Letters to the Editor

Spider Marketing: How to Get Clients to Come to You | Simon Berrill

I enjoyed the article, and I think I’m a successful spider! I’ve been in business for 26 years providing English/Spanish translation and interpreting services. The majority of these reliable clients have come from referrals, as stated in the article. I’m not one to keep up with Facebook or Twitter, but I have a large network of contacts on LinkedIn and love my profession.
—Jackie Metivier I Cary, NC

Thank you for a very enlightening article. I don’t have a personal website (although I’m on a number of directories as well as LinkedIn). But after reading your article, I’m seriously considering setting (a professional) one up. Thanks!
—Paula Gille Loubier I Greendale, WI

Excellent article, Simon! This is the first time I’ve ever seen anyone mention the benefits of “networking” with colleagues, although I would argue that it’s more like socializing than anything (lucky for us). But I agree that referrals from colleagues are one of the primary ways to get new clients. It’s quite possibly the main reason why translator associations exist! Thanks for spreading the word.
—Natalie Pavey I New Brunswick, Canada

Why Ergonomics Matters to Professional Translators | Sharon O’Brien and
Maureen Ehrensberger-Dow

Very well researched and presented article. Ergonomics is a favorite topic of mine, which is why I gave a presentation on this area at ATA’s 55th Annual Conference in 2014 (“Your Body, Your Most Neglected Tool: Ergonomics for Translators”). I was pleased to see a lot of interest from attendees, but also sad to hear many stories of preventable problems.

In my years working first as an occupational therapist and now as an interpreter/translator, I’m always surprised to see how people set up their work spaces and how little thought is given to the importance of preventing injury or fatigue. People seem to gravitate to this or that “miracle” product while not seeing the big picture: no matter how ideal your work station, it’s not meant to be used for hours at a time. Also, there is no one solution that will work for every person. We need to incorporate movement and positional change. Thanks again for your article!
—Irene Radillo I Tucson, AZ