Poll: Which is the best strategy to raise translation/interpretation rates? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Which is the best strategy to raise translation/interpretation rates?".
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I don’t know if it’s the best strategy, but I no longer have one rate across the board, I have various rates for different clients. I haven’t touched the rates I apply to my long-standing customers since 2016 when I last raised them but I've been applying either a higher rate or a per project rate to my new clients.
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Do a good enough job and they won't want to lose you.
| | | | | In practice, finding new clients | Apr 16 |
I think all the options apply in the background, but even clients who ask for a check on rates after a long break tend to disappear if I actually raise them!
I successfully raised my rate with an existing client some years ago, but that was from very low to just acceptable, and a few months later I stopped working for them altogether.
It was a sad story of a small agency that started well, but as it expanded it demanded more and more for the same rates - no time allowance for ... See more I think all the options apply in the background, but even clients who ask for a check on rates after a long break tend to disappear if I actually raise them!
I successfully raised my rate with an existing client some years ago, but that was from very low to just acceptable, and a few months later I stopped working for them altogether.
It was a sad story of a small agency that started well, but as it expanded it demanded more and more for the same rates - no time allowance for formatting, a flat word rate for videos that had to be watched a couple of times before I could translate, requests for samples at reduced rates, and then the jobs at full rates never materialised... Tiny jobs but no minimum fee. They kept trying for months!
More recently, I raised my rate with a long-term good client, and I was beginning to think I had lost them - but they have sent a couple of jobs lately. I have a niche with that client, but one job was proofreading a really excellent translation,  so they have a colleague who can replace me there!
Otherwise the only way I have managed to raise my rates is to quote higher rates for new clients, and make sure I deserve them! That has been reasonably successful in the sense that some come back with new jobs. ▲ Collapse
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I am retired and do translations out of my own interest.
When I was younger, the only way to enhance the income was to enter the well-paying market and have reliable financial background for long rainy days.
Unfortunately, the translation marketing mechanism and space are tightly supervised by various political entities, so one should add the ability to maneuver in right direction in turbid waters.
But, in the end, everything will be (must be) Marlboro ... See more I am retired and do translations out of my own interest.
When I was younger, the only way to enhance the income was to enter the well-paying market and have reliable financial background for long rainy days.
Unfortunately, the translation marketing mechanism and space are tightly supervised by various political entities, so one should add the ability to maneuver in right direction in turbid waters.
But, in the end, everything will be (must be) Marlboro ▲ Collapse
| | | | finnword1
United States
Local time: 05:00
English to Finnish
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| Increase your productivity | Apr 17 |
If you raise your rates, you must increase your productivity to make up for the lower volume of orders.
| | | | Daryo
United Kingdom
Local time: 10:00
Serbian to English
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Once you've agreed rates with one client, the probability of raising them is next to none. Better try extracting water from dry wood.
As much too often, the poll question asked starts making sense only once reformulated, as:
Which is the best strategy to get offered good translation/interpretation rates?
And the answer is the same as in many professions: always do the best job you can, and make yourself known.
All this assuming that you don't ... See more Once you've agreed rates with one client, the probability of raising them is next to none. Better try extracting water from dry wood.
As much too often, the poll question asked starts making sense only once reformulated, as:
Which is the best strategy to get offered good translation/interpretation rates?
And the answer is the same as in many professions: always do the best job you can, and make yourself known.
All this assuming that you don't persist in staying in a profession where "the best you can" is at best just the average. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Annika Thornton 
France
Local time: 11:00
Member (2018)
French to English
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With a large agency, I wouldn't even try to negotiate higher rates. I doubt very much it would go anywhere.
With smaller, more 'boutique' agencies, I have been successful in the past. I wait until a new year comes around and then when they reach out to me with a job, I say "oh, by the way, I have raised my rates slightly this year."
Then the rate I offer them will be just slightly higher than the rate I'm hoping for, so if they do negotiate then it feels like I'm giving them ... See more With a large agency, I wouldn't even try to negotiate higher rates. I doubt very much it would go anywhere.
With smaller, more 'boutique' agencies, I have been successful in the past. I wait until a new year comes around and then when they reach out to me with a job, I say "oh, by the way, I have raised my rates slightly this year."
Then the rate I offer them will be just slightly higher than the rate I'm hoping for, so if they do negotiate then it feels like I'm giving them a small discount.
With direct clients, it's generally not a problem as most companies won't know what the going rate for translation is anyway. It just depends on their budget for that job. ▲ Collapse
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