Get Over It! How to Move Past Your Fear of Finding Transcription Clients

“I’m scared I won’t find any transcription clients.”

“Where do you look for transcription clients?”

“I want to start searching for clients but don’t know where to start.”

“How do you actually get transcription clients?”

This fear holds back so many Transcribe Anywhere graduates from being as successful as they can be! We get posts in our graduate group every week on this very topic.

 Whether due to imposter syndrome, being out of your comfort zone, or having unrealistic expectations of fast money, fear clouds your judgment and actively prevents you from moving forward, becoming a successful transcriptionist, and building an amazing work-from-home career.

 The good news is that all you need is a plan! So here are some practical actions you can take to move past the fear and develop your confidence.

Build your transcription skills

Finding clients isn’t only about marketing. If you can’t do the work (and do it well), then you have missed the entire point and are setting yourself up for certain failure. This is why we recommend finishing the course before trying to find paying transcription jobs. 

Transcribe Anywhere students have the best training possible to ensure success as a transcriptionist. However, many people want to “skip to the end” and go directly to finding clients. But hang on!

An electrician doesn’t show up to install a new outlet if he has never done it before, right? The same goes for transcription work. You need to know what you’re doing before you can even think about finding clients. 

If you continue to practice and build your transcription skills (even after graduating the Transcribe Anywhere course), you will automatically have more confidence going into your search for clients because you can count on your foundational skills.

Adjust your mindset

Perspective is everything! If you believe you can do it, you CAN do it. When obstacles inevitably arise, you’ll find a different approach. Why? Because the belief that you can do it motivates you to try new solutions.

Transcription truths

• There is plenty of work to go around, whether you have been a transcriptionist for 1 day or 100 days. 
• You won’t find all the clients in one day. Have patience and focus on doing the best job at whatever work you accept.
• Working as a subcontractor is an awesome way to develop your transcription skills (while making money!) and build your network.
• Starting slowly doesn’t make you a failure. Focus on getting ONE client and doing a great job for them.

Recognize your own strengths, weaknesses, and preferences, continue to practice your practical skills, and know in your heart that you can do this. You're not the first transcriptionist on this journey, and you won’t be the last. If others can do it, so can you.

Know your value

When I say “value,” I’m not talking about knowing how much to charge. What I mean is that you need an understanding of what transcription is and how it helps clients. The “how” will vary depending on the type of client. The value for a YouTube client is different from the value for an attorney. 

If you aren’t confident that the service you’re providing as a transcriptionist has value and can’t explain what that value is, why would a client want to hire you? So do your research (hint: we explain this in the course) and prepare and practice. Say your pitches out loud. Write them down. Deliver your pitch to friends and family. The more you practice this, the more confident you’ll be when presented with a real networking opportunity.

Get comfortable with being uncomfortable

Starting something new is HARD! It’s uncomfortable because you are literally changing into something new. It’s supposed to be uncomfortable. Getting out of your comfort zone stimulates creativity, which creates momentum. 

So instead of freezing like a deer in headlights, take a deep breath and make a plan. Do some research. Take on some subcontracting work. Practice your skills. And know it’s going to be awkward for a while. But as long as you have your practical skills to fall back on, that feeling will subside.

Don’t take rejection personally

One of the worst things you can do as a transcriptionist is take “no thanks” personally. It’s not personal; it’s business. IT’S NOT PERSONAL; IT’S BUSINESS. 

If a client can’t afford you or doesn’t see the value in this work, then they are not for you. You aren’t a horrible person or a failure. They just aren’t the right client. So pitch another. And another.

Don’t forget that the seeds you plant today may come to fruition much later. It’s not uncommon for months to go by before a client gets back to you. So keep moving forward and don’t let “no” or non responses affect your mindset.

Conclusion

So much of “not knowing what to do” isn’t about not knowing what to do. It’s about letting your fear and insecurity trick you into thinking you don’t know what to do. You DO know what to do. It may not happen as fast as you’d like. But if you keep developing your skills and chipping your way forward, you can be a successful transcriptionist!