But how do you specialize exactly? How do you reach that expert position you want so much? Many people will tell you to study, study and study harder. This can be achieved through several ways: watch targeted webinars, take specialized MOOCs or if you have enough time, you can even study for a diploma at your local university (tip: distance learning can be a great alternative for freelancers).

But something dawned on me last week. I’ve been working as a medical translator for a couple of years now, and have managed to gain specific knowledge by taking all the routes I’ve mentioned above (minus the diploma method: I’m not crazy enough to go to medical school!). Back to last week: I was offered a big job (read about 20K words) which consists in translating the website of a popular breast pump manufacturer. That’s when my ‘Eureka moment’ happened. As a mother, I don’t have enough fingers to count the number of books I’ve read that dealt with pregnancy, breastfeeding, motherhood, parenting, you-name-it. At the time, all of this reading was done out of personal interest, and absolutely not with the intention of making it one of my fields of specialization. But fate has its funny ways sometimes… Isn’t it true that when you are truly interested in something, your brain is more open and focused on what you are reading? Now that I’m working on this project, I can leverage all of my reading and my first-hand experience: I know the ins and outs of pregnancy, the various delivery procedures, and the needs that a new mother has because I have personally gone through them.

This is why you need to ask yourself what sets you apart when you create your business, when you try to position yourself, and yes, even when you decide which field you would like to specialize in. What do you know, what have you experienced that can be beneficial for your client? Personal experience counts and should not be underestimated. And I’m not only thinking about pregnancy here: maybe you have a deep interest for a specific region, you have been kayaking for a while or you are a dog-lover. Your passion can become your specialization and this, in my view, can bring a lot of benefits, not only to you, but also for your client. Off the top of my head:

• It gives you first-hand knowledge of the terminology used in the field. Goodbye, long and laborious research!
• You know which register to use because you were in the shoes of the client/user and you know what works and what doesn’t.
• Chances are you will translate more enthusiastically if you are working on a text that actually interests you.
• You will have a better vision of how the field is structured and will therefore have a better knowledge of where you can find new potential clients.

Of course, a pinch of salt must be added to all of this. Not every sub-field is profitable and you probably won’t build a multimillion-dollar company by translating documents for the reptile food industry (but who knows? :)). This is why it’s important to be realistic and avoid to put all your eggs in the same basket. The ideal mix would be to have a profitable specialization (but that you don’t thoroughly hate, of course) and one that makes you happy.

Do you have similar stories? How did you decide on your specializations? Feel free to share your own experience in the comments.

The post Specializing? Listen to your heart! appeared first on In Touch Translations.

Hello, Simon! It’s a pleasure to have you on the series.  Can you tell the readers who you are and explain what your current job is?

Hello, and thanks very much for asking me to take part. I’m a British freelance translator based near Barcelona and working from Spanish, Catalan and French into English. I specialize in tourism in its broadest sense, including aspects like heritage, arts, food and drink, sport and business.

Let’s go a couple years back… Your previous career already involved the written word, but was that the job you envisioned as a child?

As a child, to be honest, I had very little idea what I wanted to do. I really started thinking about it when I was half way through university, studying history, and I realized that after my degree I was going to need a job. I decided to try to do something that involved writing, which was what I loved, and that led me into journalism. I worked as a reporter, sub-editor and news editor on different English regional newspapers for nearly 15 years.

However, fate had its way and the reality turned out quite different. Tell us, how were you found in translation?

It’s a bit of a long story, so you’ll have to bear with me. First of all, I met Marta, who is now my wife, completely by chance when we were both on holiday in Rome nearly 17 years ago now. She is Catalan, from Badalona, near Barcelona, and that got me learning new languages for the first time since school, when I’d studied French to a very high level. It also led me to quit my job and move to Catalonia in the spring of 1999, which meant I had to step up the language learning even further to get my Spanish and Catalan up to standard.

