Poll: In an average month, do you receive more work from current clients or new clients? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "In an average month, do you receive more work from current clients or new clients?".
This poll was originally submitted by Andrey Lipattsev. View the poll results »
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neilmac
Spain
Local time: 14:32
Spanish to English
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I suppose I'm lucky because for the past couple of years I've been too busy to take on any new clients. In fact, I've often even been too busy to reply to approaches from potential collaborators, so if anyone reading this has sent me an email that remained unanswered, please accept my apologies.
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Tim Drayton 
Cyprus
Local time: 15:32
Turkish to English
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| Current clients | Nov 18, 2014 |
I see that, of the 108 invoices I have issued this year, only 12 were to first-time clients (several of whom went on to give me further jobs), so the bulk of my work is repeat business.
[Edited at 2014-11-18 09:17 GMT]
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We've only worked for seven customers in total this year.
It seems to me that those who work more for new customers than existing ones might do well to consider a career change, as it suggests better marketing skills than translating skills...
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| Current clients | Nov 18, 2014 |
Over the years, I’m fortunate enough to have built a good client base: I have at least a dozen repeat clients (translation agencies and direct clients), so I take on a new client once in a blue moon (only 4 this year: 3 direct + 1 agency). That being said, I’m always open to new clients providing the work is interesting and they pay well and on time.
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Mary Worby
United Kingdom
Local time: 13:32
German to English
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| Current clients | Nov 18, 2014 |
Surely if the majority of your work came from new clients, you are doing something wrong?
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Balasubramaniam L.
India
Local time: 18:02
Member (2006)
English to Hindi
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SITE LOCALIZER | Current clients | Nov 18, 2014 |
Acquiring new clients is a rare event for me, but I still manage one or two each year. Most of my work is from clients for whom I have already worked before. I have been fortunate to be able to retain clients for whom I have worked and they have favoured me with repeat work.
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Balasubramaniam L.
India
Local time: 18:02
Member (2006)
English to Hindi
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SITE LOCALIZER
Mary Worby wrote:
Surely if the majority of your work came from new clients, you are doing something wrong?
At the beginning of your career, most of your clients will be new. It is only over time that you are able to build up a portfolio of faithful, satisfied clients who send you repeat work.
Having said that, I agree with your quip about something being wrong in the way you work if all your work comes from new clients.
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| Answering Mary | Nov 18, 2014 |
I'm a certified translator in a country where many official documents can only be translated by a certified translator. A lot of end clients ask my for translations. They may only need one translation in their life. Ten years ago most of these people got my services through agencies, so I was always working for the same clients (the agencies). Now people know how to use the Internet and contact me directly. So I'm getting new clients all the time. I am definitely not "doing something wrong... See more I'm a certified translator in a country where many official documents can only be translated by a certified translator. A lot of end clients ask my for translations. They may only need one translation in their life. Ten years ago most of these people got my services through agencies, so I was always working for the same clients (the agencies). Now people know how to use the Internet and contact me directly. So I'm getting new clients all the time. I am definitely not "doing something wrong" - it's the nature of my work. ▲ Collapse
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Thayenga
Germany
Local time: 14:32
Member (2009)
English to German
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| Current clients | Nov 18, 2014 |
My clients and I have a history of working together for a long time. And a new client, who found me this summer, has already become a "regular" as well.
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DianeGM
Local time: 15:32
Member (2006)
Dutch to English
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| From current clients | Nov 18, 2014 |
I have worked for 4 new clients this year, though 3 of those have been repeat clients already.
I wouldn't want to take on too many new clients at once, too many unknowns ....
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Mary Worby
United Kingdom
Local time: 13:32
German to English
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| Fair point, Maxi | Nov 19, 2014 |
Maxi Schwarz wrote:
I'm a certified translator in a country where many official documents can only be translated by a certified translator. A lot of end clients ask my for translations. They may only need one translation in their life. Ten years ago most of these people got my services through agencies, so I was always working for the same clients (the agencies). Now people know how to use the Internet and contact me directly. So I'm getting new clients all the time. I am definitely not "doing something wrong" - it's the nature of my work.
That's a fair point, but the poll results would suggest your situation is unusual. As you say, that may be because a lot of us work primarily for agencies where repeate business is the norm.
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