Poll: What is your most effective method for promoting your services? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "What is your most effective method for promoting your services?".
View the poll results »
| | | | | I haven’t marketed my services | Jul 1, 2025 |
I haven’t marketed my services for a long time (meanwhile a lot things have changed, so I may have to start again). Over the years, I have acquired a good client base (both direct clients and agencies) and my most effective method has been to consistently produce great work in order to keep them. For some time, my new clients came through Proz, but lately my new clients have come through word of mouth (both from clients and from colleague’s referrals).
| | | | | Word of mouth | Jul 1, 2025 |
For years I had a web page that brought in a negligible amount of well-paying work. Few offers that came in through Proz were worth considering. On the other hand, I was fortunate to work on large projects with talented colleagues who saw that I produced good work and was a reliable collaborator which resulted in referrals to agencies and direct clients. Thus, I never really developed marketing skills. I would say that luck was a significant factor in my career.
| | | | Mario Chávez
United States
Local time: 19:15
Ingiriisi to Spanish
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| In a sea of surplus translators, how do you market yourself? | Jul 1, 2025 |
You don't. Or rely in luck and word of mouth, hoping that clients and projects will find you based on your professional performance and behavior.
Personally, I see little point in marketing my services through any of the options offered in the poll. Some of the reasons:
1. Translator platforms are a race to the bottom
2. The traditional translation agency, at least in the United States, has disappeared. Now we have consolidators and simple intermediaries that add ... See more You don't. Or rely in luck and word of mouth, hoping that clients and projects will find you based on your professional performance and behavior.
Personally, I see little point in marketing my services through any of the options offered in the poll. Some of the reasons:
1. Translator platforms are a race to the bottom
2. The traditional translation agency, at least in the United States, has disappeared. Now we have consolidators and simple intermediaries that add little value to the relationship with the translators they hire.
3. The pervasive trend everywhere (apparently) that customers wait until the last moment to request translation services; there's no planning, no integration of translation into their workflows for future market expansions.
The best tools of the trade to market my services have been, for me, the business card and the CV. Tried and true. ▲ Collapse
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Daryo
Local time: 00:15
Serbiyaan to Ingiriisi
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| Word of mouth + sheer luck | Jul 1, 2025 |
Word of mouth + sheer luck.
The 'sheer luck' part not really being only luck. You don't happen to be in the right place at the right time 'by accident' - plenty other elements increase the probability of that happening before it happens.
| | | | Oscar Núñez Alfaro 
Costa Rica
Local time: 17:15
Member (Oct 2026)
Ingiriisi to Spanish
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| I would say that job platforms are my main way for meeting clients. | Jul 1, 2025 |
I have obtained many freelance jobs through Fiverr, Upwork and Google Search. I recently got offers from Proz.com, and LinkedIn. Likewise, I am very blessed that when a great client did not have time and money to keep hiring my services, new potential clients and offers have come. Thanks to God!!!
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