I initially thought I might do some freelance journalism but, when that didn’t work out, I turned to teaching English and, later, writing educational materials. One day, at a meeting about a writing project, I met an American translator and interpreter and, when I expressed an interest in his job and said it was something I might be interested in, he promptly gave me a list of contacts. It was one of the most generous things anyone has ever done for me and I’ll always be grateful to Pat Bones for his help.

Having no translation academic background, how did you learn about the ins and outs of the industry? Did you seek to get translation qualifications later on?

Most of the things I initially learned, I either taught myself or learned from experience, which was sometimes painful. I worked more or less in isolation for a long time, but, as I started to meet translators and to join professional organizations I began to feel I was missing out by not having some sort of qualification. That’s why in 2013 I began studying for the Chartered Institute of Linguists‘ DipTrans examination which I took and passed in 2014 in the Spanish-English combination. I probably could have gone on without it, but I’m proud of having the certificate and I feel that having a qualification gives a more professional image. I’ve also done various short courses in recent years, some on the business aspects of freelancing and others on my specialist areas.

Do you think that your previous career as a writer turned to your advantage?

My experience in journalism has helped me a lot because, although knowledge of foreign languages is obviously important for translators, there’s really no substitute for knowing how to write in your own language. It also helped give clients a little more confidence in me in the early days, despite my lack of experience. I think that the fact that journalists also have to learn to deal with people has helped me too when it comes to contact with customers and having to sell my services.

Finally, what can we wish you for the future?

Success with my attempts to specialize my business more and a good, happy life for myself and my family. Thank you, Emeline. 

The post Found in Translation: Simon Berrill from SJB Translations appeared first on In Touch Translations.

Today, my guest is Thea Hutchings. Thea is a motivated and experienced Director of Production at WordWorks Media, adept in localisation planning and global project management.  She has a genuine passion for language and learning and thoroughly enjoys the production process. Her CPD interests are Law and Forensics, Language from a cultural understanding, and she has just embarked on the PRINCE2® Foundation course. She’s responsible for creating the world’s catchiest tune ever, in six different languages.

Hello, Thea! I’m glad to have you as the very first interviewee on my new series.  Can you tell the readers who you are and explain what your current job is?

Hi Emeline, thanks very much for having me.

My name is Thea Hutchings and I’m Director of Production at WordWorks Media, in London.  WordWorks is a multilingual reversioning company specialising in localisation, foreign voiceover and subtitling and I manage the day-to-day projects and oversee the teams responsible.

Let’s go back a couple of years… What did you envision as your future career when you were a child?

My childhood was quite bohemian – surrounded by filmmakers, music, installation artists, photography etc.  I had a camera in my hand from the time I was 4, so I always assumed I’d have a career in photography.

When I was in my late teens however, I started working in a corporate photographic studio and soon realised it wasn’t for me.  A friend who is now a very successful camerawoman told me I’d be happier in a more creative environment, so in the late nineties I started my first ‘tele’ job at Nickelodeon.

However, fate had its way and the reality turned out quite different. Tell us, how were you found in translation?

Well, after several years working in television and then in sports production, in 2011 I was asked by a recruiter I knew if I could recommend anyone for the position of a ‘remote project manager’ for an LSP based in London.   Working from home fitted in with my childcare needs at that time and so I recommended myself! I became their full time Head of Production and a company Director, soon after.

Having no translation academic background, how did you learn about the ins and outs of the industry?

That’s an interesting question.  I like to think I’m still learning!  The disciplines of translation project managing are actually very similar to those of television production. You have an end product you need to work towards, whether that’s a programme, a series or a foreign language sales tape.  You have a budget to stick to and there’s always a deadline to take into account.   I think the most important thing I’ve learnt is that working across time zones – where people might not be reading your email until you are asleep – means you must have great ‘first time’ attention to detail, otherwise mistakes become very costly and time consuming.

I’m also a firm believer in learning from any mistakes I make and listening to others, too.  Asking someone more experienced than you – and no matter how high up the ‘ladder’ you go, there’s always someone who knows more, can help fill in any gaps in your knowledge.   No one can be an expert on everything.  Never be afraid to ask.

