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Social Media for Transcriptionists: Expanding Your Network

Posted on by earfuledits

One rule when it comes to networking that I think is good to stick to is, be yourself! Being yourself is a good thing to do in general, but especially in networking so people can get to know you and build some trust.

 

Social media is a great tool to get yourself seen and potentially gain some clients as a transcriptionist. The key is consistency. If you are not consistent, people will most likely forget about your work. Post reminders about any deals you have going on, comment on other people’s posts, and reach out and let people know that you care about what they have to say. These are all great ways to get noticed and build your network.

To learn more about ways you can succeed at being a transcriptionist, take a look at the following link: Transcribe Anywhere

Discount for ALL New Clients

Posted on by earfuledits

If you are a new client, you will get a 40% discount on your first transcript. There is no deadline for this deal and no catch. The podcast discount is still active as well until November 21st! So, if you are a new client and happen to need a podcast transcribed, your transcript will have a 70% percent discount. Check out the Contact Us tab to get your discounted transcript started!

Not Transcription Related… Happy Halloween!

Posted on by earfuledits
I thought I would do a blog post that’s just for fun and not work or transcription related. This blog post is about getting to know my readers! I know there’s not many, but there may be a few out there who are reading this. And that’s what matters!
So, here are the questions… 
  • What is your favorite thing to do for Halloween?
  • What was your favorite costume as a kid?
  • If you still dress up for Halloween, what are you dressing up as this year?
  • What is your favorite candy?

Here are my answers:

  • I love to go to the pumpkin patch with my family. I don’t do it on Halloween, but it’s my favorite thing to do around that time.
  • My favorite costume was probably my Link costume from The Legend of Zelda.
  • I am dressing up as a warnings label from a medicine bottle.
  • My favorite candy is really any dark chocolate or Reese’s peanut butter cups.
Excited to see what your answers are!

 

Creating and Building Your Transcription Business

Posted on by earfuledits
I am a small business owner, and I can safely say that it is not easy! I haven’t owned a business for very long, but these are the steps I took to build what I have today:
1. Do your research and have a written plan.
Before I did anything to make my business official, I did some research and wrote out a plan. Here are the things I researched:
  • Who are my competitors?
  • What is trending in the transcription world?
  • What are my competitor’s rates?
  • How do I create a website?
  • What licenses will I need for my business?

After I researched these things, I wrote down a rough draft of my business plan and went from there. This will give you a better idea of what you’re getting in to.

2. Get the licenses needed for your business.
From your research, apply for and buy the necessary business licenses for your area. The licenses needed vary depending on your location and what kind of business you created. You will need this before you start anything because it is illegal to do business without a license.
3. Create a website.
I personally used Word Press for my website, and I made the mistake of buying my domain name from a site that was not supported by Entri. If you don’t know what Entri is, it is something that makes connecting your domain name to your website quick and easy. Since my domain site was not supported by Entri (I used WhoIs), it was a pain getting it connected because I had to use some coding and figure out where to put the coding in their designated spots. It took me several hours to get it connected and set up. So, if you are using Word Press to build your website, I would recommend buying your domain name from a site supported by Entri to make the connecting process easier. Some sites supported by Entri are GoDaddy and WordPress. I would also recommend going to the Word Press website or whatever site you choose to build your website on for more detailed instructions on how to build and personalize your website.
4. Pay for advertising.
This part has been the hardest part for me because I cannot afford even the cheapest paid advertising. I have heard that this helps a lot with gaining clients. So, if you can afford it, this is a must for quickly gaining clients.
5. If you can’t afford paid advertising, do free advertising.
This is harder and more time intensive, but it is free! This method is what I have been using since I started my small business. Create your own advertisements and post them on social media. Being active on social media is a great way to advertise your business for free. I am on Pinterest, Facebook, and LinkedIn and post regularly on all of those platforms. I will say that doing it this way takes quite a bit more time to gain clients. I have been doing my advertising this way for about two to three months and have not had any clients reach out yet. But persistence is key! If this is the way you choose to do your advertising, don’t give up and stick with it! I create my advertisements on Microsoft Designer. It’s easy and free.
6. Create a blog.
Creating a blog and posting on it regularly can also help you gain clients and is a good networking strategy. Who knows? Maybe your blog will reach someone and actually help them out. On my blogs, I used to use AI pictures, but I realized that they just don’t look authentic. There were always too many things wrong with the picture, so I started using free stock photos. This is the site I use for good quality free photos if you would like to check it out for yourself: Free Stock Photos
7. Do some networking.
Networking helps get you noticed by people. In other words… socialize! This was, and is, still a hard concept for me to master. I am an introvert, and socializing is the last thing I want to do. But it really does help. That’s why I got LinkedIn. Try commenting on other people’s posts and provide your input. This will help people get to know you a little and realize that you’re not just another faceless business in the sea of businesses. Be professional but be yourself as well.
8. Be patient.
Patience really is a virtue. Especially if you are a small business that is just beginning. I’m about three months into being a small business owner with no paid advertising and there have been many times already that I felt like I just wanted to give up. I’ve been creating advertisements and posting regularly on all of the social media platforms and on my blog and I have not had a single potential client show any interest. And it can be frustrating at times because I did put in so much work to become certified in general transcription and create this business from scratch on my own. But some things do take time. If you’re in the same boat as me, you’re not alone! Be patient and know that it will most likely pay off in the end.

