| Pages in topic: < [1 2] | Work for free and you will have many clients... Thread poster: Martin Wenzel
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| Give'em the pickle! | Jul 7, 2007 |
CASE I
Translation involves learning, no matter what. I had the privilege of translating videos, manuals and doing the DTP of some of the training programs from http://www.giveemthepickle.com/ for Brazil.
So, if it's a regular client, I won't make a fuss about collecting pennies for a minor job. If it's one of my best clients, I'll try to squeeze in a pickle now and then, so the... See more CASE I
Translation involves learning, no matter what. I had the privilege of translating videos, manuals and doing the DTP of some of the training programs from http://www.giveemthepickle.com/ for Brazil.
So, if it's a regular client, I won't make a fuss about collecting pennies for a minor job. If it's one of my best clients, I'll try to squeeze in a pickle now and then, so they'll remember I took the chance to make their day.
I learned the lesson with my # 1 client (who also distributes the Pickles) years ago. They sent me a tape with 8 different, unconnected, management training videos to translate for dubbing, but asked me to skip the 7th one. Of course, out of curiosity, I watched, and found it to be a good one. So I did this one for free in the bundle, as a "lagniappe", a word I learned in one of the remaining 7. Told them I though that it was worth dubbing.
Epilogue: They dubbed it. They hired me to translate and DTP the instructor manual. This was maybe a decade ago. This program still sells.
CASE II
Ad on Proz: Nonprofit organization needs a 7,407 words text translated for free. Its treasurer is a lawyer who often deals with international agreements, so there is a good thance that he will give you business in the future.
My question: Okay, it's a nonprofit, so it may be run by volunteers and funded by sponsors. But do its employees get paid? Yes? So do I.
CASE III
Ad on Proz: How much would you charge to translate XX>YY the following phrase? [a two-liner phrase follows]
My response: The translation is (all of) my bid. It might generate some goodwill in the future, but it certainly will consume less of my time than to bid, get their PO, do the job, send it with an invoice, and then follow up on payment. Finally, PayPal or whatever will get most of that small payment in fees before I get the money. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | If they ask for it free, I won't do it | Jul 7, 2007 |
Even if it is an established client, I will never do this free if they ask for it to be free first off.
Sometimes, I do get such requests, but the client (even when it is a good client who knows they are precious for me) offers to pay. In such cases, I sometimes offer to do it free. Why? To show appreciation. And that is precisely why otherwise (that is, if the client specifically asks for a free of charge one-liner) I don't offer this free: I prefer to have the freedom to show my a... See more Even if it is an established client, I will never do this free if they ask for it to be free first off.
Sometimes, I do get such requests, but the client (even when it is a good client who knows they are precious for me) offers to pay. In such cases, I sometimes offer to do it free. Why? To show appreciation. And that is precisely why otherwise (that is, if the client specifically asks for a free of charge one-liner) I don't offer this free: I prefer to have the freedom to show my appreciation to a client of my own initiative - when they twist my arm to show them I appreciate their clientele, I get serious and there is then no way I'll do anything free of charge.
Ask, and you shall receive nothing. Offer to pay, and I just might waive the fee, so long as I enjoy working with you. ▲ Collapse
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I find it odd that a translation agency that I assume calls itself professional would ask a translator to do ANYTHING for free, no matter how small. I once did a translation and submitted it and the director of the agency wrote to me a couple of days later and told me that the end client wanted an additional paragraph translated that was added after my additional submission. The same agency also asked me to do a translation that could not have been more than 40 words long a few weeks ago. I was ... See more I find it odd that a translation agency that I assume calls itself professional would ask a translator to do ANYTHING for free, no matter how small. I once did a translation and submitted it and the director of the agency wrote to me a couple of days later and told me that the end client wanted an additional paragraph translated that was added after my additional submission. The same agency also asked me to do a translation that could not have been more than 40 words long a few weeks ago. I was even sent a PO for these two "shorties." I think you're asking for trouble if you agree to do ANYTHING for free (as in being taking advantage of) and I believe that any reputable agency would not ask a valued translator to take the time and disrupt their other work or activities and offer their expertise for NOTHING in return.
[Edited at 2007-07-08 01:29] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Martin Wenzel
Germany
Local time: 04:04
English to German
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | The point I am trying to make... | Jul 8, 2007 |
I am not fussing about the odd sentence I am giving for free..
I don't doubt for a minute that it can be a good investment to do things for free...
One of my best clients is the result of giving free English lessons...
However, what I don't want to be remembered for is "The translator who will always do a couple of lines for free" if a PM is in a hurry.
They don't seem to realize that I need to down my tools and concentrate on their odd sente... See more I am not fussing about the odd sentence I am giving for free..
I don't doubt for a minute that it can be a good investment to do things for free...
One of my best clients is the result of giving free English lessons...
However, what I don't want to be remembered for is "The translator who will always do a couple of lines for free" if a PM is in a hurry.
They don't seem to realize that I need to down my tools and concentrate on their odd sentence, often completely out of context.
I've said before that I used to be a poor context-giver, however, I have recently converted to the religion of always providing ample context in order to do a good translation.
I am also critizing the fact that communication is constantly deteriorating between translators and PMs.
So if I now receive a query, signed the XXXX Team
How do I address them: Dear XXXX Team? ▲ Collapse
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| I've done it occasionally | Jul 9, 2007 |
I'd happily do it for regular clients, although they almost never ask me. But like Jack, I once had an agency for which I'd never done *any* paid work continuously ask me to translate the odd phrase here and there. I think I obliged 3 or 4 times, then as no offer of paid work ever appeared on the horizon I just stopped answering their emails. There's a simple word for agencies like this - timewasters.
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