Can Translation Help Your Business?

If you know the right approach and practices, you'll have several opportunities to expand your business. All you need is a careful plan with the flexibility to adapt to new business trends. Internet service is very widespread, thus it is possible to reach more markets locally and internationally. This means that consumers speaking different languages can access your website. For efficient marketing, working with a translation services provider to have your website translated into other languages is essential.

If international expansion is in your future plans, it is wise to start the first steps today. Nowadays, technological advancements also contribute to a lot of business progress and success. Still, it is important to make a detailed plan, understand your target markets, your competition and potential customers. It's an investment that is worth taking, because it prepares your business to serve the global market.

It is the same at the home front. Even if you do not intend to go global right now, you can convert potential customers into actual buyers if you can communicate with them in their own language. For example, in the United States alone, English is not the only language spoken. If you analyze your customer base, you'll find that your customer mix is multilingual.

Why translate

A 2006 study conducted by Common Sense Advisory on global buying preferences is still applicable today. The study states that a large number of customers prefer to make online purchases from sites that are in their own language. It's comparable to having a branch store in another country where you employ local staff.

Given this scenario, business owners will better appreciate the importance of language services to their organization or company. Having all-important company information, your website, your marketing materials and your legal documents translated in your target languages go a long way to provide a positive impression among your foreign audience. But it is necessary that you ensure the accuracy of the translation, by hiring a professional translation company to work on the translation.

Benefits of translation

It is your goal to reach more target consumers in areas you want to explore. You also want to sell your products and services to a large number of new customers in your target markets. If your website is in English and your target consumers speak very little English, you will be reaching very few consumers. In all probability, your target audience will not pay attention to your products.

Translation helps businesses to connect emotionally to their audience. This connection can turn to profits later. What better way to connect to them than by speaking to them in their own language? Communication plays a big part in sales and marketing. If you talk to customers in the language that they speak and understand, it is better for your business.

With improved Internet connection and the variety of communication devices available, it is very easy for consumers to find websites and information. Search engine optimization (SEO) is essential if you want your site to rank in Google and other search engines. SEO helps websites improve communication with their audiences. It's an effective and efficient way to help consumers find your website. If your customers can find you, traffic to your website increases and your ranking in search engines will go higher.

Translation can give your corporate credibility a big boost. Your clients will be more responsive to a company that shows interest in fully catering to their needs. Your website visitors will not need free Internet translation to understand the content of your website. Translation prepares you for something bigger, an opportunity to expand and conquer new local and overseas markets. For example, the Spanish community in the United States is huge and it continues to grow bigger. While many of them speak English, they also want to read information in their mother tongue. Just imagine the marketing and sales potential if your website is available in Spanish!

Sometimes when you're marketing to foreign markets, you have to comply with laws and regulations. Some countries have linguistic regulations. Translating you website makes you comply to the laws of the market you are targeting.

Going global

Large companies are all trying to conquer the global market. However, even small and medium size companies can do the same, especially if they offer products that can fill the needs of niche markets. Knowing your market, their preferences and buying habits is good business practice, but if you are unable to communicate with them, it can hold back your business progress. Business owners must get out of their comfort zone and embrace multilingualism. You should have cultural awareness as well as the business savvy to survive in the international market.

You might be thinking that you can send a select number of staff to language classes. Or you can hire additional staff who speak other languages. These methods could work, but think of the costs involved in the training and hiring of new staff. There is a more viable method, hiring a reputable translation service provider to work with you while you set up your website and documents for your global audience. Translators are language experts and they are committed to make accurate translations in the right context that you require. They are also aware of the cultural requirements of the target country so they could point out texts, images and color that may offend your new consumers.

Your company may not be ready for global expansion yet, but if you have plans to do it in the near future, it is important to get started on the essentials early on. Include website and document translation in your budget. Your content should be written and focused on your intended audiences. This will make your content preparation more effective and efficient. Furthermore, see to it that you only work with a trusted, reputable and professional translation company. This is stepping in the right direction to boost your company's reputation and at the same time, ensuring that your messages are received positively.

Author bio:

Bernadine Racoma is a senior content writer at Day Translations, a human translation services company. She has notable fondness for things related to technology, travel, lifestyle, and current affairs. She is also an advocate and mother to 7 successful children.