| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Marketing yourself as a freelancer or as a translation agency? Thread poster: Manuel Domínguez
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Hello! After checking the different threads in this forum, I would like to ask for your advice about marketing yourself as a translator.
What would be the best strategy from the 2 below?
A) To market myself as an individual freelancer using my own name and letting know potential clients that I am a translator willing to help them with my services.
B) To start a one-person translation agency with a company name, logo, and a set of translation services to pr... See more Hello! After checking the different threads in this forum, I would like to ask for your advice about marketing yourself as a translator.
What would be the best strategy from the 2 below?
A) To market myself as an individual freelancer using my own name and letting know potential clients that I am a translator willing to help them with my services.
B) To start a one-person translation agency with a company name, logo, and a set of translation services to promote to attract interested clients to get the agency's services.
Thanks in advance for your answers! ▲ Collapse
| | | | Samuel Murray 
Netherlands
Local time: 19:40
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
| An agency hires other translators | Jan 6, 2023 |
Manuel Domínguez wrote:
B) To start a one-person translation agency with a company name, logo, and a set of translation services to promote to attract interested clients to get the agency's services.
Option A and B are two very different options. Option B (to start an agency) means that you won't be doing any of the translations yourself, but instead you'll be hiring other translators to do the translations. Is that what you want to do? Or are you just trying to figure out what business form you should use for being a freelance translator?
| | | | Manuel Domínguez
El Salvador
Local time: 11:40
English to Spanish
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TOPIC STARTER | Trying to figure out | Jan 6, 2023 |
Samuel Murray wrote:
Option A and B are two very different options. Option B (to start an agency) means that you won't be doing any of the translations yourself, but instead you'll be hiring other translators to do the translations. Is that what you want to do? Or are you just trying to figure out what business form you should use for being a freelance translator?
Thanks for your prompt reply! What I have thought is to start the agency just with myself first, and after it has reached certain growth, hire other translators to accept larger projects.
| | | | | I'm in between A and B... | Jan 6, 2023 |
In 1985 a friend of mine had started translating for the Commission in Brussels and she needed help, so we teamed up and formed a translator’s cooperative with her husband (a lawyer). Translation work and administrative work was “brotherly” split. In the meanwhile, we both were selected as staff translators by the Commission. So, we had to leave the cooperative and our shares were bought by two colleagues. When in 2006 I retired from the EU I bought all the shares and decided to return to ... See more In 1985 a friend of mine had started translating for the Commission in Brussels and she needed help, so we teamed up and formed a translator’s cooperative with her husband (a lawyer). Translation work and administrative work was “brotherly” split. In the meanwhile, we both were selected as staff translators by the Commission. So, we had to leave the cooperative and our shares were bought by two colleagues. When in 2006 I retired from the EU I bought all the shares and decided to return to Lisbon and here I am. Now we are just two, I’m the “front of the house” and my associate (one of my daughters) deals with the “back of the house”. ▲ Collapse
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Manuel Domínguez
El Salvador
Local time: 11:40
English to Spanish
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TOPIC STARTER | Interesting experience! | Jan 6, 2023 |
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida wrote:
In 1985 a friend of mine had started translating for the Commission in Brussels and she needed help, so we teamed up and formed a translator’s cooperative with her husband (a lawyer). Translation work and administrative work was “brotherly” split. In the meanwhile, we both were selected as staff translators by the Commission. So, we had to leave the cooperative and our shares were bought by two colleagues. When in 2006 I retired from the EU I bought all the shares and decided to return to Lisbon and here I am. Now we are just two, I’m the “front of the house” and my associate (one of my daughters) deals with the “back of the house”.
Thanks for sharing your experience with me! I heard about a similar experience on a video I recently watched. The translator mentioned that she had started to work individually and then teamed-up with other colleagues to start an agency. But I wasn't sure whether this was the most common strategy or if there were other alternatives.
| | | | Edward Potter
Spain
Local time: 19:40
Member (2003)
Spanish to English
+ ...
| Taking the leap | Jan 7, 2023 |
To begin with you will likely not have enough work to farm it all out. You may end up doing the lion's share of it.
