Translation to content creation
Thread poster: TB CommuniCAT
TB CommuniCAT
TB CommuniCAT  Identity Verified
Canada
Local time: 19:42
English to French
May 28, 2016

Dear colleagues,

I am facing a small dilemma and would like your opinion please.

I have a regular client with whom I have built a good relationship. I provide a lot of translations for him and sometimes help him with some minor language issues too. However, recently, it seems as if his requests are shifting from translation to content creation.

At the moment, I have too much on my plate to include content creation in my services. I have mentioned it to
... See more
Dear colleagues,

I am facing a small dilemma and would like your opinion please.

I have a regular client with whom I have built a good relationship. I provide a lot of translations for him and sometimes help him with some minor language issues too. However, recently, it seems as if his requests are shifting from translation to content creation.

At the moment, I have too much on my plate to include content creation in my services. I have mentioned it to him and indicated that I would be happy to assist if he has a text for me to translate. I haven't heard back from the client ever since.

What are your thoughts?

I do not wish to lose this good client.

Thank you!
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Lingua 5B
Lingua 5B  Identity Verified
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Local time: 00:42
Member (2009)
English to Croatian
+ ...
Depends. May 28, 2016

What makes you uncomfortable with content creation, other than you would have to raise your rate if your work shifted to this service? It'd be best to charge him hourly, since it involves creative process and thus can't be charged per word.

Can you give us one example of what he asked?


 
TB CommuniCAT
TB CommuniCAT  Identity Verified
Canada
Local time: 19:42
English to French
TOPIC STARTER
Too much involve May 28, 2016

Hi Lingua,

Thank you for your response.

I am not uncomfortable with content creation. I just had a feeling that it will lead to too much involvement and beyond what I can handle for the moment.

It is for a tourism client. He asked for descriptions of activities and lodging. I pulled some contents from what I had worked on for him previously and composed a small paragraph for him. However, he now comes back and wants to include some parts to promote his
... See more
Hi Lingua,

Thank you for your response.

I am not uncomfortable with content creation. I just had a feeling that it will lead to too much involvement and beyond what I can handle for the moment.

It is for a tourism client. He asked for descriptions of activities and lodging. I pulled some contents from what I had worked on for him previously and composed a small paragraph for him. However, he now comes back and wants to include some parts to promote his park to be dog-friendly. He would like descriptions of activities for dogs as well and how dog owners can benefit from his park.

This is just among one of the examples.

Thoughts?
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Lingua 5B
Lingua 5B  Identity Verified
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Local time: 00:42
Member (2009)
English to Croatian
+ ...
No further briefs? May 28, 2016

TB CommuniCAT wrote:

Hi Lingua,

Thank you for your response.

I am not uncomfortable with content creation. I just had a feeling that it will lead to too much involvement and beyond what I can handle for the moment.

It is for a tourism client. He asked for descriptions of activities and lodging. I pulled some contents from what I had worked on for him previously and composed a small paragraph for him. However, he now comes back and wants to include some parts to promote his park to be dog-friendly. He would like descriptions of activities for dogs as well and how dog owners can benefit from his park.

This is just among one of the examples.

Thoughts?


It looks like your client wants a service for which he doesn't know how to brief. Are you supposed to create off the top of your head? He should give examples and more details. Actually it sounds like you need to develop marketing concept, not only marketing content.

Whenever I had such requests or projects, I would receive full briefs. If I was asked to give ideas for marketing concept, then the rate was different.

Perhaps ask him to describe how he wants the idea presented, ie. in what light and style.


 
philgoddard
philgoddard
United States
German to English
+ ...
Give it a try! May 29, 2016

I do a lot of copywriting, and I find it more rewarding than translation. Just agree an hourly rate or a fixed fee, and allow for the fact that the customer may come back more than once with requests for changes. Also, you need to know exactly what target market you're writing for.

[Edited at 2016-05-29 04:52 GMT]

[Edited at 2016-05-30 03:14 GMT]


 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 23:42
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Give it a try (and invoice accordingly!) May 29, 2016

If, as you say, you don’t want to lose a good client. Educate your client, asking as many questions as you can, and... learn how to say no!

 
TB CommuniCAT
TB CommuniCAT  Identity Verified
Canada
Local time: 19:42
English to French
TOPIC STARTER
Thank you May 29, 2016

Hi all,

I guess I feel that it is quite a dilemma because I don't have much time at the moment for copywriting. Also, I have done a lot of favours for this client - some of which are pro bono. I am not sure if it is because of this reason that the client thinks that I am able to handle all types of requests.

I have already explained to him that copywriting is beyond the services that I provide and that I am more than happy to translate the text should he has one.
... See more
Hi all,

I guess I feel that it is quite a dilemma because I don't have much time at the moment for copywriting. Also, I have done a lot of favours for this client - some of which are pro bono. I am not sure if it is because of this reason that the client thinks that I am able to handle all types of requests.

I have already explained to him that copywriting is beyond the services that I provide and that I am more than happy to translate the text should he has one.

Thank you again for your responses!
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