| Pages in topic: < [1 2 3] > | Agencies with reasonables prices Thread poster: Sandrine Pantel
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Sandrine Pantel 
France
Local time: 20:21
Member (2015)
German to French
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Thanks a lot for your answers and feedback, I will follow the advice I find relevant, particularly about the way I "sell" myself.
Thanks
| | | | | base rate or average rate including discounts | Apr 14, 2016 |
Are you talking about your base rate or average rate including CAT discounts?
| | | | Sandrine Pantel
France
Local time: 20:21
Member (2015)
German to French
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
I am talking of my base rate
| | | | | Do not accept low rates | Apr 14, 2016 |
I agree with The Misha.
I'm in the same position and trying to learn from sharing experiences with fellow professionals.
You have to prove what you can do, show that you're worth the price, and look, look, and look again until you find good agencies or end clientes.
Nobody said freelancing would be easy. Be patient, work on improving your skills and your marketing, and if you persevere you will make it.
Keep going! ... See more I agree with The Misha.
I'm in the same position and trying to learn from sharing experiences with fellow professionals.
You have to prove what you can do, show that you're worth the price, and look, look, and look again until you find good agencies or end clientes.
Nobody said freelancing would be easy. Be patient, work on improving your skills and your marketing, and if you persevere you will make it.
Keep going!
[Edited at 2016-04-14 16:45 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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Lincoln Hui
Hong Kong
Local time: 02:21
Member
Chinese to English
+ ...
Whether you translate into English or not, it won't do to make so many glaring errors.
| | | | Sandrine Pantel
France
Local time: 20:21
Member (2015)
German to French
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
so many glaring errors?!
Ok, many negative, demeaning and contemptuous comments here, just because I asked for some help and tips.
One would expect professional translators to have some tactfulness...
| | | | | whose prices (title) | Apr 14, 2016 |
This is also a mindset which might help you. The only person who has to consider an agency's price is the customer - the end client of the agency. The agency has to consider YOUR prices, because the agency is your customer.
The agencies I work for function as follows:
- They ask what my fee and turnaround time is. Then they set their fee for their end client according to my fee, and quote the client.
The agencies who have a mistaken idea work this way:
- ... See more This is also a mindset which might help you. The only person who has to consider an agency's price is the customer - the end client of the agency. The agency has to consider YOUR prices, because the agency is your customer.
The agencies I work for function as follows:
- They ask what my fee and turnaround time is. Then they set their fee for their end client according to my fee, and quote the client.
The agencies who have a mistaken idea work this way:
- They set a fee for their end client, winning the translation away from other agencies. Then they want me to work for a fee determined by them which will still give them a profit.
When you accept the 2nd premise, then you are also helping those agencies drive your good customers out of business. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Rude comments | Apr 14, 2016 |
Yes, Sandrine.
Some comments are actually rude and arrogant here.
Unfortunately I got used to read them, which does not mean I like them at all. Just ignore them!
Each one of us has been a newbie one day and made mistakes, made silly questions, etc.
Even though this rudeness is disgusting, try to read between the lines and filter the useful information.
Not every colleague here is like that. Some are just tired to answer the same questions all the time, whic... See more Yes, Sandrine.
Some comments are actually rude and arrogant here.
Unfortunately I got used to read them, which does not mean I like them at all. Just ignore them!
Each one of us has been a newbie one day and made mistakes, made silly questions, etc.
Even though this rudeness is disgusting, try to read between the lines and filter the useful information.
Not every colleague here is like that. Some are just tired to answer the same questions all the time, which of course does not justify their rudeness.
Check other threads about the same topic "getting started/ getting established"; you will find many good, well intended advice
[Edited at 2016-04-14 17:45 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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Sandrine Pantel
France
Local time: 20:21
Member (2015)
German to French
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | encouragements | Apr 14, 2016 |
Thanks a lot for your help and encouragements, Romix and Maxi Schwarz!
Maxi Schwarz wrote:
The agencies I work for function as follows:
- They ask what my fee and turnaround time is. Then they set their fee for their end client according to my fee, and quote the client.
The agencies who have a mistaken idea work this way:
- They set a fee for their end client, winning the translation away from other agencies. Then they want me to work for a fee determined by them which will still give them a profit.
When you accept the 2nd premise, then you are also helping those agencies drive your good customers out of business.
Sensible and logical way to see it I shall work more often for agencies which function that way.
| | | | | That's strange... | Apr 14, 2016 |
jackiekiefer wrote:
Unless you earn at least €0,10 a word there's no point even working as a freelance translator - at least in Europe. You're better off doing something else.
I know quite a few translators here in Spain and elsewhere in Europe who charge rates far lower than that and yet manage to provide themselves and even their families with a decent standard of living, myself included.
Living costs vary so much across the EU that I find generalizations about income and living standards to be highly inaccurate, to say the least.
| | | | | No desire to be negative or demeaning | Apr 14, 2016 |
Sandrine Pantel wrote:
so many glaring errors?!
