Why are members (ie. those who pay) given advantages when it comes to meeting clients? Just because you pay, it does not mean you are good.

We do not recommend that translators do commercial work without being paid for doing so. (Translating for non-profits is another matter; we don't see much harm in doing free translation when the work will not be sold.)

Using the same logic, we at ProZ.com offer many free services, but we draw the line at commercial work. Basically, exposure before paying clients is a service for which we charge. In exchange for your investment, we work very hard for you, and the statistics say that membership pays off for professional translators in any country and at any stage of their careers.