Do you think that your previous career turned to your advantage in the end?

Yes.  Although I don’t see a previous career in a different industry as a disadvantage.  There are lots of crossovers from production to project managing.  I think all our previous experiences are valuable in shaping who we are both in and out of work. 

I am a voracious CPD-er though!  Part time / online / night courses are a great way of filling those knowledge gaps and giving you further insight into a new area of expertise.  Future Learn, Udemy and Open University are some my favourite course providers.   I’m also a Digital Volunteer for the Smithsonian archive project, which is utterly fascinating.

What can we wish for you for the future?

It’s been a very busy couple of years for the team at WordWorks.  Reuters, Pink Squid and Discovery Networks have been added to the growing list of clients and a multi language top-secret film, completed!   Translation is an ever-changing and evolving industry as you know, and I love being a part of it.   I’m looking forward to getting my teeth into some new and interesting projects – after a Summer holiday though.

The post Found in Translation: Thea Hutchings from WordWorks Media appeared first on In Touch Translations.

It’s not exactly writer’s block, yet we all suffer from it one day or another. Somehow, none of the sentences you translate seem to flow the way you want them to. You have it on the tip of your tongue, but you’re unable to pinpoint the exact translation for that pesky yet so essential little word. And that creative translation just won’t translate itself despite your numerous efforts. Whatever the reasons, translator’s block is real, and it happens to all of us.

Strangely enough, I find that it happens the most to me when I’ve been very busy translating non-stop, barely stopping to do the other tasks that freelancing requires me to do (prospecting, admin, accounting, you name it!).

At first, I found it very annoying and I felt helpless. With time though, I’ve come to accept it and I now see it as a signal that lets me know that it might be time to recharge my batteries.

With experience, I know what works best to give me the right amount of inspiration when I’m stuck in a rut, and I’d like to share these few tips with you.

• Put some music on

Whether you’re into classical music or pop, turning on the radio can be a huge help with your mood and your inspiration. This is easily explained by the mind-wandering mode, a mode into which a brain enters without effort when it’s not actively engaged on a task. In the mind-wandering mode, your brain is more relaxed and ready to be more creative. Music helps the brain to do just that, as expert Daniel J. Levitin points out in his book The Organized Mind.

Call me old-fashioned, but I absolutely love Motown music. So when I feel that I need a little pick-me-up, I turn to my favorite webradio, turn on the speakers and let the magic happen. It never fails. Need something less loud? Why don’t you try the wonderful Coffitivity? Research shows that ambient noise is ideal for creativity.

• Read a book in your target language

I don’t know if it’s just me, but when I translate a lot, I feel like I’m using the same words and phrases over and over again. That’s why I like reading a book or a magazine in my native language, granted it’s well written. And then I ask myself “Why hadn’t I thought of putting things like this before?” Discovering another author’s style can give you ideas that you wouldn’t have otherwise thought about.

• Write for yourself

I guess this is something that most of us are guilty of. As translators, we are also writers. But when was the last time you wrote in your native language for you, and only you? I thought so. I recently started doing this whenever I felt the inspiration coming, and I must say I found it very refreshing and satisfactory not to match a source text and just follow my own intuition.

• Work out

My favorite time to go to the gym is when I get frustrated. I need to get it out of my system and the treadmill is the perfect tool to do just that. Even bestseller author Murakami does it!

• Sleep or take a power nap

What are the odds that your translator’s block is due to exhaustion? Tight deadlines, urgent projects, it’s easy to forget something as simple as sleep. Just like Marie Jackson rightfully pointed out in her article, sleep is important for your brain. Not sticking to a healthy sleep routine is equally as dangerous as not eating healthy. Take a power nap and start working straight after you wake up. It’s a well-known routine among prolific authors (take a look at this chart of famous creative routines – no wonder so many of those great minds work a lot more in the morning rather than in the afternoon or at night!).