One day, you may want to make the final leap from translator to agency, which would entail a big increase in sales overnight.
| | | | Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 18:40
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Manuel Domínguez wrote:
......start a one-person translation agency with a company name, logo, and a set of translation services to promote to attract interested clients to get the agency's services.
.....
I've noticed that there are a lot of "agencies" on Proz, with corporate-looking websites, that seem to have a global reach but which, on closer investigation, actually turn out to be private individuals working from home.
I assume translators do this because there's some sort of tax advantage.
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Tom in London wrote:
I've noticed that there are a lot of "agencies" on Proz, with corporate-looking websites, that seem to have a global reach but which, on closer investigation, actually turn out to be private individuals working from home.
I assume translators do this because there's some sort of tax advantage.
How can a small enterprise's tax burden have more advantage than that of a private freelancer? Doesn't make much sense in my environment. Usually it's the other way around. If they are only the 'company' facade to market individual translator's efforts, then it has nothing to do with their actual legal status as freelancers. If they run an offical company, it's surprising how it can mean less taxes.
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That’s not my case. After 30 years in Belgium, my move to Lisbon made me reflect a lot on how best to bring BPT with me. First of all, on the Belgian side it was very expensive to transfer the cooperative to Portugal. Then, on the Portuguese side, the authorities didn’t allow for translator’s cooperatives. As, for obviously reasons, I wanted to keep the same name, the only solution, according to my lawyer and my accountant, was to establish a Portuguese society under the same name. That's ... See more That’s not my case. After 30 years in Belgium, my move to Lisbon made me reflect a lot on how best to bring BPT with me. First of all, on the Belgian side it was very expensive to transfer the cooperative to Portugal. Then, on the Portuguese side, the authorities didn’t allow for translator’s cooperatives. As, for obviously reasons, I wanted to keep the same name, the only solution, according to my lawyer and my accountant, was to establish a Portuguese society under the same name. That's what I did and I’ve been quite happy with my choice (despite the usual hiccups). ▲ Collapse
| | | | Samuel Murray
Netherlands
Local time: 19:40
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
Tom in London wrote:
I assume translators do this because there's some sort of tax advantage.
There may be liability advantages. In my own country, I can choose to do business using a construct in which my private assets are shielded from creditors of my business. I haven't done that because such a business is more expensive to create and to run, the administrative requirements more onerous (I'd have to pay myself a salary and pay income tax on the salary *and* pay tax on the profit of the business), and my annual income is often actually less than the required minimum director salary.
There are certainly tax advantages to be had: in the Netherlands, a limited liability company pays only 15% tax on its profits (and the owner pays 26% on dividends from the business) (and the translator employee pays normal income tax on his salary, obviously) whereas a self-employed translator pays 37% income tax (or 49% for income above €68 000).
Its curious to me how different EU countries do things differently. In the Netherlands, for example, I could create a translators' cooperative (i.e. wherein my private assets are not shielded from creditors) in which the translators are liable for each other's debts OR one in which each translator is only liable for his own debts (unless otherwise agreed, e.g. when the cooperative decides to employ a secretary). But in other countries that choice may not exist, and partners may be required to accept liability for each other's actions.
| | | | | Different business models | Jan 7, 2023 |
Hi Manuel,
These are two very different business models. I think you need to decide what you want to be: agency or translator. There is more to being an agency than farming out excess work to freelancers - a lot of work and thought goes into managing that well.
It's more than just marketing, it's your whole business plan.
Which do you want to do?
Rachel
| | | | Kay Denney
France
Local time: 19:40
French to English
Agreeing entirely with Rachel, it depends what you actually want to do.
A lot of translators start out freelancing then when they're inundated with work, decide to form an agency so they can farm work out and simply proofread it before handing it in.
Then they hit a big problem which is that outsourcing ends up eating into their translation time. They have to stop what they're doing to contact five different translators before someone agrees to take the job, then they ... See more Agreeing entirely with Rachel, it depends what you actually want to do.
A lot of translators start out freelancing then when they're inundated with work, decide to form an agency so they can farm work out and simply proofread it before handing it in.
