Comments on: Stand out from the crowd by going low-tech

By: Peter Motte

Peter Motte — Mon, 04 May 2009 17:51:10 +0000

Thank you for the tips.
They might be handy.

Peter Motte, French/English to Dutch

By: Judy Jenner

Judy Jenner — Fri, 01 May 2009 18:17:45 +0000

Excellent ideas. Ditto on the cards and gifts — we do that, too. We send baby gifts if we know that our customer is having a child, etc. I like your idea about non-traditional holidays — great one — because honestly, when I was working as an in-house translation manager, we received so many presents in December that it was hard for us to keep track of them and to eat them all. Then, when spring rolled around, we were out of fancy chocolates, so maybe that’s the time to send them.

Whenever I go to Europe, I buy high-end chocolates for my favorite American clients and either distribute them in person or mail them.

I love Ryan’s business trips to Japan. It’s a very worthwhile investment, I believe. Of course it’s only worth it if you have several clients to visit, and it’s also a great idea to keep your language fresh.

By: Lydia

Lydia — Fri, 01 May 2009 16:20:57 +0000

Thanks, Corinne, these are great ideas.
I like to write letters to people I consider potential clients. This, in my experience, is more personal and classy than an e-mail considering that most company employees get mountains of electronic messages every day and must decide quickly which ones are worth responding to. A letter printed out on business stationary and addressed to a certain person (e.g. head of communications department) sticks out nowadays. It also makes it easier for me to call potential clients a couple of weeks later if they haven’t answered and inquire about their interest in my work since they often remember the letter. Sure, the stationary and postage aren’t cheap but might turn out to be a rewarding investment.

By: Ryan Ginstrom

Ryan Ginstrom — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 16:26:28 +0000

About once a year, I head up to Tokyo and visit clients. I go to their offices, meet any new hires since my last visit, and maybe go out to lunch or dinner together. I find that this helps a lot to keep relationships “real.”

My wife sends out hand-written nengajo (New Year’s cards) to my clients each year as well.