The ATA Chronicle - January/February 2017 - 11


 Be different. Sometimes it helps if
you can offer something different-an
unusual language combination or
specialty area, for example. Mine is
French>English translation, which isn't
an unusual combination except in Spain,
but has opened many doors for me.
 Be yourself. Remember not to work
outside your specialty areas. You won't
impress if you mess up a translation for
which you're not really suited.
 Be available. Sometimes you need to
make an extra effort to secure this type
of client, working the odd evening or
weekend, especially at the start. You can
set boundaries later, but you want the
client to come back.

Concentrate on the experience
visitors have on your page-
remember, conversions matter
more than clicks.

 Be good. I can't stress this one
enough. Be the best translator you can
be, taking advantage of all possible
forms of self-improvement, including
attending conferences. And it's not
just me saying that. For example,
ATA Board Director Chris Durban,
who many of you will have heard
of as someone who has, in the past,
stressed the need for translators to
adopt business-like attitudes, left the
following comment on my blog last
year: "I would dearly like to hear more
support for the hottest tip I know of
for translators looking to build their
business. Ready? Here we go: become
a better translator."
 Be on time. Deadlines matter, but it's
amazing how many translators don't
realize this. How do I know? Because
some clients have been astonished
simply at the fact that I always deliver
on time. To me, as a former journalist,
it's second nature. Make sure it's
second nature to you as well.
 Be nice. This can take whatever form
you like, but it puts your relationship
www.atanet.org

on another level. In my case, I just try
to be friendly and make my e-mails a
little more personal, especially if the
other person takes the lead. Others
make homemade holiday gifts. One
thing I do is to think about who might
become a potential client in the future.
Project managers, for example, often
leave agencies and set up on their own.
If you find out one is leaving, write her
a message wishing her luck. Next week
she may need a translator into English.
 Be reciprocal. Pass on work you
can't do to colleagues. It helps make
them think of you when they need
something done.
Follow these principles and I can't
promise you'll find Mr. or Miss Right, but
you should satisfy your colleagues and
clients and win more recommendations,
which is the point of the exercise.

TAKE AWAY
So, I would say the above pretty much
explains what it takes to be a successful
spider. It's a strategy that perhaps won't
take you to the very top of the profession.
After all, a spider is unlikely to catch big
game. What it will do is provide you with
a good base to build on with clients who
will pay you reasonably well and reliably,
and who will help you break out of the
agency market. And that's something well
worth considering. 
Simon Berrill is a translator
with 15 years of experience. He
works from Spanish, Catalan,
and French into English for
agencies, universities, and
private customers, largely
in Spain but also in the U.K., France, Germany,
Belgium, Italy, and other countries. His specialties
include journalism, history, tourism, business,
sports, food and wine, and art and music. He worked
as a journalist in England for many years. He is a
member of the Chartered Institute of Linguists,
Catalan Association of Professional Translators
and Interpreters, and Mediterranean Editors and
Translators. You can find his blog at
www.sjbtranslations.com/blog. Contact:
simonberrill@sjbtranslations.com.

A BIG THANKS TO
OUR VOLUNTEERS!

ATA wishes to thank all the volunteers from
chapters, affiliates, and other groups for their
participation during the Annual Conference
in San Francisco.
Northern California Translators Association
(Hospitality Chapter for San Francisco)
www.ncta.org
Association of Translators and Interpreters in the
San Diego Area
www.atisda.org
Atlanta Association of Interpreters
and Translators
www.aait.org
Carolina Association of Translators
and Interpreters
www.catiweb.org
Colorado Translators Association
www.cta-web.org
Delaware Valley Translators Association
www.dvta.org
Michigan Translators/Interpreters Network
www.mitinweb.org
Midwest Association of Translators
and Interpreters
www.matiata.org
National Capital Area Translators Association
www.ncata.org
National Council on Interpreting in Health Care
www.ncihc.org
Nevada Interpreters and
Translators Association
www.nitaonline.org
New York Circle of Translators
www.nyctranslators.org
Northwest Translators and Interpreters Society
www.notisnet.org
Utah Translators and Interpreters Association
www.utianet.org
American Translators Association

11
http://www.ncta.org http://www.atisda.org http://www.aait.org http://www.catiweb.org http://www.cta-web.org http://www.dvta.org http://www.mitinweb.org http://www.matiata.org http://www.ncata.org http://www.ncihc.org http://www.nitaonline.org http://www.nyctranslators.org http://www.notisnet.org http://www.sjbtranslations.com/blog http://www.utianet.org http://www.atanet.org
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The ATA Chronicle - January/February 2017