Then they hit a big problem which is that outsourcing ends up eating into their translation time. They have to stop what they're doing to contact five different translators before someone agrees to take the job, then they have to make out the PO, they have to stop what they're doing to look at the text and try to answer any questions, and maybe send questions on to the client, they have to stop what they're doing to forward the client's answers back to the translator, they have to keep track and contact the translator if they don't send the translation in time, they have to stop what they're doing to proofread it when it does come in, they have to stop what they're doing to answer any client questions, and possibly forward some to the translator, they have to stop what they're doing to look at the translator's answers and then write back to the client...
Of course there are plenty of jobs without that much hassle, but basically, project management requires being very proactive, and translation requires quiet contemplation, making the two jobs completely incompatible.
I used to combine project management and translation and proofreading at the agency. I actually begged the boss to let me do project management, because he did it really badly, and I ended up having to proofread stuff unexpectedly because he didn't bother to mention it to me until the last minute, and spending three times as long proofreading it because he sent it to anyone who could English rather than the translator with years of experience in the subject matter. But it was really hairy having to juggle all three jobs. When it was really busy and I only had time to manage projects and proofread, I got frazzled really quickly, so I was delighted when we got bought out by a bigger agency and was told to choose between project management and translation. ▲ Collapse
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Baran Keki
Türkiye
Local time: 20:40
Member
English to Turkish
Kay Denney wrote:
Agreeing entirely with Rachel, it depends what you actually want to do.
A lot of translators start out freelancing then when they're inundated with work, decide to form an agency so they can farm work out and simply proofread it before handing it in.
I don't understand. If you 'form an agency' you serve 70 odd different languages and deal with 'direct clients', whom you can charge upwards of 30 cents per word! If you can do that, by all means go for it! Never mind 'having to stop what you're doing'!
Big companies, direct clients, don't deal with individual translators who masquerade themselves as 'one man translation agencies', they go to established translation agencies that serve every conceivable language pair. And the OP here is only working into and from Spanish.
If you 'farm out' (does this mean 'outsourcing' by any chance?) your work from translation agencies, then you do that at your own peril. There may be NDAs prohibiting this, and the translator serving your client on your behalf may not be as conscientious and diligent as you.
To answer the OP's question. I wouldn't pose as a 'translation agency'. I did that, and it didn't work for me. I spent a lot of time and money into building a website (you can check it out on my profile), and my ROI have been a few unsolicited job applications from Turkish translators. I've landed zero clients. If you want to build a website, make it a personal one.
| | | | | Depends on who you’re targeting | Jan 8, 2023 |
Perhaps the issue is whether you will have more luck getting work from clients presenting yourself as an individual or as a company.
Direct clients are generally happier to go with a larger-sounding business. They won’t be impressed by your personal merits as they assume that all translators are equally capable. The larger they are, the better your sales patter needs to be.
Agencies, on the other hand, tend to be wary of freelancers not trading under their own name.... See more Perhaps the issue is whether you will have more luck getting work from clients presenting yourself as an individual or as a company.
Direct clients are generally happier to go with a larger-sounding business. They won’t be impressed by your personal merits as they assume that all translators are equally capable. The larger they are, the better your sales patter needs to be.
Agencies, on the other hand, tend to be wary of freelancers not trading under their own name.
This is generalising, obviously, but based on 27 years trading as a company and four as a sole trader.
But whatever form you take, and whatever form they take, new clients are never easy to come by. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Lieven Malaise
Belgium
Local time: 19:40
Member (2020)
French to Dutch
+ ...
It would be logical to market yourself as an individual freelancer, but I know of several 'translation agencies' that are actually run by a single freelancer who nonetheless offers dozens of language pairs with 'a network of thousands of top-notch freelancers'. I can imagine it must be possible to make good money with it, but I myself would never consider it. The stress and the different problems you will encounter (bad quality translations, complaints ...) must be immense. It's also a form of ... See more It would be logical to market yourself as an individual freelancer, but I know of several 'translation agencies' that are actually run by a single freelancer who nonetheless offers dozens of language pairs with 'a network of thousands of top-notch freelancers'. I can imagine it must be possible to make good money with it, but I myself would never consider it. The stress and the different problems you will encounter (bad quality translations, complaints ...) must be immense. It's also a form of deception and I think it's better (not in the least for your own mental health) to be honest about who you are and what exactly you are offering. ▲ Collapse
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