Should I send an e-mail reminder to a potential client?
Thread poster: Dominika Fonyiová
Dominika Fonyiová
Dominika Fonyiová
Slovakia
Local time: 14:52
English to Slovak
+ ...
Jan 27, 2019

Hello everyone!

I am a freelance translator who has, however, worked mostly for translation agencies, with only a small number of direct clients. Last year I sent around 500 e-mails to different SMEs in my country, in an attempt to find more direct clients. I only received around 10 responses, most of which were written in a sort of lukewarm tone, BUT three of the companies who responded seemed truly interested in my translation services. Long story short, they didn't need any tran
... See more
Hello everyone!

I am a freelance translator who has, however, worked mostly for translation agencies, with only a small number of direct clients. Last year I sent around 500 e-mails to different SMEs in my country, in an attempt to find more direct clients. I only received around 10 responses, most of which were written in a sort of lukewarm tone, BUT three of the companies who responded seemed truly interested in my translation services. Long story short, they didn't need any translation straight away, but they said they were planning to launch sale of their products abroad in 2019 and that they would indeed need to translate their website as well as some contracts when the time comes.

All of the three companies are natural cosmetics producers, and I regularly buy their products. This is why I am particularly interested in working with them - cosmetics is a topic which I really enjoy translating and reading about.

However, I was worrying that perhaps they have already forgotten I contacted them last year, and I was wondering if I should send them an e-mail reminder. But I also don't want to seem too... desperate?

So, what do you think? Should I simply wait or should I send them an e-mail? What should I say not to sound annoying or off-putting?
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Thayenga
Thayenga  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 14:52
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
Pending collaborations Jan 27, 2019

That is what New Year's greetings are for. They seem to be "just" a polite wish for the coming year, yet you could also add that you're looking forward to working with them in the new year.

You don't know what all is on their plate, so they might not remember every email correspondence from the previous year. If they didn't tell you when exactly they intend to start selling their products overseas, then it could be in
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That is what New Year's greetings are for. They seem to be "just" a polite wish for the coming year, yet you could also add that you're looking forward to working with them in the new year.

You don't know what all is on their plate, so they might not remember every email correspondence from the previous year. If they didn't tell you when exactly they intend to start selling their products overseas, then it could be in the summer or fall.

The best way might be to send them (the person who had responded to you previously) an email to inform them that you are available and looking forward to start working with them in 2019. It might be wise to reply to their reply from last year so they know to which collaboration opportunity you're referring.
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Should I send an e-mail reminder to a potential client?







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