• Lose yourself in nature

If nothing else works, my last resort is to wander in the nature. I’m lucky enough to live in a rather green area in a big grey capital city. Going to the park, sitting on a bench, getting a quick digital detox and just enjoying the moment frees your mind.

What about you, dear colleagues? What do you do when the words don’t flow?

The post Translator’s block: tips to get your translation juices flowing again appeared first on In Touch Translations.

The event started out with a swift overview of the company in pure corporate style. Shiny Powerpoints were displayed and promotional materials were ready on our seats upon our arrival. We, Belgians, are much more introvert and low-key when it comes to promoting our services, so that was quite something to see firsthand!

A number of sessions were on the agenda that day, focusing on productivity, quality and personalization, which are all key cores of the new Studio 2015. Despite the fact that the first presentations were quite shy on the substantial information side, we later got the chance to see the real stuff: a preview of what the new version of Trados will look like!

I’m not usually of the early bird kind, but this one looks like it’s worth the investment. Indeed, the AnyTM app will now be an integral part of the CAT tool, which means that you will be able to use any translation memories regardless of the language combination of the project you’re working (yes, I can hear those of you who work with language variants sigh in relief!). Another promising addition is the ability to work with scanned PDFs which I bet will be quite time-saving for legal translators who often have to deal with contracts. Not to mention the improved Insert Symbol feature which will be much quicker. Of course, the value of all this will certainly depend on what your workflow looks like and which languages you work with.

In addition to the novelties, the SDL speakers also shared a few tips and tricks with us. We got to learn more about the Open Exchange platform for example – which, I’ll admit, I’ve never used before despite the number of gems it offers!

On top of keeping up to date with the innovations of the industry, the event was a good opportunity to meet new people. Let’s face it, having an online presence is not everything, and that’s particularly true in my country. Case in point: most of the translators present in the room aren’t active on social media on a professional level.

Any of you who already has attended an industry-specific event will agree with me: it just gives you a wonderful fluffy feeling to be in a room full of translators, of language geeks like yourself. It was really nice sharing experiences, opinions and tips and tricks! Ever since I got back from the roadshow, my head is buzzing with new ideas for the business. I don’t know what it actually was at that conference that made such a big impact on me, but it certainly was full of (good) surprises!

The post A Day at the SDL Roadshow Brussels appeared first on In Touch Translations.

Hello, Tina. It’s very nice to have you on the series. Before we delve into your branding secrets, can you tell our readers a bit more about yourself and your business?

Hello, Emeline. First of all, let me tell you how honored I feel with the invitation to be part of your “What’s in a Brand?” series. Thank you so much. I’ve been following your blog for some time and I’ve always considered this series as extremely interesting. Now, about me: I am a native Portuguese translator and I work from English and French to Portuguese, as a freelancer, since 2006. I specialize in Business, Legal, International Affairs, Marketing and Tourism.  In fact, before starting my university studies in Translation, I was already professionally linked to languages, as I had been working for several years in the export department of a company where I was in charge of all the contacts with clients from very different places (Saudi Arabia, UAE, United States, Canada, Singapore, Japan, China and some countries in Europe). That experience strengthened my passion about what I believe is the essence of translation: to bridge the gap between two cultures, two people.

One thing that particularly struck me when I was visiting your website for the first time is how straight to the point it is. Having had the chance to discuss all things website with you, I know you are a firm believer in brevity. Can you explain this thought process and why it works for you?

I consider that the thought process for building my website was a bit hard although rewarding at the end. I wanted it to be as clean as possible, straightforward, with nothing more than the information I believe the potential clients would look for, and to also be a reflection of my professional attitude.

In my opinion, in general, people that are looking for our services (direct clients or translation companies) will not spend much time reading and analyzing every single detail of our academic background and professional experience, they tend to just “pick” the main parts. So, I’ve tried to convey the information in a simple and clear way and I think that this brevity rather than underestimate my value or my capacities as a professional, actually helps me to standout among my peers.

