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The "human" touch in your translation marketing and client relationships

Welcome!

ProZ.com 2016 international conference - Stockholm, Sweden

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2. Your clients:• WHO• WHAT• FOCUS• GOAL• MEANS

1. Your public profile:• WHERE• WHAT• WHY

Agenda

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• Free marketing on Social Media• Your name pops-up in searches• You create a professional image online

Your public profile

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• Website (native language + English, at least)• Proz.com, Translators Café, TM-Town, The Open Mic, etc.• LinkedIn Profile• Professional Facebook Page (strictly business)• Professional Twitter Account (strictly business)• Other translation-related or academic websites (Academia, etc.)

Your public profile - WHERE

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• Website: http://www.metafrasma.com • Proz.com: http://www.proz.com/translator/957755 • LinkedIn: https://gr.linkedin.com/in/ikoukia • Translators Café: http://ikoukia.TranslatorsCafe.com • Academia https://independent.academia.edu/IKoukia • SlideShare http://www.slideshare.net/IreneKoukia

Example

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• Make sure you communicate the same message across all media (i.e. Technical Translator, Legal or Medical Translations, Marketing expert)

• Highlight your strengths or specialty fields (i.e. 20 years experience, Engineer, X books translated, Y movies subtitled)

• Provide means of communication (phone, email, website)• Always keep your contact details and CV up to date• Add a personal message to diversify yourself from the competition

Your public profile - WHAT

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• Provide full contact details on your CV• Provide links to public translation-related profiles• Showcase any positive client feedback on Proz.com or Translators Café

(this helps sometimes avoid references / client lists)• If you are writing for any translation-related blog or website, show

your work!

Example – Your CV

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The Open MicTM-Town

Example – Same message

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Translators CaféProz.com

Example – Client feedback

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• Create a personal, “human” image. You don’t want to become “just another Translation Agency”. It is YOU who stands out and YOUR special skills!

• Communication details enable your potential clients to cross-check your data and verify your identity, apart from getting in touch with you

• Your social media profiles help you remain in contact with your clients, even if they don’t have any projects for you right now. You discretely remind them of your presence without harassing them with emails or phone calls

Your public profile - Conclusion

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Example – Human image / diversification

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Example – Contact details

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• Large Translation Agencies• Medium/small Translation Agencies• Direct B2B clients• Direct individual clients• Colleagues

Your clients - WHO

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Communication Volume potential Rates

Large Translation Agencies

Impersonal High Low/medium

Medium/small Translation Agencies

Personal Medium/high Medium/high

Direct B2B clients Personal Medium/high Medium/high

Direct individual clients Personal Low High

Colleagues Personal Medium Medium

Your clients - WHAT

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• Medium/small Translation Agencies• Direct B2B clients• Colleagues

Your clients - FOCUS

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• Higher volume• Medium/high rates• Strengthen relationship• Become their preferred professional in your specialization

Your approach - GOAL

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• Prioritize their tasks, if possible• Deliver on time and offer excellent quality, simply be a PRO• Offer added-value services or freebies once in a while• Get to know your client better – identify potential additional needs• Develop a personal relationship (social media, birthday wishes)

Your approach - MEANS

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• Meet your clients on conferences, if possible• Participate in translation-related events in order to get to know your

clients and colleagues• Participate in industry-related events in order to meet your clients or

potential new ones (pharmaceutical, book fair, etc.)

Example

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• Visit your client’s office for a short meeting, if possible• Call them once in a while instead of sending an email• Personalize your greeting on emails / avoid clichés, if possible• Use first person, if the client is OK with that• Offer a small task without any minimum charge every now and then

Your approach - MEANS

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• A brief small talk over the phone my reveal services required by your client that your client did not know or forgot that you also offer, i.e. an additional language pair or specialization

• A free translation of 10 words will not impact your workload but it might make your client appreciate you, if you do not charge once

• “Best regards from sunny Athens” might sound friendlier than “Best regards” or “MFG”, especially if you know the client for ages

Example

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• Focus on those clients who offer you a higher margin.• Be human – it makes you feel better, but also helps your business.• Stand out for your special skills and professionalism.• Develop relationships – being a translator can get lonely!

Summary

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Questions? Get in touch!

• Email: info@metafrasma.com• Skype: metafrasma• Website: www.metafrasma.com

Thank you!