Jost Zetzsche's presentation at AMTA conference in Twitter

If you could not attend the 51st ATA Annual Conference held in Denver from 31 October to 4 November 2010, you could follow the presentations of interest in Twitter. Thanks to Kirti Vashee (@kvashee) you could follow the main points of Jost Zetzsche's presentation "HIC SVNT DRACONES! Encountering the Unknown: When Machine and Human Translators Meet":

@Jeromobot = JZ so I will use that as the abbreviation - no wonder he likes Beyonce so much #AMTA2010

JZ: It is important to build bridges and communicate better #AMTA2010

JZ: Talking about Babelfish and how it caused wars because of miscommunication #AMTA2010

JZ: Comparing Jaap quote with Mao quote about letting a hundred flowers bloom #AMTA2010

JZ: Talking about how differently xl8rs view themselves vs MT people #AMTA2010 e.g. bridge builder, language

JZ: Listing what xl8rs could have done better e.g. Response to TM#AMTA2010

JZ: TM is "a low-level feature of MT" and need to learn about diff types of MT #AMTA2010

JZ: What can MT community do better #AMTA2010 Xl8rs are based on our translations - Please acknowledge

JZ: Talk to us in "real" language #AMTA2010 Admit what your tools can and cannot do

JZ: Showing an idiot quote by SDL Tapling saying that MT is "magical" #AMTA2010 Mocking this

JZ: Give us challenging tasks #AMTA2010 Showing a live conversation with me on Twitter discussing improvement strategies

JZ: The Title translates to Here be Dragons! #AMTA2010 which was what maps had when they did not know what it was

JZ: We tend to demonize the unknown #AMTA2010 Lets enter each others terra incognita and put myths behind us

JZ: MT post-editing is not the same as editing fuzzy matches so dont tell us that #AMTA2010 Want instant gratification

JZ: We want to participate in "making it better" #AMTA2010

Later in his newsletter Jost Zetzsche wrote about the value of the ATA and AMTA conferences held in Denver this autumn: "What happened during the co-located ATA and AMTA conferences in Denver was the final formation of a strong bridge between the two communities, and now it's up to you and me and those on the other side to actually use that bridge."

Tess Whitty's presentation at ATA Conference in tweets

If you could not attend the 51st ATA Annual Conference held in Denver from 27 to 30 October 2010, you could follow the presentations of interest in Twitter. Thanks to Monica Oliveira (@MonicaMOliveira) and Eve Lindemuth Bodeaux (@ebodeaux), you could follow the main points of Tess Whitty's presentation on marketing freelance:

@MonicaMOliveira: #ata51 presentation on marketing freelance by T Whitty: you have to adjust your desirable rate to the market.

@MonicaMOliveira: Witty at #ata51, you can get clients to pay your desired rate if you can convince them you are unique.

@MonicaMOliveira: Whitty presentation @ #ata51. Have a professionally done resume.I agree, I get lots of translators resume without language pair!

@ebodeaux: #ata51 @Tesstranslates - get across to potential clients what it would cost them NOT to hire you >> excellent!

@ebodeaux: #ata51 @Tesstranslates - Track your #marketing efforts online and off. Helps you adjust strategy.

@ebodeaux: #ata51 @Tesstranslates - follow up in (traditional) marketing (call or contact them) is very impt

@ebodeaux: #ata51 @Tesstranslates - ask new customers how they found you - to adjust and focus you #marketing efforts

@ebodeaux: #ata51 @Tesstranslates - ask new customers how they found you - to adjust and focus you #marketing efforts

@ebodeaux: #ata51 @Tesstranslates - using 1-pg marketing plan to define (and track!) goals

@ebodeaux: #ata51 @Tesstranslates - reflect on why your biz exists, who is your ideal client? (Define your market) #marketing

@MonicaMOliveira: My advice: personal information,like age,marital status, and gender, is BIG NO-NO

@ebodeaux: #ata51 @Tesstranslates - find balance: time invested vs. return you get in actual business. #marketing

@ebodeaux: #ata51 @Tesstranslates - market your services consistently - and follow up makes huge difference

@ebodeaux: #ata51 @Tesstranslates - a marketing plan is simply a structured way to define and track your goals

@ebodeaux: #ata51 @Tesstranslates - assess your marketing plan quarterly to keep on track and also assess your progress

@ebodeaux: #ata51 @Tesstranslates - niche, specialization very impt in differentiating yourself from the competition #marketing

@ebodeaux: #ata51 @Tesstranslates - can use publicity to get people to come to you [also makes you seem as expert / you in position of control]

@ebodeaux: #ata51 @Tesstranslates - marketing goals - such as "want to make $X per week" to measure success

Although Twitter cannot replace the live attendance, you can make useful conclusions to improve your current freelance marketing. At least I'm doing so.