Marketing Your Freelance Translation or Interpreting Business Online: You Don't Have to Do It All
There's a common misconception that holds a lot of freelancers back from marketing their business actively and consistently.
It's a simple one, but many people don't recognize how much this obstacle impedes them from getting any marketing done.
It's the mindset that they have to "do it all" or "be everywhere online," which results in feeling stuck and not marketing their businesses at all.
Well, here's your permission slip to drop the notion that you have to do it all or be everywhere at once.
Keep in mind that no one is capable of doing it all or being everywhere. No one. At least not well.
When you accept that it's not necessary or expected for you to be a superhuman marketing expert, it takes a lot of the pressure off.
Polishing just one or two areas of your online presence really well (and consistently!) can bring you incredible results. I've seen it again and again from colleagues who have adopted this mindset shift to not do it all or be everywhere at all times.
So, how do you put a stop to the overwhelm and start making progress with your online marketing?
Let your clients dictate where you show up
Okay, I realize this sounds very simplistic, but it's something that many people still struggle with because they can't pinpoint which platforms are the best ones to show up on for their businesses and clients.
Consider who your clients are.
Where are they looking for someone like you online?
Are you showing up there well and consistently?
What kind of presence could you have there, even if it's just a minimal one to start?
If you, like many freelancers, thought of LinkedIn and Google as the answer to the first question above, well, there you have it. Your answer is clear: You need to improve your LinkedIn presence and have a website, or at least a Google My Business page, that can be found easily via a search engine.
Now, think about all the other platforms you can rule out as a result of this realization. It's pretty liberating and a lot less intimidating now, right?
Recognize that you don't have to use every feature on the platforms you use
Just because LinkedIn has loads of features and options, that doesn't mean you have to use them all. In fact, you shouldn't even try to.
Trying to will quickly lead to frustration, overwhelm, stagnation, and possibly, burnout. Instead, pick the features that make the most sense to reach those you want to serve (see the second question above).
Talk to or observe someone who has had success with the platform(s) you choose and pay attention to what they're doing and how they talk to their clients.
Don't try to copy their work or engagement. Simply see what's working for them and consider whether a similar approach might work well for your business and clients.
If not, you can adapt the approach to fit your business and marketing efforts or move on to another approach.
One way I get inspiration when I'm feeling stuck is to observe professionals in other industries and fields. I almost always find a creative way to use a platform that I hadn't thought of before. I can adapt the strategy to fit my clients and my preferences, allowing me to stand out from others who offer the same services I offer and giving me some confidence to keep going.
Make a plan to be consistent
This is really the most important piece of the puzzle. Consistency, even just a few minutes a day, will make all the difference in the outcomes you achieve.
Once you've figured out platforms your clients are on and what features are best to use to reach them, it's time to make a plan.
As the saying goes, a goal without a plan is just a dream. Make some time to determine how you can show up consistently in your marketing.
Smaller, consistent steps are always more powerful than sitting down once without a plan and hoping for the best. A little bit every day will add up to a lot.
Take it from Darren Hardy, author of The Compound Effect. He shares that small choices + consistency + time = significant results.
Isn't this true with most good things in life? Allow yourself the space to take small, consistent steps:
Engage with people online
Build relationships
Find ways to connect that feel authentic to you
Remove the pressure of selling (my guess is you'll see those significant results sooner if you do!)
Finally, consider this. Brands that have a presence on multiple platforms probably have a team of folks behind them making it happen.
You are your team. You get to decide how you spend your time and how much to put into your marketing. So, make it count while being reasonable with how much time you can commit, even if it's just 10-20 minutes a day!
Here's the permission you might (or might not) have been waiting for...
You don't have to do all the marketing. You don't have to be everywhere. You can show up, just as you are.
The key is to do so consistently and in the right places for the right people.
Related: How to Make Online Marketing a Habit You Can Stick To, How to Improve Your Marketing Mindset to Grow Your Translation or Interpreting Business, 6 Ways to Stop Self-Sabotaging Your Online Marketing Efforts