Boreal Translations – surely that’s not a common name for an into Portuguese translator. Why did you choose this name and not something more reminiscent of your native country?

The thought process leading to the name “Boreal” was indeed not linear. My goal was to find a name that would be understandable in the languages I work with. The original idea was to choose a Latin name connected to translation but I realized that it is something already done by a lot of companies in our area so I gave up on that line of thinking. Later, I figured that rather than limit the choice to the linguistic area, I could try a word describing a nature condition. I mean, what can be more universal than Nature itself?  Apart from that conclusion and because I live in a little village and always felt deeply connected to nature and to its amazing surprises, I came across “Boreal” (from “aurora boreal” in Portuguese) that is similar to English (aurora borealis) and French (aurore boréale).

One aspect I really like about your brand is the colors and general feel to it.  You really managed to capture the atmosphere of an aurora. How did you come up with it?

Let me tell you something: my favorite color is blue. So, after having decided the name and concept for the brand, I tried to match that personal touch with the image and the magnificent colors of the aurora borealis. I had the precious help of the programmer / web designer that was very supportive during this whole creative process.

And now for the traditional questions! We all know that branding is more than a name and a logo. If you had to choose three words to represent your brand, which ones would they be?

I would say “dedicated”, “straightforward” and “reliable”.

Finally, how do you manage to convey these aspects to your customers?

• Dedicated – whenever I have a project to be done, my attention becomes 100% focused. It’s not an option, it’s my working method, as I believe that it is the best way to deliver the most accurate final work.
• Straightforward – I consider it as an efficient and important tool for good time management. It’s important to adopt a personalized and straightforward way of communicating with the clients.
• Reliable – it’s essential to keep the customer happy and by sticking to its instructions and needs we are strengthening that basis. Most of all, it’s a matter of respect.

These three and a couple more represent the professional attitude that I daily strive for.

Thanks a lot for sharing your views with us, Tina!

The post What’s in a Brand? Tina Duarte from Boreal Translations appeared first on In Touch Translations.

Hello, David! It’s a pleasure to have you join the series. Could you first tell our readers a little more about yourself and Circa Lingua?

Hello, Emeline! My pleasure! Well, my name is David Miralles Pérez and I am sworn translator (EN – ES) specialised in law, economy, business and marketing. I got my degree in Translation and Interpreting at the University of Alicante and now I am studying part-time a Master of Science in Translating and Interpreting at Herriot Watt University in Edinburgh, where I am based. I have been working as a full-time freelance translator for almost two years now.

A year ago, I decided to boost my business and founded Circa Lingua. Circa Lingua’s aim is to boost SMEs and entrepreneur businesses and expand their services by targeting at new markets and audiences through linguistic services.

When visiting your website, I found it interesting how you managed to mix this professional look (with the colors you have chosen for example) with a more “homey”/start-up touch given by the pictures displayed. Was that intentional and if so, why did you go down that road instead of going corporate, which seems to be a more popular choice for translators specializing in business and economics?

Yes, it was completely intentional. Every single aspect of a website must have been designed with a purpose in mind, and this purpose in my case was my audience.

Due to my specialisations, I work with business that we can say that are more “serious” like law firms and corporate legal departments. That is why I decided to go for a professional look, as I want them to feel identified with my brand.

On the other hand, I also specialise in marketing and the creative industry, and of course I can’t forget this part of my business. I also work with marketing agencies and online businesses and that’s why I have used a more familiar and approachable copy on my website.

At the end of the day, you have to ask yourself what you think your clients are expecting from you and convey that through the different elements on your website. Our clients must feel that we understand them and their businesses.

I find the copy of your website very convincing and creative. Did you write it yourself? Was there a particular client that came up in your mind when you sat down to write it?

Thank you! I’m glad you liked it. The truth is that I wrote it myself. Obviously, I got the English copy proofread by native copywriters, but apart from that, it all came from my mind.

