Forums about proz.com » Poll Discussion »
Pages in topic:   < [1 2]
Poll: Do you actively market your language services?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
Venkatesh Sundaram
Venkatesh Sundaram  Identity Verified
India
Local time: 09:42
German to English
Individual needs dictate resposnes Sep 3, 2015

Triston Goodwin wrote:

Maxi Schwarz wrote:

samah A. fattah wrote:

Dears

Thank you for sharing your opinions
But, I believe that Marketing is essential for your freelancing career

I've thought about marketing actively a couple of times recently, but each time I get snowed under by so many translation requests, that there is no time for it. The question being, if after 25 years word of mouth and reputation seem to have created a viable business, can I actually accept that marketing is "essential"? After all, if you're busy working with customers coming to you, that seems to argue for a passive marketing (which I'm not sure if it will count as marketing)


I generally use the definitions that they taught me in my marketing/advertising classes at the university.

Marketing is building and maintaining a mutually beneficial relationship with a client; while advertising is telling them that you exist.

Keeping your clients happy, and generating word of mouth, is part marketing. Advertising would be like creating a profile here and answering kudoz to rank higher, or standing in front of your house with a big neon sign offering your services.

I think that's why some say that marketing is so essential.



It's clear from the comments that all colleagues aren't in the same boat in this case. Some already have a sufficient number of "good" clients whom they need to retain, some want to get rid of a few clients, many others want to get more - and "better" clients...so it is the individual need of each colleague that determines her / his responses.

[Edited at 2015-09-03 06:19 GMT]
 
Suzan Hamer
Suzan Hamer  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 06:12
English
+ ...
No, just my ProZ profile. Sep 10, 2015

Pulls in enough interesting clients to keep me happy and fed.
 
Pages in topic:   < [1 2]


To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator:

Moderator(s) of this forum
Jared Tabor[Call to this topic]

You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request »

Poll: Do you actively market your language services?






TM-Town
Manage your TMs and Terms ... and boost your translation business

Are you ready for something fresh in the industry? TM-Town is a unique new site for you -- the freelance translator -- to store, manage and share translation memories (TMs) and glossaries...and potentially meet new clients on the basis of your prior work.

More info »
Trados Business Manager Lite
Create customer quotes and invoices from within Trados Studio

Trados Business Manager Lite helps to simplify and speed up some of the daily tasks, such as invoicing and reporting, associated with running your freelance translation business.

More info »