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Poll: How do clients reach you?
Tópico cartaz: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
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Dec 2, 2022

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "How do clients reach you?".

This poll was originally submitted by Natalia Pedrosa. View the poll results »



hammadajmal4
 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 02:11
Membro (2007)
inglês para português
+ ...
Other Dec 2, 2022

It depends. Sometimes I’m recommended by a colleague or a client, other potential clients come via my website or through my profile on Proz as I rarely bid on jobs (I did a lot at the very beginning!), because posters seem to be looking for the cheapest translators…

expressisverbis
Susanna Martoni
Liviu-Lee Roth
Mohamed Abdelmawla
Ventnai
 
John Silva
John Silva
Brasil
Local time: 22:11
inglês para português
+ ...
Other Dec 2, 2022

From all of the options available on this tool. But I would say that the majority of them comes from my Proz profile.

Susanna Martoni
Josephine Cassar
Tom in London
 
neilmac
neilmac
Espanha
Local time: 03:11
espanhol para inglês
+ ...
Other Dec 2, 2022

Nowadays, by word-of-mouth recommendation from one client or former client to another colleague, friend or acquaintance. Any other offers I get tend to be unsolicited and from bottom feeders or dodgy sounding agencies/punters.

Alexandra Speirs
Susanna Martoni
Liviu-Lee Roth
Muriel Vasconcellos
Philip Lees
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
peter jackson
 
Astrid Elke Witte
Astrid Elke Witte  Identity Verified
Alemanha
Local time: 03:11
Membro (2002)
alemão para inglês
+ ...
Clients reach us in all of those ways Dec 2, 2022

And also in a few others, such as through lists kept by professional associations of which Sebastian and I are members.

Edith van der Have
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
expressisverbis
Susanna Martoni
Becca Resnik
hammadajmal4
 
Christopher Schröder
Christopher Schröder
Reino Unido
Membro (2011)
sueco para inglês
+ ...
Word of mouth Dec 2, 2022

Either someone recommends me or they move to a different employer. Nobody worthwhile contacts me on here. It doesn’t seem the place for that, too full of cut-price agencies and translators, which is a shame as I could do with a couple more customers to plug the gaps.

expressisverbis
Susanna Martoni
Alexandra Speirs
Patricia Prevost
Muriel Vasconcellos
Philip Lees
neilmac
 
Kay Denney
Kay Denney  Identity Verified
França
Local time: 03:11
francês para inglês
. Dec 2, 2022

Mostly via LinkedIn, only one lasting client has come from Proz, one from the dog park and one I met at a party. Some by word of mouth.
I don't have a website either.


 
Michele Fauble
Michele Fauble  Identity Verified
Estados Unidos
Local time: 18:11
Membro (2006)
norueguês para inglês
+ ...
Two ways Dec 2, 2022

Through my ProZ profile.

“Word of mouth”. After my first few jobs I started getting contacted directly by email, so I assume my contact information had been passed on by satisfied clients.

Jobs board one time.
At one point I took a look at the jobs board and noticed one job that looked interesting because of the subject matter. The job had been posted a few days earlier, so I assumed that it had been assigned. Since I was interested in the subject matter, I re
... See more
Through my ProZ profile.

“Word of mouth”. After my first few jobs I started getting contacted directly by email, so I assume my contact information had been passed on by satisfied clients.

Jobs board one time.
At one point I took a look at the jobs board and noticed one job that looked interesting because of the subject matter. The job had been posted a few days earlier, so I assumed that it had been assigned. Since I was interested in the subject matter, I replied stating that I would be interested in any future projects in that subject matter. A week later they contacted me and said that I was the most qualified for that project. It was the third job I had been offered and I accepted it. The rate was low and clients that contacted me through my ProZ profile and by email agreed to much higher rates. I’ve never bothered with the jobs board since.





[Edited at 2022-12-02 23:47 GMT]
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expressisverbis
Muriel Vasconcellos
 
Philip Lees
Philip Lees  Identity Verified
Grécia
Local time: 04:11
grego para inglês
Referrals Dec 3, 2022

Assuming the question refers to new clients, nowadays it's almost always by personal recommendation. Just yesterday I got an email enquiry from somebody who was referred to me by a colleague.

