#10 Branding, Positioning, and Getting Noticed as a Language Boutique Agency

How I started looking like a business before I actually was one.

Let me start by saying: I’m not a branding expert. I studied translation, not design or business. But I’ve always had a soft spot for aesthetics, and when I started out as a freelancer, I was very excited to "play shop."

From day one, I gave my business a name: Entre les lignes. I had a logo designed. I created a portfolio in Word (yes, Word, lol), complete with my new logo in the header. It may not have been fancy, but it made me feel like I was building something.

And I believe that mindset shift, treating myself like a business, made a big difference.

---

The Backstory

After finishing my Master’s in Translation, I worked for a few years in the advertising industry at McCann amongst others. This was before Netflix, before Mad Men, but that was the fantasy, and let’s just say the reality didn’t match.

Still, it gave me a feeling for branding, messaging, and design. That experience shaped how I positioned myself and my business. And it’s also part of why Entre les lignes has always had strong ties to marketing, creative teams, and transcreation work especially in the early days.

---

Branding Early

When I launched Entre les lignes, it was just me. But I branded it as a company.

That felt like a stretch at the time, almost like a little lie, but it put me in the mindset of building something bigger than myself.

Back then, I was also a certified translator at the Brussels court, so I positioned ELL as a specialist in marketing and legal translation. A bit of an odd combo, I know, but it worked.

---

How the Brand Took Shape

Year 1:

• Logo

• Word document portfolio with branded header

• Basic outreach materials

That was enough to feel credible and start getting work.

Year 2:

• First website (cost me €700)

• Contained basic info, but visually communicated identity

The website didn’t generate tons of traffic but it gave people a feeling. And that helped.

Year 5 and Beyond:

That’s when we started:

• Rebranding

• Rethinking our messaging and structure

• Strategically creating landing pages, case studies, and blog content

Even today, our website is not our main source of leads. But it is a strategic asset. It builds trust, authority, and consistency. And that matters.

---

A Website Is Never Finished

One of the best pieces of advice I got from a web designer: your website will always be a work in progress.

I used to dream of building a website and being done with it forever (because I find building a website absolute hell). Now, I know it’s part of our ongoing operations, something we tweak regularly as we grow and learn.

If you manage your expectations that way, it becomes much more manageable (groundbreaking advice, I know).

---

The Power of Consistency

Once you’ve got your basic house style, colors, fonts, tone, you can apply it everywhere:

• Website

• LinkedIn banner

• Email signature

• Document templates

• Newsletter design

It doesn’t need to be complex. A consistent color palette and tone of voice go a long way in creating recognition.

That said, let’s keep it in perspective:

You’re a translation agency, not a branding agency.

If your niche is technical or legal translation, you might not need fancy visuals or slick animations. But you still want to look professional and cohesive.

In our case at ELL, I happen to like this part of the business. I enjoy playing with colors, tone, and identity. And I genuinely believe that our bold branding and authentic tone on LinkedIn help us stand out.

Let’s be honest: most LSP websites are boring AF. That’s your opportunity.

---

I’m Tim Renders. I started as a freelance translator and built Entre les lignes, a boutique agency with millions in revenue throughout the years. These days, I share what I’ve learned and mentor other small language business owners grow their own boutique agency up to €1M in yearly revenue.

---

All the discovery calls for my one-on-one mentorship are currently fully booked (thank you for your trust!).

If you’d like to be on the waiting list to apply for one-on-one business consulting sessions with me, leave your details 👉 here.

Thank you!

— Tim Renders