Lesson 6: Introduction to branding for freelance translators
Ok, so you walk into a supermarket to do your shopping. Here’s your list: bread, hummus, baked beans and washing powder. How do you do your shopping? Do you know your way to these products by heart and you mechanically take the same as always? I bet you do. Now, how on Earth is anyone able to choose 1 type of washing powder out of at least 20 on shelves? Why you don’t stand there and you don’t compare them every single time you do your shopping? Have you ever been abroad and had to pick products that you were not familiar with? Strange packaging, weird labels, confusing names. How could you tell which product you should take?
That’s what brands are for. We use brands (carefully crafted by producers, of course) to:
Now, give me one logical explanation why you don’t have a brand even if you know you should develop one. I know you won’t come up with any reason good enough, so we’d better move on to working on your new shiny brand.
Brand is…
1) What you think about yourself
As a freelance translator, you are your business, and your business reflects who you really are. Isn’t it a bit spooky to realise that your clients get to know you? That they see who you are and they get to meet you? You are not invisible; you are really there, as a part of the product. Your personality, your approach and your attitude are the “packaging” for your services. How you’re going to use that?
2) How do you see your business
Go on, you can be just a freelance translator from X to Y, charging basement rates and hiding behind your screen. But you can also turn your world around and be proud of your business (yes, you have a business), enjoy it and engage in it. And your clients will feel that.
3) How do you present your business to others
Come on, be honest with yourself and examine your own brand. Be your own client for a moment, and have a look at these aspects of your presence:
How does it feel? Do you have a convincing brand? What does your brand tell your clients? Would you hire yourself as a translator? If not, at least you have a starting point to work on your brand.
Over to you: How do you think freelance translators could benefit from having their own brands?
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Dear Marta,
I simply admire your energy, your creative ideas and everything you do for other translators! Thank you for your interesting posts.
Greets from Austria,
Tetyana
Hi Marta!
Great post. I totally agree that branding is important. It makes me think what my own “brand” comes across as. I would like to think “honest, techy, with a conscience”? Our blogs obviously represent part of our brand - and mine have a strong tech focus, with some mention of business ethics and fair play. My clients also largely know that there are some jobs I will always refuse - I’ve always said it is a good idea to stand by your principles, and thereby making this part of your “brand”, as good clients will only respect you for it.
Very interesting. It started me thinking about a brand of my own.
Thank you.
Jessie Nelson