| Páginas no assunto: [1 2] > | Poll: How often do you actively look for new clients? Autor da sequência: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "How often do you actively look for new clients?".
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I haven’t been looking for new clients for some time (though they are always welcome) as I have a steady client base, I’m old and I’m approaching the end of my professional career (quicker than I would have guessed, thanks to the “technological advances”)…
| | | | Liena V. 
Letónia
Local time: 10:18
Membro (2014)
Francês para Letão
+ ...
I did when I just started and it has occasionally turned out to be good to be on some database, but in my language pairs clients either have work or they don't . In my personal, entirely anecdotal, experience you don't find clients, clients find you.
I still have some good regulars and when it no longer assures sufficient income for me I will likely be moving on to something else.
| | | | Alex Lichanow
Alemanha
Local time: 09:18
Inglês para Alemão
+ ...
Whenever I'm not working on anything else and can be bothered to.
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Baran Keki
Turquia
Local time: 10:18
Membro
Inglês para Turco
| Waste of time | Jul 24, 2025 |
Liena Vijupe wrote:
In my personal, entirely anecdotal, experience you don't find clients, clients find you.
That's why it's a waste of time. Plus, every agency already has their preferred translators for every pair, so it would take years and great fortune (and cunning?) to take their place.
Forget about AI, I wouldn't want to start freelance translation today just for this reason alone.
[Edited at 2025-07-24 07:21 GMT]
| | | | Novian Cahyadi (X)
Local time: 14:18
Baran Keki wrote:
Plus, every agency already has their preferred translators for every pair, so it would take years and great fortune (and cunning?) to take their place.
This is why I don't really buy the argument that says the translators who charge peanuts are driving the rates down. Agencies aren't just going to swap their translators solely on the price. If only it was that simple, we could spring the rates back up through the power of friendship. 🌈
Besides, no matter how cheap you are, the AI is always going to be cheaper.
| | | | | It is possible | Jul 24, 2025 |
I never had to look for new clients in the past 30 years. For every job I accepted, I had to decline three. Now times are different for most translators. So I also started to look for new clients a few months ago. I also tried to reconnect with former clients, old contacts etc. I managed to "reactivate" some old clients and I found some new ones. So it is possible, even in difficult times. One condition: you have to persevere. Does it make the future look bright? No. But at least for now, I stil... See more I never had to look for new clients in the past 30 years. For every job I accepted, I had to decline three. Now times are different for most translators. So I also started to look for new clients a few months ago. I also tried to reconnect with former clients, old contacts etc. I managed to "reactivate" some old clients and I found some new ones. So it is possible, even in difficult times. One condition: you have to persevere. Does it make the future look bright? No. But at least for now, I still manage to make an income that is substantially above average. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Around half of my income | Jul 24, 2025 |
Baran Keki wrote:
Liena Vijupe wrote:
In my personal, entirely anecdotal, experience you don't find clients, clients find you.
That's why it's a waste of time. Plus, every agency already has their preferred translators for every pair, so it would take years and great fortune (and cunning?) to take their place.
Forget about AI, I wouldn't want to start freelance translation today just for this reason alone. [Edited at 2025-07-24 07:21 GMT]
Around half of my income comes from clients - both agencies and direct clients - that got to know about me and the services I offer by outbound acquisition. I would be a lot poorer without it!
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Whenever I have the time and inclination, but especially when I have a very slack period
| | | | Baran Keki
Turquia
Local time: 10:18
Membro
Inglês para Turco
| If only things were that easy | Jul 24, 2025 |
Novian Cahyadi wrote:
This is why I don't really buy the argument that says the translators who charge peanuts are driving the rates down. Agencies aren't just going to swap their translators solely on the price. If only it was that simple, we could spring the rates back up through the power of friendship. 🌈
Besides, no matter how cheap you are, the AI is always going to be cheaper.
As luck would have it, I've just been emailing with a vendor manager at a translation agency where I thought I enjoyed the status of "go-to translator" for a few years.
This particular agency sends out 'availability checks' to their translators (which turns out to be worse than a bidding system) and PMs take their pick. I was getting steady amount of work from them over the years as I delivered consistent quality, but starting from this year I came to notice that I was getting passed by for jobs, and in what little jobs I could get from them as a proofreader I noticed the names of 2 newcomers (as shown in their CAT tool) who seem to get the lion's share of the jobs.
I asked the VM if I was blacklisted for some reason, and why those two, who appear to be in their books for just 6 months or so, always seem to get the jobs. She said that I was one of their top performers, but there were other considerations like rates, so confirming that those two are cheaper than me, so jobs are going to them.
So, there is a dilemma if you like, should I lower my rates to reclaim my favoured position or look for new clients, which appears to be a daunting prospect at present. Of course, if you are a f***ing bottom-feeder, it's easy to find new clients and screw other translators.
I still hold the view that bottom-feeders (empowered by the AI) are culpable for destroying this profession, not the AI.
| | | | | Well... I just started to look for new clients. | Jul 24, 2025 |
I have always found clients through job sites. I only needed to complete my profile, descriptions and projects portfolio and the clients arrived to me. After 3 years, I am starting to look for clients, and I think that it is a challenging process in a good way because make me reflect where to focus my energy. Maybe, I could find some students, direct clients in the medical or Christian field or ultimately translation agencies. This process of meeting clients pushes me to reflect and work hard, i... See more I have always found clients through job sites. I only needed to complete my profile, descriptions and projects portfolio and the clients arrived to me. After 3 years, I am starting to look for clients, and I think that it is a challenging process in a good way because make me reflect where to focus my energy. Maybe, I could find some students, direct clients in the medical or Christian field or ultimately translation agencies. This process of meeting clients pushes me to reflect and work hard, indeed. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Samuel Murray
Holanda
Local time: 09:18
Membro (2006)
Inglês para Africânder
+ ...
| Less than once a month | Jul 24, 2025 |
Less than once a month, but I don't think it's a waste of time nor do I have all the clients I need.
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Novian Cahyadi (X)
Local time: 14:18
| Samuel Murray
Holanda
Local time: 09:18
Membro (2006)
Inglês para Africânder
+ ...
Baran Keki wrote:
She said that I was one of their top performers, but there were other considerations like rates, so confirming that those two are cheaper than me, so jobs are going to them.
Indeed, I have been replaced by cheaper translators at a number of agencies. Other agencies still approach me but offer me very low rates, which I sometimes accept but mostly don't. Gone are the days when the PEMT rate was 40-60% less than the human translation rate -- it is now 80% less than the human translation rate.
| | | | Novian Cahyadi (X)
Local time: 14:18
Samuel Murray wrote:
Gone are the days when the PEMT rate was 40-60% less than the human translation rate -- it is now 80% less than the human translation rate.
So… our dear Belgian colleague was lying to our faces? 🤔
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