To get our weekly posts directly in your inbox, sign up for the Training for Translators mailing list!
Nudging dormant clients is the world’s most boring, and the world’s most effective marketing method. In this episode, you’ll learn:
- What nudging is
- Who to nudge
- How to nudge
- When to nudge
- What to say when you nudge
Listen (Training for Translators) in Apple Podcasts or on Spotify, or right here!
Corinne McKay (classes@trainingfortranslators.com) is the founder of Training for Translators, and has been a full-time freelancer since 2002. An ATA-certified French to English translator and Colorado court-certified interpreter, she also holds a Master of Conference Interpreting from Glendon College. For more tips and insights, join the Training for Translators mailing list!
Hi Corinne,
Thank you for this podcast, this is excellent advice, and the statistical success rate for nudging translators is kind of mind-blowing!
I am wondering, how often, would you say, can you nudge a stubbornly dormant client? If, for example, I have a client who seemed quite promising and onboarded me in one way or the other a while ago, and then – nothing. I nudge, say, after a few months (because I only listened to the podcast then 🙂 Still nothing. (Translator in agony, pulling at hair.)
Of course, I have even less to lose now. So I could nudge again. If pride lets me.
Should I? How often?
Thanks,
Jorinde
Thanks, Jorinde! It depends on whether the client is an agency or a direct client. If they’re an agency, I think it’s OK to nudge around every two weeks, until you get a response, because you know that they need translators/interpreters in general. It’s not like what you have to offer is nothing they’d ever be interested in. At some point, you may want to say something like, “This is my final followup attempt” (actual example from a translator I know!) to try to motivate them to respond. If they’re a direct client, that’s a different story because maybe they don’t need you. Then I’d probably do two e-mails and a LinkedIn connection request.