How to get direct clients? Auteur du fil: Thai Translation
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I \'m about to advertise my service to client worldwide but I need some advice.
1) Is there any email account list of the company ? So I won\'t need to search by yahoo and find their email one by one.
2) What is the most appropriate rate I should offer for a direct client and also for an agency.
3) May you supply a good example of advertising email for me ?
4) Was there anyone ever got some direct
client ?
Plz provide any other relev... See more I \'m about to advertise my service to client worldwide but I need some advice.
1) Is there any email account list of the company ? So I won\'t need to search by yahoo and find their email one by one.
2) What is the most appropriate rate I should offer for a direct client and also for an agency.
3) May you supply a good example of advertising email for me ?
4) Was there anyone ever got some direct
client ?
Plz provide any other relevant suggestion. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Setting up in business? | Oct 16, 2001 |
Many of the answers to the questions you have asked will depend on the legal and administrative requirements of the cournty in which you are based. Tax considerations are also to be borne in mind.
Taking your specific questions one by one :
) Is there any email account list of the company ? So I won\'t need to search by yahoo and find their email one by one.
- I\'m not sure I understand your question, but if you are asking whether y... See more Many of the answers to the questions you have asked will depend on the legal and administrative requirements of the cournty in which you are based. Tax considerations are also to be borne in mind.
Taking your specific questions one by one :
) Is there any email account list of the company ? So I won\'t need to search by yahoo and find their email one by one.
- I\'m not sure I understand your question, but if you are asking whether you can use a particular name for your business, then check the usual sources in your country.
2) What is the most appropriate rate I should offer for a direct client and also for an agency.
- Agencies : are generally a law unto themselves. They impose a rate and you accept or not. You can negotiate with some and the better ones do allow for decent rates. Don\'t forget they always look to cream off their percentage.
- Direct clients : they ask for a job to be done, you name your price/rate per word for example and they accept or not. Get them to sign the agreement and ask for a percentage upfront for possible. Be clear about payment terms and conditions.
- Rates. In either case, rates will depend on what current practice in your country. If you have a special skill to sell, you can probably require decent rates. Check out what others are working for by contacting fellow existing translators. Pitch your rates at a similar level, or higher. If you sytematically undercut, you may realsie - too late in the day - that you have got yourself treapped into a low rate bracket. Your clients will still want quality work, whatever the rate, might as well ask for a decent one!
3) May you supply a good example of advertising email for me ?
Each person has to decide for himself, in view of target client, type of work done and many other factors, how best to sell himself. Seek inspiration from what others do. Spend time on the web and you will find plenty of examples to choose from.
4) Was there anyone ever got some direct
client ?
Almost only direct clients. Either through word of mouth once you have worked in a particular field for a length of time, and/or directly contacting companies you want to work with. Read professional / trade press in your chosen area and get contacting§
Good luck,
Nikki
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| | | | | Companies don't make business, people do! | Oct 16, 2001 |
Hi,
1) Don\'t waste your efforts on mass mailing to \"[email protected]\"! Not only do at least 999 out of 1000 of such mails go directly in the bin, but you have also aggravated a potential client. Chose very carefully companies who\'s business match your field of speciality, read anything you can lay your hands on about a chosen company, find out the name of the person who is responsible for purchasing translation services and contact him/her directly by phone or personal visit... See more Hi,
1) Don\'t waste your efforts on mass mailing to \"[email protected]\"! Not only do at least 999 out of 1000 of such mails go directly in the bin, but you have also aggravated a potential client. Chose very carefully companies who\'s business match your field of speciality, read anything you can lay your hands on about a chosen company, find out the name of the person who is responsible for purchasing translation services and contact him/her directly by phone or personal visit. Base your sales presentation on knowledge of the potential clients business and the quality of your services, not on speed and/or price. With this approach I have a success rate of some 20%.
2) - 4) See Nikki\'s answers!
Best of luck!