Before starting to write it, I studied my Ideal Customer Avatars in the different fields that I target my business. I did a market research and tried to get to know my clients as much as I could – although this is an ongoing task for me - so I could adapt the language used on my website to them.

I can say that I bore in mind all my clients back then, but also researched potential clients that may be interested in my services.

How did you decide on naming your business Circa Lingua and what’s the story behind your logo?

Well, the story behind my logo is my own story. I started as a freelancer two years ago as I mentioned, back in Spain. Then I decided to go to France and spend a year there, working on my business and improving my French. After that year I went back to Spain for three months, and now I am based in Edinburgh.

I can say that I’ve got itchy feet and love travelling around the world and living in different places. That’s how the Latin preposition came to my mind – Circa which means around – and also the round shape of my logo, which reflects the world.

Besides, I also wanted something language-oriented. So I kept the Latin root of the preposition I had already in mind and went for Lingua.

The last touch was the arrows that I added to symbolise a world that goes around languages.

And now for the traditional questions! We all know that branding is more than a name and a logo. If you had to choose three words to represent your brand, which ones would they be?

Trust-worthy, innovative and client-focused.

Finally, how do you manage to convey these aspects to your customers?

I take an innovative approach when it comes to do business. At this point, there are so many businesses out there that you should stand out so yours can become a success. That is why I have always opted for being creative from when I shaped and defined my business to the moment I started to contact clients.

When it comes to undertaking translation assignments, one of the things I pay more attention to is my clients’ needs and I focus my services on them.

I also pay special attention to the customer experience and all my clients notice it!

The post What’s in a Brand? David Miralles Pérez from Circa Lingua appeared first on In Touch Translations.

So, why would you want to attend such an event?

• For me, it was an opportunity to step out of my comfort zone, something I am aiming to do more this year. The size of the event was quite daunting, but it was a nice way to prove to myself that “Hey, even a tiny freelancer like me has a place in the business sphere”.
• To hear that you are not the only one feeling lonely sometimes. In the first conference I attended, one of the speakers (who is also very famous in Belgium) confessed that she felt very lonely sometimes, being the only founder of her business and the only person taking decisions. Strangely, that felt really good and reassuring!
• To meet new people… Thanks to Twitter, I learned about that a Coworking Week was held in Brussels next week. I met one of the co-founders of a coworking space at the event, and I’m set for a tryout next Thursday! (and yes, I’m pretty sure a blog post will come out of this new experience).
• And to reconnect with former acquaintances. I had made plans to meet up with a colleague – we ended up speaking so much that we actually missed a conference we both wanted to attend!
• To learn! The number of conferences organized was simply dizzying and touched on many subjects that could be of interest to anyone thinking of creating their own business or for active freelancers.

A few tips learned the hard way:

• Take a notebook and a pen with you. You never know when you will need to write a useful piece of information that you don’t want to forget!
• Wear comfortable shoes, especially if you’re planning to spend the whole day there! I wanted to go for the whole professional look but bitterly regretted it by the end of the day.
• Try to get your hands on a plan of the premises. The event I attended was spread across three different halls, packed with dozens of booths and with conference rooms on each side. It is definitely a waste of time to wander around, trying to wrap your head around where x should be and why y isn’t where you thought it would be.
• Similarly, plan ahead! Check that the conferences you want to attend don’t clash, have a look at where they are taking place, etc. It’s also useful to have a look at the exhibitors list – to my surprise, SDL had a booth at the event, so I went and said hi and received free popcorn :)!
• Don’t forget your business cards – that’s a given.

Have you attended professional events this year? What are your tips to make the most out of them?

The post Attending Professional Events: Benefits and Tips appeared first on In Touch Translations.

Hello, Suzanne! I am extremely pleased to have you here, as you have a quite specific profile. Can you tell us a little bit more about what sets you apart?

Thanks very much for inviting me, Emeline! You’ve interviewed some truly fantastic colleagues in this series, it’s an honour to be included alongside them!

