Can you afford not to attend a translation conference?

Tips to get the most out of a conference

Do you recognize yourself with the following scenario? You are quite a busy translator. You might even have a family and lots of bills to pay. In fact, some months it is hard to make ends meet, both when it comes to money and time. Attending an industry conference only seems like a dream.

This person was me about ten years ago when I had been a freelance translator for a bit more than a year. But I decided to attend the national translation conference that year, despite the huge investment it was for me. I was hungry for more information and to meet other people doing what I was doing. I am so glad I went! The investment paid off within a few months, and I have been going to this conference ever since. Now when I hear other translators saying they cannot afford to attend a translator conference, or do not have time to attend, I try to make them see how valuable conferences for translators are.

Why you should attend a translation conference

1. Attending a conference in your field can bring back the passion you have for your job.
2. Being a freelance translator can be quite a lonely job but at a conference you meet so many people that do exactly what you do and understand what you do.
3. You will find out what the trends in the industry are and where there is room for improvement.
4. You will attend sessions that will stimulate your personal and professional growth and improve your chances for success.
5. You will meet the gurus in your field, perhaps even talk to them and gain valuable insight on their journey to the top.
6. You will meet potential clients. I remember coming home from my first conference with five new clients, which in itself paid for the conference.
7. You will get to know colleagues that you can collaborate with.

Attending a conference is one of the most fun and accessible opportunities to breathe new life into your job, to develop new skills and move toward a more successful future. So how can you afford not to attend? That is my question!

In this month’s Marketing Tips for Translators newsletter you get a checklist for how to make the most out of attending a translation conference and I hope to see you at a translation conference soon, perhaps even next week? I am in conference mood since I am leaving for the annual American Translators Associations annual conference in Chicago, where I will meet more than 1,500 other people just like you and me.