There are numerous ways to get your freelance translation business up and running, or revive it when you’ve taken time off or haven’t had much work. These range from the unexciting but effective (i.e. applying to every agency in the ATA or a similar association) to the creative and pricey (i.e. preparing slick marketing materials and attending trade fairs for your target industries).

So far (I always feel obligated to write that in case the bottom falls out of the industry at some point!) the global economic meltdown seems to have left most freelance translators relatively unaffected. At the ATA conference, many people I spoke with commented that they have never been busier. But, let’s say that you really want to ramp up your marketing efforts; I’ll offer a few suggestions and I’m sure that other people have great tips too.