Poll: Do you ever contact former clients to enquire about potential projects?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
SITE STAFF
Mar 28, 2017

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Do you ever contact former clients to enquire about potential projects?".

This poll was originally submitted by Giray Türkmen. View the poll results »



 
Michael Harris
Michael Harris  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 17:16
Member (2006)
German to English
No Mar 28, 2017

Fortunately I do not have to do that, but I must admit if things were going slow that I would definately consider it, especially if the relationship was not bad.

 
EvaVer (X)
EvaVer (X)  Identity Verified
Local time: 17:16
Czech to French
+ ...
Not any more Mar 28, 2017

I tried it a few years ago when I had not enough work. It did me no good. I don't need it any more, and anyway, it doesn't work.

 
Christopher Schröder
Christopher Schröder
United Kingdom
Member (2011)
Swedish to English
+ ...
No Mar 28, 2017

If they had a project, they'd contact me!

They're unlikely to forget about me given my unparallelled translation skills, charm, wit and modesty.

Which is good, as I'm way too proud to beg.


 
neilmac
neilmac
Spain
Local time: 17:16
Spanish to English
+ ...
What you talking 'bout, Willis? Mar 28, 2017

Nay, nay and thrice nay. Clients approach me for my services, not the other way round.

 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 16:16
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
No! Mar 28, 2017

I’ve never done that! The only occasion I remember contacting former clients was last year when I moved back to Portugal and it wasn’t about potential projects, just to give them my new contact details…

 
Julian Holmes
Julian Holmes  Identity Verified
Japan
Local time: 01:16
Member (2011)
Japanese to English
No Mar 28, 2017

If they are 'former clients' then there is probably a good reason why I no longer do business with them. In the majority of cases, I part ways with them because of some failure on their part.

If I have time on my hands, I will, of course, let my current clients know that I am available to help them out with new work. That's part of sales, innit.


 
Christine Andersen
Christine Andersen  Identity Verified
Denmark
Local time: 17:16
Member (2003)
Danish to English
+ ...
No, I don't have time... Mar 28, 2017

However, I do send a 'postcard' to clients I like working for after I have been away on holiday or taken a break, to let them know I'm back.

 
Muriel Vasconcellos
Muriel Vasconcellos  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 09:16
Member (2003)
Spanish to English
+ ...
When does a client become "former"? Mar 28, 2017

Most of the time I'm too busy to do this kind of follow-up, but I do occasionally contact the ones that pay/paid really well if I haven't heard from them. Sometimes I find out that they simply haven't had work in my language combinations, or they're not doing translation anymore, or my contact changed jobs. It's also possible that they put my name at the bottom of their list when I had to turn down a project. The head of the translation department of a well-known institution in Washington, D.C. ... See more
Most of the time I'm too busy to do this kind of follow-up, but I do occasionally contact the ones that pay/paid really well if I haven't heard from them. Sometimes I find out that they simply haven't had work in my language combinations, or they're not doing translation anymore, or my contact changed jobs. It's also possible that they put my name at the bottom of their list when I had to turn down a project. The head of the translation department of a well-known institution in Washington, D.C. told a group of us that it never hurts to give them a call because names can accidentally drop down or fall off the list.

I also contacted both current and former clients when my e-mail address changed.
Collapse


 
John Cutler
John Cutler  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 17:16
Spanish to English
+ ...
No Mar 28, 2017

Heavens no, doing so sounds a bit needy and desperate IMO.

 
Gianluca Marras
Gianluca Marras  Identity Verified
Italy
Local time: 17:16
English to Italian
No Mar 28, 2017

But I have contacted former (or let's call them "inactive") clients to let them know about my availability when I had to refuse several projects for several months in a row. Just a way to say "look, you contacted e a huge number of times and I was not available, please find my availability for the following months"
Never asked for potential jobs anyway


 
Yetta Jensen Bogarde
Yetta Jensen Bogarde  Identity Verified
Denmark
Local time: 17:16
Member (2012)
English to Danish
+ ...
No, Mar 28, 2017

but I thought about it in two cases, where I suddenly did not hear from 2 of my best clients anymore.
However, I have been too busy, and it's been on my to-do list for a long time.

Incidentally, I never imagined losing those clients; both of them used to give me 5-10 projects every month for 2-3 years.
At the same time I actually got 2 new very good clients. So you never know, nothing is static in this business. Not for me at least.


 
Hege Jakobsen Lepri
Hege Jakobsen Lepri  Identity Verified
Norway
Local time: 17:16
Member (2002)
English to Norwegian
+ ...
Wouldn't that change the power dynamic in the relationsip? Mar 28, 2017

I'm someone who doesn't even ask people for Facebook friendships, they ask me, so contacting clients I haven't heard from would be way out of my pattern of behaviour...

 
Mario Freitas
Mario Freitas  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 13:16
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
So far, it wasn't necessary Mar 29, 2017

So far, clients come and go regularly, and thankfully enough I've been keeping my agenda full without having to 'beg" for jobs from former clients. I'm getting new clients regularly, actually more than the ones that are disappearing. My curent goal is still to get rid of clients that pay less in the same proportion I get more new clients that pay more. And I already got rid of several "cheap" clients in the past two years. I still have three clients I'm still working with regularly in these cond... See more
So far, clients come and go regularly, and thankfully enough I've been keeping my agenda full without having to 'beg" for jobs from former clients. I'm getting new clients regularly, actually more than the ones that are disappearing. My curent goal is still to get rid of clients that pay less in the same proportion I get more new clients that pay more. And I already got rid of several "cheap" clients in the past two years. I still have three clients I'm still working with regularly in these conditions, but not for long.

Plust, Muriel is absolutely right: When does the client become "former". I have several clients that disaeppear for one or two months, then show up again with a new job. Some have been MIA for over six months and reappeared.

Finally, if you do look for former clients, as John well mentioned, if you sound like you're 'begging', you open the doors for undesired conditions and exploitation. But I will not be so proud as not to do it if I have more free time in my agenda than I wish or need.
Collapse


 


To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator:

Moderator(s) of this forum
Jared Tabor[Call to this topic]

You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request »

Poll: Do you ever contact former clients to enquire about potential projects?






Protemos translation business management system
Create your account in minutes, and start working! 3-month trial for agencies, and free for freelancers!

The system lets you keep client/vendor database, with contacts and rates, manage projects and assign jobs to vendors, issue invoices, track payments, store and manage project files, generate business reports on turnover profit per client/manager etc.

More info »
Wordfast Pro
Translation Memory Software for Any Platform

Exclusive discount for ProZ.com users! Save over 13% when purchasing Wordfast Pro through ProZ.com. Wordfast is the world's #1 provider of platform-independent Translation Memory software. Consistently ranked the most user-friendly and highest value

Buy now! »