With the integration of AI, many freelance linguists are reporting a significant decline in work volume. The "easy stuff," like corporate communications, is vanishing, leaving translators with a critical question: How do you assert your indispensable human value and thrive in this new landscape?
A recent workshop with Joe Lépine tackled this challenge head-on, providing a roadmap for translators to shift from being hidden service providers to trusted, relationship-driven business partners.
Here's a taste of what we covered:
Rediscover the customer journey and essential touch points
Waiting for emails isn't enough anymore. Joe showed how translators can actively engage clients at every stage of the buyer's journey: awareness, consideration, and conversion.
Think of small but powerful touch points like:
- Sending a proactive quote instead of waiting for requests
- Sharing a warm holiday newsletter.
- Engaging with clients on social media
These little actions build trust and keep you top of mind.
And let's not forget about optimizing your online presence! Your professional profiles must act as a client-conversion funnel and not only as a resume. They need to clearly lead a potential client from initial curiosity (Awareness) through building trust (Consideration) to taking action (Conversion). It's about leading them naturally from "Who is this?" or "Is he the person I'm looking for?" to "I want to work with him".
Marketing copy that converts
Many translators market themselves based on what they think is important (like translation quality). The most effective marketing, however, uses the client’s exact words to describe what they value.
By weaving this client-specific language into your website, LinkedIn, and emails, you'll attract more of the right kind of clients (the ones who already see your value).
And a lot of people always talk about inbound marketing, but what happens with strategies for outbound marketing and professional relationships?
Outbound marketing often feels intimidating for linguists, and I mean, how do you reach out without sounding pushy or annoying? Joe offered a memorable analogy: direct pitching is like walking up to someone on a first date and immediately proposing marriage. In any social context, that would feel "insane". The same applies to client outreach.
Instead of rushing into a pitch, successful outbound marketing is about building relationships step by step. Think of it as a human-to-human process that mirrors the buyer's journey. And again, we go with these:
Awareness: Start by making yourself visible in a natural, non-intrusive way. This could be sharing valuable insights on LinkedIn, commenting thoughtfully on a client's post, or sending a friendly introduction message.
Consideration: Once you’ve established a presence, nurture the relationship. Share resources, respond to their needs, and show genuine interest in their work. This stage is about building trust, not selling.
Conversion: Only after trust is established should you move toward offering your services. By this point, the client sees you not as a stranger pitching them, but as a professional partner they already know and respect.
The key takeaway: outbound marketing isn’t about chasing clients, but creating connectio
ns. When you approach outreach with patience and empathy, you shift from being “just another translator” to someone clients actually want to work with.
I can't share more! However, if you were inspired by some of these strategies that Joe shared with you, then you definitely need the full version.
And the best part? The strategies Joe shared are practical, hands-on tools you can start using right away.
By watching the full recording, you’ll learn:
- The one question to ask in a discovery call that uncovers your client’s deepest goals (and opens the door to upselling).
- A simple two-step process to maximize testimonials and referrals.
- How to manage multiple language or niche pages on LinkedIn without hurting your visibility.
These are insider tips usually reserved for high-ticket coaching programs, and now they’re available to you.
Unlock the full strategy here!
And start making the difference. :)
