Poll: How often do you look for new clients? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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| | Nesrin 
United Kingdom
Local time: 01:49
English to Arabic
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| Other... only when I'm desperate | Jan 18, 2007 |
When I haven't heard from my regular clients for some time. That may be once or twice a year, or more, or less.
| | | | Reed James
Chile
Local time: 20:49
Member (2005)
Spanish to English
As a freelancer, I strive to make my business as regular as possible. The only way to do that is to renew the list of active clients every so often. That is why I am constantly collecting data and sending resumes.
Reed
| | | | Inga Jakobi
Germany
Local time: 02:49
Member (2006)
Chinese to German
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| Other...all the time | Jan 18, 2007 |
I am new to the business and therefore my current life consists of looking for new clients...
Inga
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Uldis Liepkalns
Latvia
Local time: 03:49
Member (2003)
English to Latvian
+ ...
I don't look for new clients- as I have more then enough existing ones (have to stretch all resources to oblige them)- so I get new clients about only when they contact me with specific job (and I accept it).
Uldis
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They look for me, daaahlinks
| | | | | I voted "Only when I have time" | Jan 18, 2007 |
It is good business policy, of course, to look for new clients all the time. However, I seem to spend a lot of time working under pressure, and therefore only sporadically get time to participate in activities other than the actual translating, namely keeping records, book-keeping, and also keeping an eye open for new clients. Like Uldis, I chiefly get them by accident, i.e. a new one contacts me when I am extra busy and cannot fit in the small job offered. I then accept it, and perhaps the new ... See more It is good business policy, of course, to look for new clients all the time. However, I seem to spend a lot of time working under pressure, and therefore only sporadically get time to participate in activities other than the actual translating, namely keeping records, book-keeping, and also keeping an eye open for new clients. Like Uldis, I chiefly get them by accident, i.e. a new one contacts me when I am extra busy and cannot fit in the small job offered. I then accept it, and perhaps the new client starts sending me more work. However, simultaneously another client may tail off for some reason. I think even the database of a translator who is constantly working at full capacity does gradually change from year to year.
Astrid ▲ Collapse
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I look for new clients regularly, since I have only a few clients at present.
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| I am looking for new cooperations | Jan 19, 2007 |
Dear all,
I am have been working as freelancer translator and DTP specialist since 6 years. Now I am full time freelancer and I am looking always and all the time for new colleagues and partners for both tasks: translations and DTP projects.
Translations: Arabic, English, German, Spanish, Farsi, Turkish
DTP: all languages.
I think the perect way is to lok for new clients in regular form. I read that we as freelancer have to plan certain time every week for l... See more Dear all,
I am have been working as freelancer translator and DTP specialist since 6 years. Now I am full time freelancer and I am looking always and all the time for new colleagues and partners for both tasks: translations and DTP projects.
Translations: Arabic, English, German, Spanish, Farsi, Turkish
DTP: all languages.
I think the perect way is to lok for new clients in regular form. I read that we as freelancer have to plan certain time every week for looking for new clients. But who can do that ..
Good luck and keep in touch
Mohammed Abdelhady ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Never - clients find me... | Jan 19, 2007 |
.... Although I do occasionally wonder whether I should look for clients who specialise more in the areas I'm interested in.
Then one of my regular agencies sends a job - reasonable rate, sure to get paid, all problems solved, so I accept, and I'm off again. Or a new client has seen my Proz.com profile...
I do say no thanks to jobs I'm really NOT interested in or not qualified for. I'm in the lucky position that I can afford a few days without work - and maybe ought to ... See more .... Although I do occasionally wonder whether I should look for clients who specialise more in the areas I'm interested in.
Then one of my regular agencies sends a job - reasonable rate, sure to get paid, all problems solved, so I accept, and I'm off again. Or a new client has seen my Proz.com profile...
I do say no thanks to jobs I'm really NOT interested in or not qualified for. I'm in the lucky position that I can afford a few days without work - and maybe ought to plan more breaks!
I enjoy the challenge when I have to push my limits, and usually I find yet another area I did not know I was interested in
It has been a battle at times to get here, but now I'm content to take jobs as they come.
Happy translating, folks! ▲ Collapse
| | | | | I agree with Christine... | Jan 19, 2007 |
....I also voted Never because I have all the work that I can handle with my existing clients and then some! It wasn't always this way of course, but it's a nice position to be in!
| | | | | Never; I'd need four hands if we looked for more | Jan 19, 2007 |
Currently we are very lucky to see that we are busy well beyond the normal amount of working hours. If we looked for more customers I'd need to learn to use cuttlery with my toes, as the only non-working time I have lately is breakfast, lunch and dinner...
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| no marketing | Jan 19, 2007 |
I can hardly imagine a company (even well-known, stable, with high-production volumes, overloaded with orders, etc.) without marketing department. To me the same applies to the freelance business. The difference is only that we have to do everything ourselves
So I may not have time to sleep or have breakfast, but I always have time for writing to a new client and bidding for interesting jobs. This ensures the diversi... See more I can hardly imagine a company (even well-known, stable, with high-production volumes, overloaded with orders, etc.) without marketing department. To me the same applies to the freelance business. The difference is only that we have to do everything ourselves
So I may not have time to sleep or have breakfast, but I always have time for writing to a new client and bidding for interesting jobs. This ensures the diversity (in subjects and types of work) I am looking for being a freelancer. ▲ Collapse
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