posted 05 May 2002 10:58            

Before I begin, let me introduce myself. My name is Jeremiah Barnett and I am the marketing director and Spanish - English translator for BFG translations (in other words my fiancée’s freelance business - hence the username). I am from the US and we live and work in Spain (for now).

Ok, enough introductions. My question has to do with the content in the marketing letter. Thanks to Alex's book that we purchased about 3 - 4 weeks ago, we've seen big progress. And now we are starting to see a pattern in the responses from the agencies. : idea They ask for a CV / resume (which we offer upon request), what sort of hardware / software equipment we use, and rate prices.

Is it a good idea to list rates in the marketing letter? Why or why not? Should I wait to give rates only to the agencies that respond? When SHOULD rates be given?

Thanx a ton,
Jeremiah Barnett

posted 05 May 2002 18:32            

I don't know what other translators do to handle this situation, but I personally never give anything unless specifically requested to do so. I do this out of consideration for overloaded PMs. Most of the time, harried translation agents don't have the time to wade through extra unsolicited attachments with rates, policies, samples, etc., much less your actual CV. (Unless, of course, you're following the tips in Alex's book to make your email introduction stand out from the crowd, giving these PMs an extra incentive to take a second look at your stuff!) So, if they want more info, they'll ask for it. If you're considerate of their needs, they remember and appreciate this and will resolve to contact you next time they need somebody for a certain job. (On the other side of the coin, they also remember the ones who slam them with emails containing buggy HTML and Java script and bloated attachments, but not too fondly ...) Many times I've found that once your email grabs their attention, they prefer to switch over to the phone, call you, and get the extra info they need that way. I think they do this out of a need to get a more solid sense of you than they can usually obtain through the impersonal medium of email. This is just human nature and the need for the "personal touch" that is working here. I don't think you have anything to worry about here, I believe you are doing just fine. Hope this helps somewhat.

posted 28 July 2002 17:33            

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Originally posted by Sarah Allsopp:
Is it a good idea to list rates in the marketing letter? Why or why not? Should I wait to give rates only to the agencies that respond? When SHOULD rates be given?
I've been wondering about this too. I am a part-time translator of Russian into English and I am just about to start approaching the agencies on the tranmail list. I noticed that Alex did not include his rates in the helpful example covering letter given in his book. And then I thought: what's the point of telling an agency your rates if they have their own anyway which they will want you to abide by if you work for them? Any suggestions gratefully received.

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Hi Sarah,

This is another reason why I never post my rates to agencies unless I am specifically asked to do so. In those cases, I always submit a *range* which includes 1) my minimum "rock bottom" rate -- below which I absolutely will refuse to work under any circumstances, 2) my standard rate, and 3) my premium rate. This gives agencies a very helpful structure to work with when they are attempting to negotiate with the end client. When they are discussing the project with the end client, they usually propose my premium rate first, and *IF* they fight the agency tooth and nail on the premium rate, the agency knows it can go lower, to the standard rate, and even as low as the "rock bottom" rate, knowing I will still accept the work at the rock bottom rate, but also knowing I will not accept anything lower than the rock bottom.

You can use this structure yourself when negotiating with direct clients. When negotiating a project where quality and exactitude are a priority and the client is deeply concerned with getting a "correct," publication-quality translation as opposed to a "gist" translation, I toot my own horn vigorously and mention that I'm extremely quality-oriented, with a long rep in the business, and if I work at a rate that is below my minimally acceptable rate, it is not worth my while to do it and they will have to pass it on to another translator ... implying that another translator may not be as good. The client usually buckles and I usually get the job.

posted 29 July 2002 23:33            

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Originally posted by mmaloof:
If you look at an investment prospectus or annual report for any large company, and observe how they word everything, you'll see that they dedicate quite a lot of time, effort and money to being "big-headed." It's called marketing ...

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I laughed out loud when I read that Mary
(because it is soooooooo true)

I've heard from some people that I am sometimes misunderstood. Henry from ProZ told me that at their Italian conference...

1) virtually everybody had heard of me
2) a few people thought I was over the top with my marketing

...but of course these people only see their side of the deal. I get to see the sales figures too and believe me if it stops working I'll change it. Duh

posted 26 November 2002 15:25            

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Originally posted by deufrang:
To show my rates or not to show my rates, that is the question.

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