new CV
 Long, unclear,
impersonal email &
old CV
7.5%
RESPONSE
1%
CONVERSION
30%
RESPONSE
15%
CONVERSION

Contacting clients: premise
 Think of yourself as the SOLUTION to their
PROBLEM
 They need to know you will SATISFY their
NEEDS
 Highlight your VALUE to them

Contacting clients: theory
 KEEP IT SIMPLE & SHORT!
 Make it personal
 Be polite, be friendly, be professional

Contacting clients: emails
 Short, simple sentences
 Introduction, body, conclusion
 Body: problem + solution
 Contact details

Who’s more important for the client?
CLIENT

Which pronouns should you use?
YOU

How do you start an email?
DEAR MR. SMITH

How do you end an email?
KIND REGARDS

Let’s practice…
Situation
You are shopping at your local supermarket and buy some
French cheese. Since you usually don’t go to the
supermarket, you do a Google search to see if you can buy
that cheese online. You find the producer’s website and
online shop, but it’s all in French. You can see that they
ship to Scotland as well, but there is no English website…

Let’s practice…
• Clearly state the problem:
they might not know they
have it!
• Give them your solution:
show how you can benefit
them
Most Scottish consumers don’t
speak French, and they’re not likely
to buy online from a website with no
English version. Translating your
website into English can boost your
sales in Scotland and increase your
turnover. As a translator
specialising in food marketing, I can
help you grow your business by
translating your website from
French to English and make it
attractive for Scottish consumers.

Keeping clients
 Always deliver high quality
 Respect deadlines
 Act as a business partner,
not as a job seeker or
employee
 Show your added value
 Learn to say NO

For questions and comments: martina@3p-translation.com

Moving the first steps: how to win new clients

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