Poll: What is the best way to get new clients? Konuyu gönderen: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "What is the best way to get new clients?".
This poll was originally submitted by Overseasdtp. View the poll results »
| | | | | Doing a good job | Apr 19, 2019 |
If you do a good job, people will tell their friends and colleagues and so you will get more clients through word of mouth.
If you do a good job, people will remember you when they move to another company.
If you do a good job, your existing clients will also come back to you again and again to the point where you don’t need any more clients.
Quality is all that matters.
| | | | | Not quite all | Apr 19, 2019 |
Quality is essential of course, but "doing a good job" with a client, especially a direct client, goes way beyond producing a polished text.
Otherwise agree 100%
| | | | neilmac
İspanya
Local time: 13:36
İspanyolca > İngilizce
+ ...
| * DYB DYB DYB | Apr 19, 2019 |
I tend to agree with Chris. Do your best with every job and clients will come back to you as well as recommending you to their friends and colleagues. I've never really solicited much translation work per se. I worked in TEFL for years and did the occasional translation job through that, and eventually ended up gradually accumulating more translation work than teaching, which I was getting fed up with anyway. I reckon it was sort of my destiny, because I always enjoyed the translation component ... See more I tend to agree with Chris. Do your best with every job and clients will come back to you as well as recommending you to their friends and colleagues. I've never really solicited much translation work per se. I worked in TEFL for years and did the occasional translation job through that, and eventually ended up gradually accumulating more translation work than teaching, which I was getting fed up with anyway. I reckon it was sort of my destiny, because I always enjoyed the translation component of my language classes at school, college and university.
So, I'd have to hazard a guess and say "probably all of the above".
* https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/dyb ▲ Collapse
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Vito Tieke 
Hollanda
Local time: 13:36
İngilizce > Hollandaca
+ ...
I agree with people here that quality is key.
In order to show of your quality however, it's key to obtain these clients in the first place.
I don't know if one way iof acquisition is clearly better than the other. I would lean towards an approach where all channels complement each others rather than one approach being the best.
| | | | Kay Denney
Fransa
Local time: 13:36
Fransızca > İngilizce
| presence on platforms | Apr 19, 2019 |
I have acquired the vast majority of my clients via LinkedIn, having very carefully grown my network while working in-house.
Even last night I got a message from somebody who just happened to find my profile there.
I have also bid successfully on projects here and some of those contacts seem to be turning into great regular clients.
Two of my new clients are people who have had a recommendation from someone else.
For those of you who say doing a good job is the ... See more I have acquired the vast majority of my clients via LinkedIn, having very carefully grown my network while working in-house.
Even last night I got a message from somebody who just happened to find my profile there.
I have also bid successfully on projects here and some of those contacts seem to be turning into great regular clients.
Two of my new clients are people who have had a recommendation from someone else.
For those of you who say doing a good job is the best way, I agree, but that's something that doesn't happen at first. It takes time to build up the kind of relationship where the client is happy to recommend you. Some agencies won't recommend you in case you no longer have time for them. In fact it's only a viable business plan for those who are already very well established. Those of us who haven't been freelancing very long cannot rely on that! And even the happiest of clients can switch to a job that no longer involves outsourcing translations, suddenly see their tran slation budget slashed, retire ...or even die. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Facebook Groups and other nonprofessional forums | Apr 19, 2019 |
As an expat, many people have found me through my presence on an expat forum or two, unrelated to professional employment. I was also chased down by people who found me on my blog, AmerikankainCroatia, as well as repeat clients, ProZ membership - a good investment (both by actively bidding and receiving invitations to bid); word of mouth in the local community and much more. In any case, I strive to provide a superior, high quality service and provide a professional attitude, and business is flo... See more As an expat, many people have found me through my presence on an expat forum or two, unrelated to professional employment. I was also chased down by people who found me on my blog, AmerikankainCroatia, as well as repeat clients, ProZ membership - a good investment (both by actively bidding and receiving invitations to bid); word of mouth in the local community and much more. In any case, I strive to provide a superior, high quality service and provide a professional attitude, and business is flourishing to the point that I have begun hiring part time help. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Showing Interpersonal Intelligence & Anticipating What They Want To Know In The First Place | Apr 19, 2019 |
I find that is what works for me.
And having a well-established track record with former and repeat clients.
[Edited at 2019-04-19 20:10 GMT]
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| All options combined | Apr 19, 2019 |
I do all of these (except for having no idea ) and get new clients out of all the options - not many more from one or the other. Translation agencies mostly through my ProZ profile, bidding and cold emailing/filling out vendor questionnaires etc. And one of them out of cold calling - the only cold call to an agency I ever made because I hate doing that - but it was a successful one ... See more I do all of these (except for having no idea) and get new clients out of all the options - not many more from one or the other. Translation agencies mostly through my ProZ profile, bidding and cold emailing/filling out vendor questionnaires etc. And one of them out of cold calling - the only cold call to an agency I ever made because I hate doing that - but it was a successful one Direct clients mostly through referrals (which wasn't in this list), my website and LinkedIn - though I have found two great direct clients here on ProZ. And last but certainly not least: jobs outsourced by fellow-freelancers: mostly through some Facebook translator groups I'm very active in.
[Edited at 2019-04-19 20:36 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | usually not platforms - good job etc. yes | Apr 19, 2019 |
Almost any contact I get via a platform expects me to charge 30% or so of my fee, and possibly jump through silly hoops. (A few exceptions over the years). Doing a good job, which includes quality and also common sense, brings in new clients through word of mouth and keeps old ones. I also checked professional association. In Canada it means something in particular.
| | | | Mario Freitas
Brezilya
Local time: 09:36
Üye (2014)
İngilizce > Portekizce
+ ...
The only one that has worked for me in the past couple of years was ProZ. You make a lot of points in the questions and appear in the first page of the researches. That's where you get new clients.
| | | | Muriel Vasconcellos (X)
Amerika Birleşik Devletleri
Local time: 05:36
İspanyolca > İngilizce
+ ...
| Job platforms, and ProZ | Apr 20, 2019 |
As Chris pointed out, if you have enough steady clients, you will have less anxiety about finding new ones. But that wasn't the question.
As far as new clients go, I think ProZ is the best source. Participating in KudoZ helps, too, as the number of selected answers helps to boost one's ranking in the lists.
[Edited at 2019-04-20 05:55 GMT]
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