I have picked up new clients through ProZ in the past, but not for a long time now.


Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
expressisverbis
 
Baran Keki
Baran Keki  Identity Verified
Turquia
Local time: 04:11
Membro
inglês para turco
. Dec 3, 2022

Kay Denney wrote:

Mostly via LinkedIn,

Dear Kay, you've frequently mentioned here that you landed clients through LinkedIn, but I believe, if memory serves, you've contacted (or been contacted by) individuals that you already knew or worked with in the past, so LinkedIn didn't exactly work wonders for you. There are newbies reading these forums, and they might get the false hope/wrong impression about LinkedIn. It's a place where people mostly share cheesy PC posts that they find 'inspiring'. You might as well have landed those clients through Facebook or Twitter, had you contacted them through there.


[Edited at 2022-12-03 07:06 GMT]


neilmac
Jorge Payan
 
Kay Denney
Kay Denney  Identity Verified
França
Local time: 03:11
francês para inglês
. Dec 3, 2022

Baran Keki wrote:

Kay Denney wrote:

Mostly via LinkedIn,

Dear Kay, you've frequently mentioned here that you landed clients through LinkedIn, but I believe, if memory serves, you've contacted (or been contacted by) individuals that you already knew or worked with in the past, so LinkedIn didn't exactly work wonders for you. There are newbies reading these forums, and they might get the false hope/wrong impression about LinkedIn. It's a place where people mostly share cheesy PC posts that they find 'inspiring'. You might as well have landed those clients through Facebook or Twitter, had you contacted them through there.


[Edited at 2022-12-03 07:06 GMT]

Yes indeed Baran, a lot of people were already in my contacts and got in touch once I changed my status to "freelance" instead of "employee at agency".
But I've also been contacted by various other individuals needing translations (for a professional website, proofing a CV and other stuff) and also my favourite agency that sends me the most interesting work.
I'm really quite amazed that others here don't seem to have the same experience.

Oh and I don't read any of the cheesy "inspiring" posts. I do watch out for posts by either of my children, and I congratulate friends posting about their achievements (one just published a new book for example) and all the rest I just scroll right past.

[Edited at 2022-12-03 11:35 GMT]


 
Baran Keki
Baran Keki  Identity Verified
Turquia
Local time: 04:11
Membro
inglês para turco
. Dec 3, 2022

Kay Denney wrote:
I'm really quite amazed that others here don't seem to have the same experience.

My guess is that most PMs or people in the language business (agency owners etc.) 'feel compelled' to like, comment on those cheesy posts and appear to be active there, out of peer pressure if you like. They don't give a shit about LinkeIn or the messages you send them through there in the hopes of establishing collaboration (they must delete them without reading like unsolicited applications).
I really wonder if paid LinkedIn membership offers any benefits, which costs a lot more than Proz membership. Though I very much doubt it...


neilmac
Jorge Payan
 
Yetta Jensen Bogarde
Yetta Jensen Bogarde  Identity Verified
Dinamarca
Local time: 03:11
Membro (2012)
inglês para dinamarquês
+ ...
Several, Dec 4, 2022

Why is only one allowed?

Mostly Proz.com and my website


Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
 
MOUNIR LOUKOUMANOU
MOUNIR LOUKOUMANOU
Local time: 02:11
inglês para francês
+ ...
Through my profile Dec 4, 2022

So far, all my clients reach me through my Proz profile.

 
Rita Utt
Rita Utt  Identity Verified
França
Local time: 03:11
inglês para alemão
+ ...
Suggestion to ProZ Dec 5, 2022

Ice Scream wrote:

Either someone recommends me or they move to a different employer. Nobody worthwhile contacts me on here. It doesn’t seem the place for that, *too full of cut-price agencies and translators*, which is a shame as I could do with a couple more customers to plug the gaps.


When ProZ asked, why I wasn't a paying member anymore, that is what I told them.
I suggested, they instaure a high end section for clients (preferably direct clients) willing to pay experienced translators correctly ...

No answer so far


Christopher Schröder
Ventnai
 
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Poll: How do clients reach you?






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