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Poll: Do you ever do mini-jobs (1-2 sentences) for free?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
Marie-Hélène Hayles
Marie-Hélène Hayles  Identity Verified
Local time: 09:13
Italian to English
+ ...
Yes - Jul 28, 2006

for regular clients without hesitation, and for occasional clients just because it's less hassle than sending in an invoice (even with a minimum fee).
I wouldn't do it for a new client except in the situation that Rosa describes, where it's a short addition to a text you've just translated for them. Even if I hadn't already billed them, I wouldn't bother adding the extra words on to the count.
 
Darin Fitzpatrick
Darin Fitzpatrick  Identity Verified
United States
Member (2006)
German to English
+ ...
Good business practices Jul 28, 2006

Many businesses provide free samples, as well as "freebies" during the course of normal business. To those who say "I'm in it for the money," check out any salesmanship course or general business advice. No, you don't want to give away your product or service for free, but you do want to establish rappor and trust with a client. The "cash on the barrelhead" approach can turn off clients.

Of course, if you have enough work, and make enough money for it, you don't need to worry about ... See more
Many businesses provide free samples, as well as "freebies" during the course of normal business. To those who say "I'm in it for the money," check out any salesmanship course or general business advice. No, you don't want to give away your product or service for free, but you do want to establish rappor and trust with a client. The "cash on the barrelhead" approach can turn off clients.

Of course, if you have enough work, and make enough money for it, you don't need to worry about getting new business or maintaining goodwill with existing clients.

I find the "three strikes" method to be most useful. Serious clients will appreciate the help and send work; non-serious ones will disappear. ▲ Collapse
 
Dyran Altenburg (X)
Dyran Altenburg (X)  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 03:13
English to Spanish
+ ...
On making [deserving] clients happy Jul 28, 2006

Darin Fitzpatrick wrote:
Many businesses provide free samples, as well as "freebies" during the course of normal business. To those who say "I'm in it for the money," check out any salesmanship course or general business advice. No, you don't want to give away your product or service for free, but you do want to establish rappor and trust with a client. The "cash on the barrelhead" approach can turn off clients.


Not mine.

I do agree that it pays to apply sales/marketing techniques and acquire business savvy (I did follow my own advice, btw... way before I started as a freelancer).

So, although I do not do translations for free, I do offer other incentives that make the business relationship a mutually beneficial one. Let's just say that I make sure that what I bring to the table more than makes up for the top-rates clients pay me.

Of course, if you have enough work, and make enough money for it, you don't need to worry about getting new business or maintaining goodwill with existing clients.


Except I do get and welcome new business (90% of the time through word of mouth, the other 10% through the ATA website). Variety being the spice of life, and all that.

--
Dyran

[Edited at 2006-07-28 16:38]
 
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Poll: Do you ever do mini-jobs (1-2 sentences) for free?






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