
By Sue Leschen, 29 and 30 April 2021, 10am – 4pm both days
Who is this workshop for?
Most language professionals are not naturally entrepreneurs and have to acquire the know-how to set up, maintain and enhance their businesses. This two-day workshop with Sue Leschen is for all freelance interpreters and translators working into and from English – both experienced and starting out – who are running their own businesses in today’s challenging and competitive climate.
Course Outline
Day 1
Part 1: Business Plan
- Essential to have a (realistic) plan “A”
- Just as important to have a plan “B”
- Services offered by business
- Aim(s) of business
- Annual SWOT review of initial plan “A”
- Business structure: sole trader or limited company
Part 2: Money
- Accounting systems
- Accountants or DIY?
- Keeping receipts
- UK Taxes: Income Tax, VAT
- Non – UK taxes?
- Estimates, Invoices, Quotes, Receipts
- Fees and basis for charging for translation; source/ target languages/ 1000 words, characters, line, hourly rate
- Fees and basis for charging for interpreting ; per hour, minimum 2 hours, half – day, full day , travel time, paid breaks
- Supplementary charges; preparation and research, conversion to PDF, anti – social hours charge
- Deposits, discounts and payment by instalments
- Currency and exchange rates
- Cash flow: feast or famine
- Bad, late and non – payers; daily interest
- Debt collection: Proz.com Blue Board: http://paymentpractics.net/: Small Claims Court
- Running businesses not charities
- Pro bono work – does it pay?
Part 3: Clients
- Mass and premium market
- Direct and indirect clients
- UK / Europe
- Pareto Principle 80: 20
- Client obtention and retention
- Difficult and demanding clients
Part 4: Colleagues
- Good and bad
- Networking
- Collaboration: proof readers and translators
- Collaboration for sourcing work; Business Language Boutique: Bournemouth Translators and Interpreters (40 languages) ; Interpreters Collective
- Home alone office or co – work space with colleagues and/ or other professionals?
Part 5: Time
- Time management
- Time is money
- Prioritising and procrastinating
- Time wasters
- Tempus fugit (time flies) and Carpe Diem (seize the day)
- 24/7 “always on” culture
- Work/life balance
Part 6: Terms and Conditions of Business
- Own
- Client’s
- CIOL Model Terms and Conditions – Interpreters
- CIOL Model Terms and Conditions – Translators
- CIOL Specimen contract – Interpreters
- CIOL Specimen contract – Translators
- The art of negotiating terms and conditions with clients
Part 7: Non – Disclosure Agreements (NDA’s)
- To sign or not to sign an NDA that is the question?
- Standard NDA clauses: non – solicitation of client’s clients
Day 2
Part 8: Marketing – traditional and social media
- Profile and credibility in marketplace(s)
- FTF networking at professional events
- Business cards, brochures and biros
- CV’s – relevancy
- Websites; DIY or professional
- LinkedIn profiles
- Facebook pages
- Instagram pictures
- YouTube videos
- All marketing must be legal, decent and honest and not misleading
Part 9: Positioning and Branding of business
- Setting up your stall in the marketplace(s)?
- Developing your own brand; Dior or Primark?
- Exploiting niche markets
Part 10: Generalists, Specialists and Experts
- Which are you?
- How many specialisms can any one LP have?
- Becoming a Go To expert
- Pros and cons of being a generalist, specialist or expert
Part 11: Professional Conduct and ethics
- CIOL Code of Conduct (2017)
- General principles of professional conduct
- Common breaches of Code
- Regulation and sanctions
Part 12: Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
- Staying up to date
- Targeting the right CPD
- How much, how little CPD?
- Investing time and money in CPD
- Free CPD
- Maintaining visible CPD Record
Part 13: Protecting you, your business and the public
- Professional Indemnity Insurance
- Legal expenses insurance
- Insuring home office/ equipment
- Duvet days - Sickness insurance
- Rainy days – Income Protection Insurance
- Retirement pension(s); State and private
- Backing up work in case of IT failure
- Insuring Remote Interpreting (RI)
- General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
- Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Checks; Standard, Enhanced
- Security Check (SC) and Counter Terrorist Check (CTC)
Part 14: Professional membership organisations, networks and mentoring
- What they can do for you
- What you can do for them
- Language specific organisations
- Subject specific organisations
- Adopting a mentor
Part 15: Mindset
- Can do mindset
- Persevere and try again
- Accepting constructive criticism
- Entrepreneurial
Cost
Two-day ticket: CIOL member
|
£300
|
Two-day ticket: Non-member
|
£350
|
One-day ticket: CIOL member
|
£180
|
One-day ticket: Non-member |
£210 |
How is it delivered?
The delivery of this workshop will be online and you will receive joining details one week before the start of the workshop.