Ok, many negative, demeaning and contemptuous comments here, just because I asked for some help and tips.
One would expect professional translators to have some tactfulness...
But I do think that Lincoln is correct. There are many spelling and grammar errors in your profile. Although you don't translate into English, your profile is your calling card and your first impression. It should be flawless.
And, to tell the truth, I don't find the comments to be demeaning, contemptuous or negative with the intention to hurt. It seems to me that people are trying to offer constructive criticism, not tear down your efforts.
I think you've received excellent advice from some highly regarded colleagues. I'd take it under advisement.
| | | | | The problem is the manners | Apr 14, 2016 |
Elizabeth,
I think Sandrine did not mean the advice was ill intended at all.
For instance, I agree with the advice (¿?) given by Lincoln and his pointing out the grammar errors in a profile or post. Of course it is necessary and it helps a lot!
I do not agree with the manners. If you are going to criticize a fellow professional about any mistake he/she has made, you should also add your piece of advice to help them improve. Otherwise it is not constructive at all.
... See more Elizabeth,
I think Sandrine did not mean the advice was ill intended at all.
For instance, I agree with the advice (¿?) given by Lincoln and his pointing out the grammar errors in a profile or post. Of course it is necessary and it helps a lot!
I do not agree with the manners. If you are going to criticize a fellow professional about any mistake he/she has made, you should also add your piece of advice to help them improve. Otherwise it is not constructive at all.
"My first suggestion is that you revise the spelling and grammar mistakes in your profile because it is the first impression a potential client gets about you" sounds much better than just "it won't do to make so many glaring errors".
At least this is how I see it.
[Edited at 2016-04-14 18:16 GMT]
[Edited at 2016-04-14 18:40 GMT]
[Edited at 2016-04-14 18:43 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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Arianne Farah
Canada
Local time: 14:21
Member (2008)
English to French
| It's a numbers game... | Apr 14, 2016 |
I charge good rates and my months are booked (and often overbooked) - I still check in to Proz twice a week or so and fire off CV in response to jobs in my field. I expect a success rate of around 1 in 300.
Agencies will pay what you charge if they want 'YOU' - if they want 'a translator' then you might have trouble with rates. If they want 'a competent translator' you may have a little more luck. If they want a 'specialized competent translator', now we're talking.
If ... See more I charge good rates and my months are booked (and often overbooked) - I still check in to Proz twice a week or so and fire off CV in response to jobs in my field. I expect a success rate of around 1 in 300.
Agencies will pay what you charge if they want 'YOU' - if they want 'a translator' then you might have trouble with rates. If they want 'a competent translator' you may have a little more luck. If they want a 'specialized competent translator', now we're talking.
If you approach an agency as, say 0,10EUR and they tell you 'oooh, we're sorry but the MOST we pay is 0,08EUR', then you have a choice to make. You can answer that you're sorry to hear that and to please feel free to keep your information on hand should they need any help and have the necessary budget. You can accept the proposed 0.08EUR rate. You can offer an intermediate rate, say 0.09EUR. You can accept the rate but negociate the payment terms - say 0.08EUR @ 15 NET - though this makes little sense now, in a context of high inflation or interest rates, it can make a difference. Or lastly, you can shoot yourself in the foot and offer less for more volume (bad bad bad bad idea).
Personally, since I expect a success rate of 1/300, my rates are firm & non negotiable because 299 times out of 300 it's simply a waste of time - I don't NEED another client, thought I do WANT a new better client if I can find one. At the beginning sometimes it was a case of shoot high and see where the arrow lands - I'd quote a high rate and then negotiate it down a bit, but back then I had more time, less work.
Practice, practice, practice negotiating. After a while you get a feel for it - where you can push back - where you've hit the line in the sand. Being a good translator is great; convincing others you're a great translator is wonderful. And translations are like wine - most people can tell when it's bad - you can just tell, but whether it's good, great or out of this world is entirely a matter or personal taste, even among experts.
There is no magic list of agencies that pay more than others, the magic is in YOU finding the right fit and offering a service that commands the rate you want. The same agency will pay different translators in the same language pair different rates, sometimes the difference will be 2- or 3-fold.
Also, don't be afraid to raise your rate with existing agencies - I've done it successfully a few times and fallen off the books of other agencies a few times. So don't just drop your lowest paying clients, see if you can bring them back into the fold. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Sandrine Pantel
France
Local time: 20:21
Member (2015)
German to French
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | different rates | Apr 14, 2016 |
Arianne Farah wrote:
The same agency will pay different translators in the same language pair different rates, sometimes the difference will be 2- or 3-fold.
I had no idea of this, thank you for enlightening me on this point, and on many others
| | | | wronak
Poland
Local time: 20:21
Italian to Polish
+ ...
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