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Market oneself by publicity package or email?
Thread poster: Tess Whitty
Tess Whitty
Tess Whitty
United States
Local time: 09:13
Member (2004)
English to Swedish
Mar 26, 2004

Hi!
I am ready to market myself to some agencies. Is it more common to send an email, or is it better to send a publicity package by snail mail? Or maybe both? Grateful for some experiences and tips. Have a great weekend.
 
Susana Galilea
Susana Galilea  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 10:13
English to Spanish
+ ...
my two cents... Mar 26, 2004

Hello Terese,

These days, it seems an increasing number of agencies have a page on their websites where translators may register. It is usually under "job opportunities" or something of the sort.

If that is not the case, I would recommend sending an email with your resume pasted in the body of the message (many agencies will delete messages with an attachment).

I may be mistaken, but my impression is that publicity packages do not increase your chances of ... See more
Hello Terese,

These days, it seems an increasing number of agencies have a page on their websites where translators may register. It is usually under "job opportunities" or something of the sort.

If that is not the case, I would recommend sending an email with your resume pasted in the body of the message (many agencies will delete messages with an attachment).

I may be mistaken, but my impression is that publicity packages do not increase your chances of being contacted. They can also be expensive if you will be doing a mass mailing!

Unless the agency has an immediate need for your language combination and/or specialization, the standard response is to file your information for potential future use. That means they might call you tomorrow or one year down the road.

What I believe is worth your time is following up your message with a phone call, just to be sure they received your information and get a sense as to whether the agency might have a need for you in the near future.

I hope this helps. Best luck to you!

Susana Galilea
Accredited Translator, EUTI
[email protected]
www.accentonspanish.com


P.S. I forgot to mention, my posting refers exclusively to marketing oneself to agencies, since this is what you asked about. Marketing yourself to the general public or direct clients is a whole other business

[Edited at 2004-03-27 01:44] ▲ Collapse
 
Bianca Adriaensen
Bianca Adriaensen  Identity Verified
Local time: 17:13
English to Dutch
+ ...
Use all resources available Mar 26, 2004

Susana Galilea wrote:

I would recommend sending an email with your resume pasted in the body of the message (many agencies will delete messages with an attachment).

I may be mistaken, but my impression is that publicity packages do not increase your chances of being contacted. They can also be expensive if you will be doing a mass mailing!

What I believe is worth your time is following up your message with a phone call, just to be sure they received your information and get a sense as to whether the agency might have a need for you in the near future.



The way I approached getting started:
- regular ads in local newspapers (no matter how big or small, my experience: the tinies are read much faster)
- create a brochure in Word or PDF (don't hesitate to try to adapt some templates to your specific needs), copy it a couple of times (if there is a multicolor page with images, try to persuade one of your friends with a laser printer to copy this particular page because it results in better quality than with any inkjet)
- Local supermarkets might have an advertising board near the entrance: post your business card there, for even executives need groceries, a cheaper babysitter, a third car etc...
- send an embedded CV in your emails (better still: create a HTML file as an email template with your logo for your open applications, it looks very professional)

Remember: your effort is certainly not in vain.... Someone "out there" will eventually respond and provide you with smaller and bigger assignments...

Good luck!!!

Bianca
 
yolanda Speece
yolanda Speece  Identity Verified
Local time: 10:13
English to Spanish
+ ...
I liked your advice.. Mar 27, 2004

Bianca, your advice was dead on perfect.
I think you do have to put yourself out there.
Invest in your craft and if you are really serious, your business!
Another thing you can do is join the local chambers of commerce. The packages they have usually offer to provide referrals when local businesses are looking for this type of work
 


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Market oneself by publicity package or email?







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