The ATA Chronicle - May/June 2020 - 18

MARKETING SERVICES DURING A PANDEMIC AND ECONOMIC CRISIS continued
Yes, that blog post has been great
content for us to use elsewhere. Thank you
again for turning it around so quickly! I'll
definitely check in with YYY and ZZZ on
your offer to write more blog posts for us.
I really appreciate your offer to help out
during this time!
I'll be in touch soon!
While both messages resulted in
positive outcomes, there's the possibility
that there may not be a specific
assignment for you at the time you send
current clients a message like this. On
the other hand, it could very well be the
case that your email is well-timed and
that you could take something off your
clients' overly full plates, either now or
a month from now. You'll never know if
you don't reach out.

NEW CLIENT APPROACH
Once you've had a chance to craft your
pandemic-related messaging to your
current clients, it's time to think about
new clients. Yes, it's easier to market to
existing clients than new ones, but that
doesn't make it impossible, nor does
it make you tone-deaf. Consider your
area(s) of specialization and the clients
you have the ability to serve. Then ask
yourself these questions.
■	

What potential clients could you reach
out to who are in a similar position as
your current clients and who could
truly use a professional translator or
interpreter right now?

■	

What gap(s) do you fill in the market
right now?

■	

Are you willing to offer services at a
discount to those who may not have
an ideal budget due to the economic
downturn caused by COVID-19?

■	

Can you serve another industry by using
the skills and experience you have?

■	

Who most definitely needs
professional and prompt language
services during a time like this? Who
will need them long after this crisis
has ended?

Craft a message similar to the ones
in the examples I shared earlier and
tweak them to fit potential clients who
would value your services and appreciate
18

The ATA Chronicle | May/June 2020

some help to overcome language-related
challenges. Again, just remember to:
■	

Ask how they're doing.

■	

Tell them you're available to help with
anything urgent and that you'll put
anything related to the COVID-19
messaging for their clients, colleagues,
or employees at the top of the list.

■	

Avoid a direct sales pitch of any sort
unless what you're offering is relevant
and can help them immediately.

If this pandemic has shown us
anything, it's that everyone has been
impacted in some way. We're seeing
industries and companies suffering losses
like never before. But at the same time,
they're working on their own messaging
and communications-both to survive
the current crisis and to prepare for the
future. They have to be ready to meet
their customers where they are when
people are ready to spend money on
their products and services.

During a time when everyone
is struggling, the best way
we can help our clients-both
now and all the time-is by
solving problems.

DECIDE IF A PIVOT-EVEN A
TEMPORARY ONE-IS NECESSARY
Small and large businesses and
organizations are showing just how
creative and determined they can be
right now. As I write this, restaurants are
offering take-out and delivery options
so they can remain open. Schools are
taking to online instruction on an
unprecedented scale to allow students
to finish out the school year with some
semblance of order. Fitness studios are
offering remote group classes to pay the
rent while their employees and patrons
have been ordered to stay home.
As you consider the current and future
state of your business, don't be afraid to

rule out a pivot, even if it's a temporary
one. For example, perhaps you work for
one of the harder hit industries, let's say
travel and tourism. Take some time to
look at previous projects and assignments
you've successfully completed.
■	

Are there any projects you've
handled that could relate to another
specialization or field?

■	

What can you provide for an industry
that might be booming right now?

■	

How can you show up for your
travel and tourism clients to help
them finesse their current messaging,
as well as their post-COVID-19
messaging when customers are ready
to travel again?

While a complete pivot may not be
necessary, it's important to stay open
to possibilities you might not have
considered previously. If you're not sure
where to start with your new-client
messaging, go back to the idea of looking
for a gap that you might fill right now.
You can find a lot of these if you're
paying attention!
If you're a health care interpreter,
for example, consider contacting
all of the local doctors and dentists
offices that have patients in areas with
large populations of speakers of other
languages and offer your services. A
lot of them are still cancelling and
rescheduling appointments via phone
calls, text messages, and emails, as well
as conducting virtual "office visits"
with their patients by utilizing remote
interpreting methods.
If you're a translator, could you offer
those same doctors and dentists a way to
notify their clients about new procedures
and healthy practices by translating email
content for patients? Many offices will be
sending COVID-19-related notifications
for the next several months, maybe
longer. How can you offer your services
to help?

CONSIDER OFFERING SHORT-TERM,
PRO BONO RELIEF TO THOSE MOST
IN NEED
You may have considered offering
some free translations related to the
pandemic within your specializations.
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