Well, the obvious thing that makes me different is my specialism. I’ve come across a few colleagues that specialise in classical music but not very many, and almost none in my language combination and offering the same types of services as me.

I started out as an opera singer before retraining as a translator and I still work as a singer part-time now – so I’m really steeped in the field that I translate and that expertise and subject knowledge gives me a great advantage.

You are the perfect example of the niche principle. Was it clear to you from the beginning that you wanted to specialize in the musical field? And how did you decide to build your brand around that area of expertise?

I had always liked the idea of specialising in music but I actually started out doing automotive translation! When I finished my Masters in translation, my tutor there outsourced work to me and that’s what she specialises in. I then focused on technical and medical translation for a few years simply because that’s the work that came my way but eventually I decided to take that leap of faith and set up Recital Translations because I wanted to translate in a field I was truly passionate about and inspired by and that I also have a great deal of expertise in. It’s really important for clients to choose a translator who understands their industry and is familiar with their concepts, terminology and needs so I wanted to provide this for the music industry.

I started by looking at what other translators were offering and how they were presenting themselves. I found very few who specialised purely in music – a lot offered music translation as part of a much wider service – and most had websites that focused mainly on who they were as translators. I wanted a brand that was professional and that really “spoke” to music businesses – something that looked at things from their perspective – so I began to design a brand that fitted into the music industry more so than the translation industry.

When one visits your webpage, they are taken to a whole other sphere. I love that you added that red leather touch on the left hand side of the screen. It’s a very rich texture and, if you’ve ever been to the opera, it takes you straight back there! How did you decide to go for a more characteristic look than the popular one-pagers that seem to be popping up everywhere?

Well, it’s nice to hear that my site transports you to the opera! My website and logo were created by Websites for Translators who did a fantastic job. I wanted music professionals to feel “at home” when visiting my site so we used elements that are commonly found on the websites of those businesses, for example, black and red is a very common colour combination in the music industry – if you look at the BBC radio 3 site, for instance – and things like the bass clef used in the “R” of “Recital”. Using similar elements to others in the music industry makes the site feel more familiar and reassuring to clients and is a way of communicating that I understand the music industry.

Recital Translations is a perfect name for your business! Have you thought about other names before settling with this one?

The name was probably the hardest decision of all! It certainly took a long time to come up with. I considered using my name and calling it “Smart Music Translations”, particularly as “Smart” has quite positive connotations! But I know a few Italians who associate “Smart” with the Smart car and I definitely didn’t want that! I also felt it was just too long.

I wanted something that would be understood internationally in the music industry, that was relatively easy to pronounce and spell and that was connected with both music and translation. The idea behind the name is that when you “recite” something you are communicating something that somebody else has previously communicated, and that’s what translation is all about. Of course it’s a music-related term as well so it just seemed to fit!

Surely for clients, seeing such a specialist recreating their message in another language must be reassuring. How does your clientele respond to your very targeted brand?

As I said, the elements I use are familiar to them and make them feel that I am “in tune” (ha ha, pardon the pun!) with their industry. They are often very surprised as well when they come across my site – they often say that they didn’t expect to find a specialist music translator with such a music-focused brand and approach!

And now for the traditional questions! We all know that branding is more than a name and a logo. If you had to choose three words to represent your brand, which ones would they be?

Now you’re asking! Well, I think unique, friendly and, what the heck – “in tune”! Or is that four words?

Let’s make that three words :)! Finally, how do you manage to convey these aspects to your customers?

Well, my web copy is helpful there as it gives some specific examples of what I can do for clients and also shows my experience as a music professional as well as a translator. I would say that the services I offer are quite unique as well as I also offer transcreation, text summary and proofreading services. I always try to add a bit of a personal touch in my copy and communications with clients which adds to the friendly approach and I think they find that reassuring – they know they are working with a real person rather than a company machine.

