{"id":821,"date":"2024-11-29T06:00:01","date_gmt":"2024-11-29T11:00:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ata-divisions.org\/JLD\/?p=821"},"modified":"2024-11-25T19:56:19","modified_gmt":"2024-11-26T00:56:19","slug":"ata65-session-summary-097-junko-bradley-from-commodity-to-valued-partner-ten-strategies-to-stand-out-and-transform-your-language-service-business","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ata-divisions.org\/JLD\/2024\/11\/29\/ata65-session-summary-097-junko-bradley-from-commodity-to-valued-partner-ten-strategies-to-stand-out-and-transform-your-language-service-business\/","title":{"rendered":"ATA65 Session Summary: 097 Junko Bradley–From Commodity to Valued Partner: Ten Strategies to Stand Out and Transform Your Language Service Business"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Speaker: Junko Bradley<\/h2>\n

Session Title: From Commodity to Valued Partner: Ten Strategies to Stand Out and Transform Your Language Service Business<\/h2>\n

Summary Author: Katherine Hall<\/h3>\n
\n

In this session from the last day of ATA65, Junko Bradley shared tips on how to improve one\u2019s translation or interpretation business. Ms. Bradley\u2019s advice comes from personal experience from her successful career. She has almost twenty years of experience in interpreting and has interpreted for clients such as Silicon Valley companies, the U.S. federal government, and the United Nations. Ms. Bradley\u2019s ten points give clear ways to improve one\u2019s business, whether translator or interpreter, beginner or veteran.<\/p>\n

Ms. Bradley began her presentation by discussing the current T&I industry climate. Inflation, economic depression, and the unease around the future of AI, among other issues, can make the T&I industry feel more difficult to navigate. With these factors under consideration, Ms. Bradley\u2019s list is very insightful and detailed.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Create Added Value
    \nAs language professionals, we must continue developing skills and specialization, especially to give us an edge over AI. With continual development and growth, we provide additional value to the services we provide (especially when compared to AI).<\/li>\n
  2. Think from the Client\u2019s Point of View
    \nThink from the client\u2019s point of view, especially regarding difficult points. What barriers arise for clients when organizing conferences or meetings? How can we as translators and interpreters help solve those problems? Clients will pay even more for language professionals who help find solutions.<\/li>\n
  3. Put Yourself in a Position to Shine
    \nIt is important, especially when working freelance, to know your worth. Because rates for language services can fluctuate depending on the situation, try to place yourself in work situations that showcase your skills and give you a chance to shine.<\/li>\n
  4. Have Contact with Clients
    \nBusiness is all about human connection. Connect with your clients when you meet: greet them, find a common point to make conversation, and leave a lasting impression.<\/li>\n
  5. Increase Your Visibility
    \nEspecially in the modern age, there are countless ways to promote yourself, both off- and online. Social media, business websites, blogs, T&I directories, even TV, radio, and magazines can be used to get your name out there and seen by more potential clients.<\/li>\n
  6. Increase Your Number of Direct Clients
    \nTry to increase the number of direct clients with which you work. Having steady work from a smaller number of direct clients is better than unpredictable work from many. Following the 20:80 rule, 20% of clients will provide 80% of business.<\/li>\n
  7. Have More Than One Business
    \nHaving multiple sources of income helps mitigate risk. And with more income comes more stability, giving you time to focus on producing quality work for your clients.<\/li>\n
  8. Build Your Support Framework
    \nIf an emergency happens and you become unable to work, you will need support. Try to build partnerships and create a system that allows business to run without you.<\/li>\n
  9. The Effect of Titles and Dress
    \nGive yourself a professional appeal through your business cards and dress. As the old saying goes, dress for the job you want; a professional appearance will help attract clients.<\/li>\n
  10. Have a Personal Symbol<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    If you have a symbol or icon that clients associate you with, it gives you faster recognition with clients.<\/p>\n

    Ms. Bradley\u2019s presentation provided a multitude of recommendations to expand one\u2019s business. Whether building a social media presence, expanding into different parts of the industry, developing new specialties, or any other piece of advice, these tips can be used by anyone at any point in their career to continue to grow. As a translator who is only beginning their career, I will try to incorporate Ms. Bradley\u2019s advice into my future work.<\/p>\n

    \n

    Katherine Hall<\/strong> is a Japanese-English translator based in Seattle, WA. She finished the Bellevue College translation & interpretation program in 2023.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Speaker: Junko Bradley Session Title: From Commodity to Valued Partner: Ten Strategies to Stand Out and Transform Your Language Service Business Summary Author: Katherine Hall In this session from the last day of ATA65, Junko Bradley shared tips on how to improve one\u2019s translation or interpretation business. Ms. Bradley\u2019s advice comes from personal experience from […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6,23,43,22],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ata-divisions.org\/JLD\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/821"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ata-divisions.org\/JLD\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ata-divisions.org\/JLD\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ata-divisions.org\/JLD\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ata-divisions.org\/JLD\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=821"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.ata-divisions.org\/JLD\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/821\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":829,"href":"https:\/\/www.ata-divisions.org\/JLD\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/821\/revisions\/829"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ata-divisions.org\/JLD\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=821"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ata-divisions.org\/JLD\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=821"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ata-divisions.org\/JLD\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=821"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}