Joining a Professional Association as a Freelancer

Benefits for clients and freelancers

Photo by Romain V on Unsplash

Professional associations

At some point during your freelance career, the question will arise whether it is advisable, or even essential, that you join a professional association. By this, we are not talking about online portals such as Upwork, but recognised professional associations in your industry.

It’s usually sufficient to join one or two, although personally I am a member of quite a few:

• BDÜ (German Translators’ and Interpreters’ Association)
• CIOL (Chartered Institute of Linguists, UK)
• ATA (American Translators Association)
• AUSIT (Australian Institute of Interpreters and Translators)
• DPRG (German Public Relations Association)
• Chartered Institute of Public Relations, UK
• German Australian Business Association
• Plain Language Association International (PLAIN)
• ProCopywriters — The Alliance of Commercial Writers

As a freelance professional, I believe it is important that you join a professional association as soon as you can. In some professions, membership of a professional body is obligatory before being allowed to practice a profession, but in the freelance world, this is not usually the case. Nonetheless, the benefits speak for themselves.

Client benefits

Being a member of a professional association will give you a sense of belonging and the strength that comes with it, especially in front if your clients. Clients will see that you are not just an individual but part of a major organisation.

Having the letters of a professional association after your name automatically lets your clients see you in a different light and will make you look more professional. It also tells your clients that you adhere to your association’s code of conduct, which can be seen as extra protection for your clients. They will feel reassured that their documents are in safe hands.

Personal benefits

Most professional associations require members to keep professional development (CPD) records and therefore offer plenty of training opportunities.

The greatest benefit of belonging to an association is, no doubt, networking. Working for ourselves, we don’t usually get to meet colleagues during the day, so networking events are excellent for meeting colleagues in the flesh. Getting to know and interacting with colleagues is essential and may even lead to fruitful business relationships.

Being a member of a professional association is also a great opportunity for you to get involved. Volunteer, join a committee, take on tasks such as editing their member magazine or helping with their website. This will get your name out there, put you in touch with colleagues and generally allow you to do something for the profession, which will benefit us all.

While professional associations won’t do your marketing for you, you will usually have the opportunity to be listed in their members’ directory (typically only with full membership). Serious clients often use these directories and contact freelancers directly.

Naturally, joining a professional association can be a huge financial commitment, especially if you are first starting out. Many associations, however, offer student or associate memberships, which are more affordable than full memberships. These membership types may be a good first step and allow you to take advantage of most of the benefits with the option of upgrading your membership later on. When you join, make sure you have realistic expectations and take an active approach to your membership.

Branding for Solopreneurs — How To Stand Out!