Document Translator Employment - How to Find Customers

Document Translator Employment - How to Find Customers

If you decided to go the freelance route in order to get document translator employment, then the biggest challenge you will face will be finding customers. Although the demand for document translators is high, you will be competing with other translators for clients. However, there are many ways, both online and offline, in which you find people who need your services. The first thing you should do is develop a website for your business. In today's digital world, most people turn to the internet first to research service providers. If someone does a search for you online, you want to make sure something positive comes up for your name.

Once you have your website and business cards, the first place you can look for people who may be offering document translator employment is with businesses in your local area. This is particularly true if you speak a second language that is prevalent in your area. For example, in many places in the United States, there are Hispanic populations that only speak Spanish. To reach them, a local business may want to have their brochures translated into Spanish. It would be a good move to go to local network events and talk to small business owners about their translation needs.

Another place where you can find customers for your translation business is online. There are many online translation companies that hire independent interpreters to complete client projects. The benefit of working with these companies is that they do most of the marketing to find clients. Additionally, since they operate online, you can complete the assignments in the comfort of your home which will save you time and money on a daily commute. The downside is that they may not pay you as much as you would like for your work. Still, online translation companies can be a good source of steady work.

Corporations that have websites are an additional potential source of customers. Many of these companies are global but may only have their website in one language. Helping them translate their web copy into other languages provides them a good way to reach out to customers in other countries. It may take some doing to find the correct contact person at the corporation. However, if you submit a reasonable proposal and make your case as to why they should consider having their websites translated, you will probably make the sale. Be persistent and your hard work could pay off.

-By Adriana Tassini

The following Translator Q & A is part of our Translator FAQ Series.Question:Answer: Learn more:Tags: