Going Global? Work with a Translation Agency

It is no surprise that companies benefit greatly from translation when taking their products to new markets. However, if they take on board one single translation agency, the benefits might be even greater!

In an article on Forbes magazine, Ivy Lun discusses translation and international marketing. Lun believes most brand managers are aware of the opportunities that lie in emerging markets, both in traditional ones such as Brazil and markets that have recently started expanding such as Indonesia and Colombia.

According to Lun, the goal of “customer intimacy” has become increasingly important for companies in both the business-to-consumer and the business-to-business-to-consumer segments. However, she says, to achieve this, companies must first find ways to engage their audience. If businesses fail to use the right language or dialect for this, their chance at this sought-after intimacy decreases immensely.

Lun gives two examples of elements that can boost the launch of your product or service on a foreign market if you handle them correctly – or will prevent you from entering that particular market ever again if there are overlooked.

•    Documents: Lun believes it is important to translate every single document. This includes conditions, product warnings and other legal writings, as these can cause problems if they are misunderstood.

•    Social media: it is estimated that half of all communications on the internet is executed in the English language. This means that if you only use English on your website, you will only reach half of the internet community. Lun admits that translation can be quite expensive. When social media is thrown into the mix, this process becomes even more difficult.

If companies have their website translated per language, errors can easily creep in, Lun says. In addition, it can lead to brand inconsistency and even up the translation costs. To standardize your content and make sure one single message can easily be used for different regions, many businesses call in the help of a translation management supplier. This ensures that all the targeted regions are presented with the right message in the correct language and format. Moreover, this message can also easily be adapted for new markets companies wish to explore.

If businesses use one singe translation agency, all of their their multichannel publishing is handles by one source. According to Lun, this aids the consistency of branding and marketing for integrated marketing campaigns. Costs can be lowered by one fifth and time reductions can rise to 50 per cent. For companies that involve customer experience and service, a general translation provider can also lower call center volumes and up response times.

Lun concludes by stating that companies should mix the ancient practice of translation with new management methods in order to achieve customer intimacy and cost management. This potent mix will ensure that your business will make the most out of your global expansion!

Looking for a translation company to be your supplier? Before you look have a read of “Choosing your Translation Agency for International Website Marketing: What would Gandhi want?“