To the average freelancer making a six-figure salary seems less lofty and more impossible. It’s something dreamt about while sipping mimosas. But, I’m here to tell you it’s not out of reach. I’ve done it. Using my marketing skills, I’ve built a thriving business that’s given me the six-figure salary I wanted and the freedom that I dreamt of.

Three Things Standing Between You and $100k

When I first started freelancing, I was terrified. I felt less like an entrepreneur and more like a soldier in the middle of a minefield. I worried that one misstep would turn my business into statistical shrapnel. After coaching over 100 translators, I realized that this fear is a big part of what’s holding us back. Freelance translators struggling to make six figures are often:

1. Afraid to Raise Their Rates: I’ve been there, afraid to lose customers if I increased my rates. That’s why I spent so long hovering around the $0.12 minimum recommended by the American Translators Association. But if you do it right, there’s no reason to be worried. Most clients understand that more experience yields higher pay. Those that don’t aren’t the clients you want. It doesn’t have to be a drastic change either. As the below chart shows, even a few cents can make a difference:
   

   Rate Per Word	Working Days in a Year	Words Per Day Required to Make $100k
   $0.12	260	3206
   $0.13	260	2959
   $0.20	260	1924

2. Terrified of Losing Clients: None of us like losing a potential revenue stream. But some clients, especially the annoying ones, aren’t worth the effort. If they’re giving you a migraine, it might be time to cut them loose. This will leave you more time to market yourself to new and better clients.
3. Not Marketing Consistently: Like it or not, a big part of being a successful freelance translator is selling yourself. I find that a lot of translators put marketing on the backburner. When they do end up doing it, it’s usually with zero forethought. If you’re not going to market yourself to the right people at the right time, you might as well not do it at all.

Six Things You’ll Need to Do to Jump Those Hurdles

Overcoming those hurdles isn’t easy, but it’s possible. And, if you want to be a six-figure translator, you’ll have to find a way. Below are six things you can do to overcome your fear, find great clients, and finally make your way into the 100k club:

1. Master Your Trade: The better you are at your job, the more you can charge. To achieve master status, you need to practice every day. You should also set aside a few hours a week to learn about new tools and trends in the translation industry. If you find yourself drowning in a sea of errors, you might need to invest in a CAT tool or a few QC classes.
2. Find Your Niche: Generalists make less. There’s no getting around that. This is doubly true when you work with popular languages like Chinese, Spanish, or Arabic. To reach 100k, you need to take a step back and think about what makes you different from other freelancers. I had decades of marketing experience, for example. If nothing comes to mind, you might want to find an industry that interests you and pour your soul into it. Otherwise, you’ll have a tough time justifying your increased rates.
3. Be a Businessperson: To build a successful business, you need to understand what goes into it. Every freelance translator should have a few entrepreneurship and accounting classes under his or her belt. If funds are tight, you can audit a couple of courses on Coursera for free.
4. Charge Above Average Rates: Charging the industry average of $0.12 would require you to write over 3000 words a day to earn six figures. Unless working your fingers to the bone sounds fun, you’ll need to charge more money for your services. This makes it easier to reach your six-figure goals. Charging $0.20 a word can put you on the fast path to earning $100,000 a year.
5. Create a Marketing Plan: With a marketing plan, you’ll have a strategy for your translation business and know how to market your translation services to your ideal clients, based on your market position. This will make sure you focus on delivering your services to the right people at the right time. Though there are plenty of tutorials out there, I’m partial to this one.
6. Diversify Your Revenue Streams: Putting all your eggs in one basket is a recipe for disaster. That’s why it’s important for you to pair multiple clients with a diverse skill set. You should also consider adding things like public speaking, web design, computer coding, or website advertising into your portfolio. The more varied your offerings, the least likely you’ll end up trapped in a feast and famine cycle.

Going from average freelance translator wages to six figures won’t happen overnight. It will take a lot of dedication and perseverance. But, if you take the right steps, it’s possible. Right now the first session of Marketing Mastery for Experienced Translators – The Complete Guide to Build a 6-figure business is underway. If you are also interested in this process, please sign up for the waitlist, and be the first to know when it will launch again next year.

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