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Poll: Are you spending more time or effort on marketing now than you normally would?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
SITE STAFF
May 2, 2020

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Are you spending more time or effort on marketing now than you normally would?".

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Abdifatah Hassan
 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 09:28
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
No May 2, 2020

I haven’t marketed my services for a long time because over the years I’ve managed to build a good base of loyal and regular customers. This isn’t my first quiet period and things will get better soon. I’m already booked for two long projects, one to start at the last week of May and the other one around the middle of June.

Muriel Vasconcellos
Clement Cheung
 
Yolande Hivart
Yolande Hivart
Austria
Local time: 10:28
Member (2016)
German to French
No May 2, 2020

But I do not rely anymore on the loyalty of customers, even after many years this is an illusion, especially if your only contact is through the internet, the winds can change very quickly without you seeing it coming.
I now see keeping a basic marketing part of the process of remaining independant. At the same level as keeping further training.
This said I am already booked for a project in the summer too, but I will only count on it only when the invoiced amount is on my account.
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But I do not rely anymore on the loyalty of customers, even after many years this is an illusion, especially if your only contact is through the internet, the winds can change very quickly without you seeing it coming.
I now see keeping a basic marketing part of the process of remaining independant. At the same level as keeping further training.
This said I am already booked for a project in the summer too, but I will only count on it only when the invoiced amount is on my account. If another coming project clash, then I will rearrange the timeframe.
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Anastasia Kingsley Kinkusic
Dmitrii Sukovatykh
 
Samuel Murray
Samuel Murray  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 10:28
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
No May 2, 2020

No, but I really should, since I'm now competing with all those bilinguals sitting at home wondering what they can do to make money.


[Edited at 2020-05-02 11:37 GMT]


Clement Cheung
Edward Potter
Dmitrii Sukovatykh
 
Muriel Vasconcellos
Muriel Vasconcellos  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 02:28
Member (2003)
Spanish to English
+ ...
No May 2, 2020

I've faced the fact that business will be slow and I'm enjoying the break to catch up on some long overdue projects. Maybe later, but right now I'm happy.

Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Kirk Jackson
 
Tom in London
Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:28
Member (2008)
Italian to English
No but May 2, 2020

"Are you spending more time or effort on marketing now than you normally would?"


No, but I should be. Well....maybe.... a little more.


Philip Lees
 
Josephine Cassar
Josephine Cassar  Identity Verified
Malta
Local time: 10:28
Member (2012)
English to Maltese
+ ...
No as well May 2, 2020

Tom in London wrote:

"Are you spending more time or effort on marketing now than you normally would?"


No, but I should be. Well....maybe.... a little more.

No, but I should be and a lot more and if the result of 70% No till 17:25 CET is anything to go by, translators know that they should concentrate on marketing too but don't.


 
Tom in London
Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:28
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Begging May 2, 2020

Josephine Cassar wrote:

Tom in London wrote:

"Are you spending more time or effort on marketing now than you normally would?"


No, but I should be. Well....maybe.... a little more.

No, but I should be and a lot more and if the result of 70% No till 17:25 CET is anything to go by, translators know that they should concentrate on marketing too but don't.


To me, marketing feels like a form of subservience: trying to ingratiate myself with people whose power to give me work, or not, I would have to implicitly recognise even though I may privately despise them. For that reason I avoid doing it.


Sanjin Grandić
ipv
 
Michael Harris
Michael Harris  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 10:28
Member (2006)
German to English
No May 2, 2020

not at the moment because most companies in Germany are still not working as they were 2 months ago. I am hoping that things will start to pick up again in 2 to 3 weeks.

