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Translation - art & business » Marketing for language professionals »
Can anyone recommend a good book which gives sound advice about acquiring direct clients?
Thread poster: Chris Hall
Chris Hall
Chris Hall
Local time: 17:46
French to English
+ ...
Oct 23, 2013

Hello fellow translation / interpreting colleagues,

I have been around for five years now and I mostly work with translation agencies and private individuals.

I have just searched on Amazon and there are plenty of books available. However, I only want to purchase one, so in your esteemed opinion which is the best book explanining how to go about acquiring direct clients?

Thanks so much in advance,

Chris Hall
 
Nicole L. R.
Nicole L. R.
Ireland
Local time: 17:46
Member (2008)
Portuguese
+ ...
Book Oct 23, 2013

Dear Carl,

This book has helped me a lot: The Entrepreneurial Linguist by Dagmar and Judy Jenner: http://www.entrepreneuriallinguist.com/book/

Another book that is a bit more fragmented, but that has useful advice (nad that you can read only the chapters about direct client) is: The Prosperous Translator by Chris Durb... See more
Dear Carl,

This book has helped me a lot: The Entrepreneurial Linguist by Dagmar and Judy Jenner: http://www.entrepreneuriallinguist.com/book/

Another book that is a bit more fragmented, but that has useful advice (nad that you can read only the chapters about direct client) is: The Prosperous Translator by Chris Durban: http://prosperoustranslator.com/

Good luck!

Best regards,

Nicole ▲ Collapse
 
Vadim Kadyrov
Vadim Kadyrov  Identity Verified
Ukraine
Local time: 19:46
English to Russian
+ ...
I would recommend Oct 23, 2013

this one - http://thewealthyfreelancer.com/. Although the two books mentioned above are surely very good, this one has more direct instructions, I believe.

This is my handbook for the time being.
 
Nicole L. R.
Nicole L. R.
Ireland
Local time: 17:46
Member (2008)
Portuguese
+ ...
Thanks Oct 23, 2013

Thank you for sharing this with us, Vadim!
 
Łukasz Gos-Furmankiewicz
Łukasz Gos-Furmankiewicz  Identity Verified
Poland
Local time: 18:46
English to Polish
+ ...
Not a direct answer but Nov 3, 2013

But lawyers and especially American attorneys (and perhaps German Rechtsanwälte) operate in similar field, long struggling with the need to show quality to clients who are incapable of actually judging the merits of the services they receive, along with the traditional constraints on marketing as dictated by the dignity of the profession. The experience is largely transferable.

I'd probably wish to get acquainted with some theoretical basics of economy/business op (all the better i... See more
But lawyers and especially American attorneys (and perhaps German Rechtsanwälte) operate in similar field, long struggling with the need to show quality to clients who are incapable of actually judging the merits of the services they receive, along with the traditional constraints on marketing as dictated by the dignity of the profession. The experience is largely transferable.

I'd probably wish to get acquainted with some theoretical basics of economy/business op (all the better if they come with practical examples) before relying on the practical experience of others in the field. Do remember that established translators writing how-to books rose to their station in different circumstances and currently compete on different terms due to the benefit of an already established career. On the other hand, plenty of things hold true all the time. It's perhaps the most important to know which is which. ▲ Collapse
 
Flora Iacoponi, MCIL
Flora Iacoponi, MCIL  Identity Verified
Ireland
Local time: 17:46
English to Italian
+ ...
Good point Nov 4, 2013

Łukasz makes a very good point which reflects what I was thinking earlier this morning, reading an interview to Chris Durban. I would read something written recently by professionals that entered the market/business in the last few years and not 15 or 20 years ago as the conditions and the market have changed considerably in the meantime. Recent advice in short.
 


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Can anyone recommend a good book which gives sound advice about acquiring direct clients?


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