Sven. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Thai Translation
Local time: 09:53
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AUTEUR DU FIL | Further clarification <from the asker> | Oct 17, 2001 |
Thank for your help.
in question 1.\" email account list \" means a website, webpage or anything that contain a lot of the \"client\'s email account\" So I can send my email many of them at the same time. Don\'t you know such place ?
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Thai Translation
Local time: 09:53
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AUTEUR DU FIL | from the asker | Oct 17, 2001 |
Now, I \'m about to collect the client\'s email from Yahoo.com. Is there anyone want to co-operate with me ? We can exchange email each of us \'ve collected, so we won\'t waste too much time.
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And..
I want to sell the email I \'ve collected so far. Is there anyone want to buy it ? Is this legal ?
By the way, thank for the second advice, but I still want to advertise my service by sending spam ... See more Now, I \'m about to collect the client\'s email from Yahoo.com. Is there anyone want to co-operate with me ? We can exchange email each of us \'ve collected, so we won\'t waste too much time.
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And..
I want to sell the email I \'ve collected so far. Is there anyone want to buy it ? Is this legal ?
By the way, thank for the second advice, but I still want to advertise my service by sending spam email to those [email protected]  ▲ Collapse
| | | | Thai Translation
Local time: 09:53
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AUTEUR DU FIL
Ouch...
I was a bit confused between the words \" email account \" and \" email address \". What I really need is \" email address list \" . I think another words is \" email directory \"
| | | | | Prospecting for new business through mass e-mailing - a fruitless exercise | Oct 20, 2001 |
Quote:
On 2001-10-17 06:52, golf wrote:
Ouch...
I was a bit confused between the words \" email account \" and \" email address \". What I really need is \" email address list \" . I think another words is \" email directory \"
A mailing list! Aha!
Even in the early days of your business, I think you have to be target your potential clients fairly specifically. F... See more Quote:
On 2001-10-17 06:52, golf wrote:
Ouch...
I was a bit confused between the words \" email account \" and \" email address \". What I really need is \" email address list \" . I think another words is \" email directory \"
A mailing list! Aha!
Even in the early days of your business, I think you have to be target your potential clients fairly specifically. For example, there\'s no point sending mail to pharmaceutical companies if you are selling skills in financial translation, even if they might need some doing from time to time. One you have decided which fields you are going to specialize in, then the world is your oyster! Mass mailing is, like its slower and more expensive older cousin, mass snail mailing, a time-consuming and fairly fruitless exercise all round. It is much better to contact three or four clients you have done lots of research into. Each time you contact a potential client, it is like applying for a job - you are applying for a job. I think if you try to bear that in mind, your success rate will be much higher.
Good luck with it.
Nikki
[ This Message was edited by: on 2001-10-20 05:20 ] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | All you need is 1 or 2 direct clients !! | Oct 23, 2001 |
If you are working alone, all you need is 1 or 2 direct clients on top of the agencies you work for.
I have a lot of direct clients which I got through word of mouth.
I believe, as an independant translator, that is the best way forward.
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| Belong to associations in contiguous industries | Oct 23, 2001 |
I agree that word of mouth is the best source of end clients.
Another idea: consider joining non-translator associations. Is there an advertising industry association that meets nearby? What about a local business association? A speaking group for foreigner business-people in Thailand? (Try toastmasters if you like public speaking, or or hash house harriers if you are a runner and not a teetotaler.) Is there a group at your local university that would be interesting?
... See more I agree that word of mouth is the best source of end clients.
Another idea: consider joining non-translator associations. Is there an advertising industry association that meets nearby? What about a local business association? A speaking group for foreigner business-people in Thailand? (Try toastmasters if you like public speaking, or or hash house harriers if you are a runner and not a teetotaler.) Is there a group at your local university that would be interesting?
If you join one of these, you will became known as \"the translator\" of the group, without even trying to sell yourself. You\'ll be asked for translations not only in your own languages, but others as well. I know of many people who have created agencies in this way.