Franco Rigoni
 
Michael Newton
Michael Newton  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 05:28
Japanese to English
+ ...
marketing May 2, 2020

Tom in London wrote: "marketing feels like a form of subservience".
We are offering a service and you have to inform prospective clients about that service. How else will they know about you? We all were "subservient" to our professors at university telling them what they wanted to hear to get good grades. But that is life. You have to work up a script when you make cold calls (or cold emails) telling the client exactly why your services are so fantastic and why only you can provide the qu
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Tom in London wrote: "marketing feels like a form of subservience".
We are offering a service and you have to inform prospective clients about that service. How else will they know about you? We all were "subservient" to our professors at university telling them what they wanted to hear to get good grades. But that is life. You have to work up a script when you make cold calls (or cold emails) telling the client exactly why your services are so fantastic and why only you can provide the quality they need. (the "quality experience"). Make it short and to the point. Rather than cower in fear, project confidence and pride. But, expect to be rejected some of the time. The more often you present your script, the more confident you will become and the easier it will be for you. Better "subservience" than starvation. Forza, Tommaso!
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Josephine Cassar
 
Mario Freitas
Mario Freitas  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 06:28
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
No May 2, 2020

The workload is still the same, so the time for networking is also the same (so far... let's see how long this lasts).

Laura Bissio CT
 
Tom in London
Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:28
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Need May 3, 2020

Michael Newton wrote:
....... Rather than cower in fear

I don't cower in fear!
project confidence and pride

Confidence yes, pride absolutely not. Pride is one of the Seven Deadly Sins. People hate pride.[/quote]

Better "subservience" than starvation. Forza, Tommaso!

The thing is: I'm not starving and don't have an impelling need to do marketing. I was simply responding to the question at the top of this thread.


[Edited at 2020-05-03 07:37 GMT]


Michael Harris
ipv
 
Christine Andersen
Christine Andersen  Identity Verified
Denmark
Local time: 10:28
Member (2003)
Danish to English
+ ...
No, in fact less May 3, 2020

I have always regarded making my presence felt as marketing, hence my activity on this site and elsewhere.

I hate cold callers who ring when I am busy and ask me who is responsible for telephony in the company, whether the lighting is adequate in my production area, or whether I need a regular supply of paper and printer cartridges... They offer me wellness vouchers as Christmas presents for my customers, claim they can cut my electricity bills, and all sorts of brilliant ideas that
... See more
I have always regarded making my presence felt as marketing, hence my activity on this site and elsewhere.

I hate cold callers who ring when I am busy and ask me who is responsible for telephony in the company, whether the lighting is adequate in my production area, or whether I need a regular supply of paper and printer cartridges... They offer me wellness vouchers as Christmas presents for my customers, claim they can cut my electricity bills, and all sorts of brilliant ideas that are a waste of my time. They think I am being flippant when I tell them the company consists of me, my computer and a coffee cup, and of course I do have a few other useful items, but you know what I mean.

So no, I never phone or mail potential clients, subserviently or otherwise. trying to persuade them they need me. I just try to ensure they will think of me and can find me when they do.

Right now I have injured my shoulder and can only type with one hand. I can use my good hand, and considering how hopeless I am with both hands, I am almost managing as usual. It suits me fine, however, that work is very quiet, and I will probably send an electronic 'postcard' to a few of my best clients with a status report in a month or so. I regularly let them know of holiday plans and when I am back - and that usually keeps the jobs coming.

Stay safe, everyone, and may the good clients find you!
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Alexandra Speirs
Liena Vijupe
 
Anastasia Kingsley Kinkusic
Anastasia Kingsley Kinkusic  Identity Verified
Member (2011)
Croatian to English
+ ...
Marketing as a hobby May 3, 2020

I enjoy marketing! For me, it is a little like show and tell. Tell people what I do, exchange information, and so on. It’s a part of my normal routine.

Abdifatah Hassan
Christine Andersen
 
Tom in London
Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:28
Member (2008)
Italian to English
OK May 3, 2020

Anastasia Kingsley Kinkusic wrote:

I enjoy marketing! For me, it is a little like show and tell. Tell people what I do, exchange information, and so on. It’s a part of my normal routine.


OK show and tell: what, exactly, do you do?


Abdifatah Hassan
 
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Poll: Are you spending more time or effort on marketing now than you normally would?






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