It's NOT Always FUN

Providing and running a transcription service is not always fun.

It's like any other business.  It has its ups and downs.

Sometimes the audio recordings are so bad all you hear is static.  Sometimes the deadlines are so unrealistic they give you ulcers.

Sometimes you have to deal with disgruntled transcribers who couldn't care less about you or the clients.

And then there are clients who pay a month late and some who don't pay at all.

So why do it at all?

I guess its true that some people are meant to do somethings and thats what it is for me.

I love transcribing and running a business. 

Inspite of all the trouble there are the perks: extra cash, being a business owner rather than just being an employee, the act of serving other individuals and businesses and interacting with them. I love it. Priceless.

The big picture is I'm doing my bit.

While TranscriptionPRO is still far from being considered a success.  It is still successful in giving me the chance to prove myself.

I'm living the life I wanted to. And thats enough.

Online transcription projects: Communication is Key

One of the hurdles (and advantages) of running an online transcription service is that all your transcribers are in different time zones. Some are 5 hours behind you and some are 3 hours advanced.

Managing transcription projects can be a big problem in such situation.  It's therefore a must to have constant and clear communication to and fro.

This often means emailing to and fro multiple transcribers multiple times a day.

Deadlines and relevant information must be communicated and reminded from time to time.

It's a must for transcribers to update their managers the status of their work at least once a day.

If there's any problem with the transcription, that has to be reported as soon as possible.

Nothing should be left to chance or even worse, assumed. Any doubt or confusion with regards template, client instructions and any other detail must be conveyed instantly.

It's also useful and can save time to mention whether a particular transcript needs editing or not, when submitting your final transcript to your manager.

While working on online transcription projects is fun and rewarding it can be rather challenging at times.

Communication is key to succesful transcription projects.

What's your experience like running online transcription projects?

What to blog about as a lawyer or a law firm

2013 will be a year of content marketing aka blogging (and its cousin, social media).

The effectiveness and value of blogging cannot be overstated.

If not for blogging I, for one, will not have a business.  Think about that!

Blogging has become a favorite and often necessary tool to market a business.  It's affordable and easy to implement.  However most lawyers and law firms are still groping in the dark.  They simply don't know what to write about and share on their blawgs!

Below are my suggestions to lawyers and law firms.

• Share your success stories.  

If you're a good lawyer with some repute I'm sure you must have a few success stories to share. Sharing such success stories will build your credibility.

• Share the latest happenings in the legal field.  

This may include conferences, new updates on certain laws and regulations. Or, what's happening around your practice.

• Showcase your expertise.

Write and publish case studies and by commenting and weighing in on current legal issues pertaining to your field of practice.

• Show 'em you care

Show people you care by addressing their concerns and answering their questions without expecting them to hire your right away.  Build connections and nurture leads by being human.  We trust people who care, deeply.

These are just a few examples.  I'm sure once you start blogging you will find it easier and perhaps might even enjoy.

About the author:  Carey Suante is the founder of TranscriptionPRO Services, one of the fastest growing professional transcription services providers.  If you want to write to him, just send an email to carey AT transcriptionpro.net