Besides thanking them for contacting you, you need to advise that you require further information.

Email your potential client and request more information.

It’s highly unlikely that the initial email from this potential client will include all the information that you require, so your next step should be to email them and ask some of the questions we’ve listed above. Besides thanking them for contacting you, you need to advise that, in order for you to provide an accurate quotation, you require further information from them.

Email your potential client advising them of your rates and terms of service.

It’s our advice that your response to potential clients should be determined by how eager you are to be awarded the project. For example, if you respond with prepared information, such as: ‘Please find attached my rate sheet for 2016 which includes my hourly rates and per-word rate, in addition to my standard Terms of Service. Please advise if you would like me to provide a detailed quotation’. Obviously, this is not the most personal way of responding to an inquiry, but it does save a lot of time and sorts out clients who don’t have the budget for your rates.

Whichever way you decide to handle this inquiry, ensure that you lay a solid groundwork for a future successful client/translator relationship. You can do this by –

Always responding promptly to inquiries from potential clients.

Even if you’re not interested in the particular project, you should still respond and advise the potential client that you won’t be quoting on this particular translation. If you decide to give a reason, be very brief, like ‘I’m sorry, but I don’t have the capacity at the moment’, or similar.

Clarifying your payment terms in addition to payment methods.

You also need to decide whether you expect first-time clients to pay all or portion of the project fee in advance.

This next step is very important! Ask your client to confirm the rate, deadline for the translation, and payment terms - in writing.

This might be in the form of a Purchase Order, a Service Agreement or a short email confirming details of the translation order. You should not commence any translation project for a new client until such time as you’ve received confirmation of these important details in writing.

Ask your new client for the contact information of the person responsible for their accounts payable.

You might ask the following: ‘Please advise the contact details (including name, email address, and phone number) of the person to whom I should address my invoice, and also advise who to contact should I have any questions regarding payment’.