Effective ProZ Quotes

by Dorothy Pouch
member: dpouch



Successfully submitting a quote for a translation assignment on ProZ requires more than simply clicking the button below the job description and filling in fields, but it isn’t rocket science, either. An understanding of the perspective of both the outsourcer and the translator will not only ensure that the proper steps are followed in order to submit a bid but will result in time savings for all parties involved in the bidding process.
First understand that the outsourcer is driven by deadline. Since the outsourcer must deliver a finished translation by a certain time, he/she is motivated to find the most appropriate translator in the least amount of time. For this reason, it is wise to have a means to ensure prompt notification that a project has been posted. Notification preferences can be set on the main ProZ page under My ProZ/My Settings/Job Notifications. In translation, the early bird most often gets the worm.
Once you have read the project description and decide to bid on a particular project, be sure to check the outsourcer’s specified contact method. If she wants to be contacted by email, do not submit a quote. If she wants a quote, do not solicit the job by email. If a CV is requested, be sure to attach this to your quote or forward it in the manner set out in the instructions. Following directions in submitting a quote will reflect on how well you follow any directions associated with the translation.
To submit a quote on ProZ, if you are not a Platinum member, you must pay for the privilege of quoting, either with cash ($1 per quote) or with BrowniZ points. BrowniZ may be earned in a number of ways but always relate to contributing to the ProZ site in some way. Different site contributions garner different BrowniZ points. The complete BrowniZ points system is found on the main ProZ page under MyProZ/My BrowniZ.
It pays to have an up to date profile already filled out by the time you submit a quote. This saves time for the outsourcer because it will give the outsourcer an overview of your experience and ability, and will likely answer any questions before they have a chance to come up. Try not to overwhelm the outsourcer here. Be succinct yet informative. Too much information and the outsourcer is not likely to read it.
In the Message portion of your quote, be sure to address all the outsourcer’s needs in the briefest possible manner. List any special experience you bring to the project or any recently completed assignments on the same subject matter.
Do not neglect to edit the “Contact Info to Show” field. Be sure the outsourcer has an email address to click on to reply to your quote.
These are the basics to successfully submitting a ProZ quote. For ease of reference, your quotes are stored in your account for easy access/review. From the main page, click Jobs/My Quotes for a listing of your recent quotes. From time to time, it might be helpful to check the formatting of past quotes and compare which quotes were or were not successful.