The post What’s in a Brand? Suzanne Smart from Recital Translations appeared first on In Touch Translations.

Hello Janaina! First, thank you so much for answering my questions and taking part in this series. Could you start by telling our readers a little bit more about yourself and your business?

Hi Emeline, first I want to thank you because your blog has been such a source of inspiration for me. Your interviews with other translators have helped me tremendously, so it’s truly an honor to be featured here.

Well, I’ve been a full-time English to Brazilian Portuguese translator for six years, working mostly with business, PR and marketing texts. When I decided to pursue translation as a profession, I immediately enrolled in a reputable translation course in Brazil and was soon hired as an in-house translator by a global PR company. It was an incredible opportunity that helped me really grow into the role of a professional translator. I stayed with them for four years until venturing out as a freelancer and learned a lot about the profession and my specializations during that time.

Even though I’m not a newcomer to the industry anymore, my passion for translation has never dulled. I voraciously read translation blogs, attend various webinars and courses, love learning about new translation technology, and I recently started attending translation conferences, putting a face to all those amazing colleagues and work partners that I had never met in person.         

Many translators choose to pick an original name for their business, yet you decided to stick to your own personal name. Why is that? Did you also think about other names or was it clear from the beginning that you would go down that road?

I did contemplate having a business name, but because I’m a solopreneur, I had concerns about being confused with an agency. In the end I decided that I wanted my work to be associated with me. I’m proud of the work I do and putting my name on it just makes sense.

I find your logo very representative of what we do as translators. Can you share the story behind it?

The logo was designed by the very talented Rachel Bonness, whose work I first saw here on your blog. Because I decided to use my name as my business name, I needed imagery that would best represent the kind of work I do in a fairly straightforward manner. I was very specific with the elements that I wanted and the designer really nailed it. She gave me tons of great ideas to choose from, so it was definitely not an easy task. I chose the logo that incorporated three images—speech bubble, localization pin and globe—that I felt best summarized the industry. It’s clean, simple and to the point.

When I first visited your website, my eye was immediately drawn to the last element of the slider: a video! This is quite interesting. Was it hard to integrate it to your website? And why did you decide to add it instead of having a third picture?

My website was created by the amazing team at Websites for Translators. They work with WordPress and helped me pick a theme from the platform’s endless myriad of theme options. I was immediately drawn to the video slider. It was different from everything I had seen so far and I like how it adds an element of the unexpected. My main concern was having an easy-to-navigate website that combined text with interesting visuals because I wanted people to have a pleasant experience while visiting my website. I think the video makes people stand up and take notice; hopefully it heightens their curiosity and compels them to explore.

It certainly does, I think it achieves the effect you were looking for! And now for the traditional questions! We all know that branding is more than a name and a logo. If you had to choose three words to represent your brand, which ones would they be? 

Reliable, solid and approachable. These words represent the experience I want my clients and colleagues to have when they are interacting with me, whether visiting my website or working with me.

Finally, how do you manage to convey these aspects to your customers?

That’s a great question. I think reliability is easily conveyed during a work relationship, but some of my copy also highlights this trait, such as the strict quality assurance process I’ve adopted and my strong track record of meeting deadlines, for example.

Solidness, for me, has to do with experience and professional commitment. It also means that I take my craft seriously. This is conveyed through the projects I’ve worked on, my commitment to improving translation skills and specialist knowledge, and membership in professional associations, to list some examples.

Lastly, I chose mint green as my logo color because it’s such a welcoming and approachable color. Being approachable means that I am friendly and that my main concern is my clients’ needs. Whether I’m contacted by an old client or someone who is shopping around for their first translation provider, I always listen closely and ask questions so that I can provide them with solutions to help them attain their goals, even if that means helping them find another translation provider that better suits their needs. I’m passionate about what I do and it’s important for me that every client leaves with a smile on their face.

Thank you so much for sharing your story with us, Janaina!

The post What’s in a Brand? Janaina Ribeiro appeared first on In Touch Translations.