Legal Transcription: Ensuring Accuracy in Court Proceedings

Posted on by earfuledits

I have no experience with legal transcription, personally. However, I have done a little research on it and what I found was interesting! Take a look at this article to learn more about legal transcription: Guide for Legal Transcriptionists

Medical Transcription: Clarifying the Medical Jargon

Posted on by earfuledits

Have you ever wondered how a general transcriptionist transcribes medical jargon? No prior schooling in the medical field. No degree. Well, I can say that it’s not easy, but it does take a lot of research. Any time I run into a word that I don’t understand, I look it up. That helps with spelling and making sure it’s the correct word. Another thing to do is to listen very carefully.

To see some more detailed information and tips, take a look at this article on how to transcribe medical dictations: Medical Transcription

Transcribing Podcasts with NO AI

Posted on by earfuledits

Although I personally have not had any experience with transcribing podcasts, I do hope to transcribe one someday. I did a little research on how to transcribe podcasts and, surprisingly, nothing came up except for AI tools. AI is not always the best way to transcribe. It’s almost never accurate. At my small business, Earful Edits, I do all of my transcribing manually with no AI assistance. So, if I ever have the privilege of transcribing a podcast, here is how I would go about doing it with no AI:

 

1. Download the audio to Express Scribe

I use a transcription software called Express Scribe for all my transcripts. It’s an easy way to transcribe by using a foot pedal to play and pause the audio hands-free. To see more about this transcription software, click on the following link: Express Scribe

2. Transcribe the audio in my client’s preferred way.

There are a few different ways a transcript can be written:

 

  • Standard verbatim: Cleaned up — omitting all uh’s, um’s, and stutters
  • Strict verbatim: Everything is typed up as is, including the stutters
  • Time stamps: Add the time of the audio every 15 seconds in addition the verbatim that the client wants

After the preferred format is communicated, get started on your transcript!

 

3. Proofread.

Once I have finished a transcript and am at the proofreading stage, I usually proofread to double speed audio. This makes the process a little faster. After that, I proofread with no audio. Sometimes just reading over a transcript with no audio can make mistakes a little clearer because you don’t have any distractions.

Although AI can be good for a faster turnaround time, I prefer to transcribe with no AI assistance. AI just can’t replace the quality human touch.

 

One thing to remember: If you are like me and manually transcribe your audio and dictation files, remember to take breaks! I am guilty of going into hyper focus mode and working for several hours straight on some transcripts. It’s good to take breaks every 30 minutes to an hour to avoid burnout. Take care of yourself!

Beyond Transcription: Editing and Proofreading

Posted on by earfuledits

Editing and proofreading are some great services that a transcriptionist could add to their business. But what is the difference between proofreading and editing? I used to think that these services were one and the same.

 

Proofreading is the final step in the writing process. You look for grammatical errors, punctuation errors, and incorrect spelling and you correct them.

Editing is what happens before proofreading. This is a task that involves improving the quality of the written work.

So, proofreading and editing are definitely different and very valuable services that you could add to your transcription services. To learn more about proofreading and editing, check out this article: Proofreading and Editing

Overcoming the Barriers: Transcription for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Posted on by earfuledits

When we watch movies or tv shows, we often see audio indicators such as [laughs], [distant crashing], [gasps], etc. Have you ever wondered how transcriptionists know how to add these indicators and when? Or how they do it without obstructing the actual words being said?

Check out this article to learn more about breaking down the barriers for the deaf and hard of hearing: Meeting the Needs of Deaf Clients

Academic Transcription: Capturing Lectures and Seminars Accurately

Posted on by earfuledits

One of the best pieces of advice I’ve gotten for transcribing is to research the topic that is being discussed. Research any words or terminology that you do not know. This goes for any transcript, but especially in academic transcription.

For tips on doing good research for your transcripts, especially academic transcripts, click on the following link: 4 Effective Research Tips

About

Earful Edits offers fast, accurate, and affordable transcription of interviews, seminars, meetings, videos, lectures, sermons, focus groups, medical, legal, or any other recorded event.

Contact

Jamie Hendricks

Email: earfuledits@gmail.com

QUOTE

"In the transcribing and the editing, you want some retention of how the person speaks - you don't want to edit out all of the hesitations and idiosyncrasies. And to get people to say something they've never said before. That's big." ~ Sheila Heti