The more business-oriented of these groups can be expensive...but the end-client work you get can pay for the memberships many times over. Not to mention all the benefits and enjoyment about of belonging to groups in other areas that interest you. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Werner George Patels, M.A., C.Tran.(ATIO) (X)
Local time: 21:53
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| My own experience | Nov 6, 2001 |
Henry\'s advice is a good one, but it may be very time and money-consuming (just think of the fees you will have to pay for some professional or trade associations).
Here\'s what has worked for me:
- Have your own website: choose a good name that involves references to translation, languages, etc. and make sure that you select your keywords wisely. I have an average of up to 50-60 hits on my site, and it has served me well.... See more
Henry\'s advice is a good one, but it may be very time and money-consuming (just think of the fees you will have to pay for some professional or trade associations).
Here\'s what has worked for me:
- Have your own website: choose a good name that involves references to translation, languages, etc. and make sure that you select your keywords wisely. I have an average of up to 50-60 hits on my site, and it has served me well.
- No matter what you may think of translators associations, try to get your name into their directories (ATA, ...). Most direct clients will first consult those directories (either the printed versions or the searchable online ones).
- This ties in with Henry\'s suggestion: \"use\" your friends. Some of your friends or relatives may work for some big corporations, and they may need a translator one day. A friend of mine (whom I met at university) now works for a major European power utility company as a financial accountant. Thanks to this friendship, I now get to translate all of the quarterly and annual financial reports of that company and all of its subsidiaries and affiliated companies (and there are several!).
Good luck
[ This Message was edited by: on 2001-11-06 15:20 ] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Word of mouth.... | Dec 3, 2001 |
Word of mouth is the best advertising anyone can ever get. I have been able to win most of my direct clients this way (including one through the hash house harriers! - good point Henry, but watch out for your liver if you choose to go for that option ).
| | | | | Facebook is a good way to find new clients provided that you target the right audience | Sep 1, 2016 |
Facebook is one of the largest social networks on earth. It offers multiple communication opportunities both for personal needs and for businesses. If you’re still not using a vast arsenal of Facebook features to boost your translation business – you are losing potential customers.
Recently I have prepared a blog post describing how translators can use Facebook to find new clients.
Basically, there are two free and one paid methods:
- Create Facebook business... See more Facebook is one of the largest social networks on earth. It offers multiple communication opportunities both for personal needs and for businesses. If you’re still not using a vast arsenal of Facebook features to boost your translation business – you are losing potential customers.
Recently I have prepared a blog post describing how translators can use Facebook to find new clients.
Basically, there are two free and one paid methods:
- Create Facebook business page and promote it
- Join thematic groups
- Run ad campaign
If you're interested, you may read the entire post here: http://successfulfreelancetranslator.com/use-facebook-boost-translation-business/ ▲ Collapse
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Klaus Baumann
Danemark
Local time: 03:53
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Try to get in touch with localization managers of international companies on LinkedIn
| | | | madleen
États-Unis
Local time: 19:53
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4) Was there anyone ever got some direct
client ?
Almost only direct clients. Either through word of mouth once you have worked in a particular field for a length of time, and/or directly contacting companies you want to work with. Read professional / trade press in your chosen area and get contacting§
Dear Nikki
Just saw this old forum and your comment attracted my attention-- "Almost only direct clients." How to ... See more
4) Was there anyone ever got some direct
client ?
Almost only direct clients. Either through word of mouth once you have worked in a particular field for a length of time, and/or directly contacting companies you want to work with. Read professional / trade press in your chosen area and get contacting§
Dear Nikki
Just saw this old forum and your comment attracted my attention-- "Almost only direct clients." How to do so? Direct clients do not seem to be using Proz much, do they? Contacting companies seems a waste of time as they do not reply and I have the impression that they prefer to contact agencies
Thank you for your input ▲ Collapse
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