Importance of language technology in exports.

Whether you are new to exporting or have been doing it for some time now, you will certainly already know all the numerous benefits that exporting your products or services can bring to your business. However, as I am sure you will agree, it can be an overwhelming process. Legislation, paperwork and the linguistic and cultural differences between the country of origin and the target country are a few of the things that need to be taken into consideration.   

Translation and localisation play a key role in the export journey. If the country you would like to export your service or product to speaks a different language or dialect, they will usually want to buy in that language, even if they have some knowledge of English. According to research, over 70% of consumers are more likely to buy a product or service with information in their own language.

Attracting your foreign audience

Your website is probably the first thing your overseas prospects will look at, as it is easily available and accessible. It is therefore important that you look at the pages with the most relevant and engaging content and localise these into the target language. Alternatively, if your budget is very limited, you can create a page within your website for that country with all the important information.

By localising your website, you don’t only translate the words and meaning, but also adapt these to the culture. For example, in most Spanish-speaking countries, the “Home” page is called the “Start” page (“Inicio”). It is also important to research the keywords that your audience is likely to use in their searches and introduce SEO to your website for that language.    

Apart from the website, think about all the marketing literature you currently have or plan to have, and consider what would be more effective and cost-effective when it comes to attracting and communicating with your target clients. Are you planning to attend trade shows in the country or visit agents and clients there? In that case, your business card and brochures should also be translated.

If marketing campaigns form part of your export strategy, translation then becomes “transcreation”, and a bilingual copywriter will create new content for your target country, working from the English advert (if any) or your specifications. 

Communicating with your foreign audience

You have translated, localised and possibly transcreated your marketing material. Now, how do you communicate with your future overseas clients? Even if you use an agent or distributor in the target country, you may receive direct enquiries and it is important that you can reply to these in a timely and professional manner.

Machine translation is a useful tool when you need to get a quick understanding of written content like emails; (Read more: Wordsynk Instant Translation), when it comes to supporting your customers and business meetings you can rely on a telephone or video interpretation who could assist with meeting or conference.

Translation required by law

If what you are selling is a product, depending on the product, you will need the pack information, labels and instructions translated for it to be legally compliant. In the case of food labelling, most countries need this in the local language too. Therefore, translation here is not an option, but a legal requirement. Your trade adviser will be able to help you identify your specific requirements. 

When it comes to the translation of legal documents for export, the type of documents requiring translation will also depend on your product/service and the country you are exporting to. Examples of the documents that generally need to be translated are contracts and your business terms and conditions.

Choosing the right translation technology

With so many Translation tools and Language Service Providers (LSPs) out there offering anything and everything, how do you choose the provider that is right for you? Here is a quick guide to help you:

• First of all, don’t just rely on staff, friends or relatives who speak the language or on machine translation alone. The translation is a professional skill and, when it comes to attracting and communicating with a foreign audience and exporting your product or service, it is crucial that the right message and the technical and legal information are perfectly and legally conveyed. This can make or break your reputation, not only in your target country but worldwide;
• Choose an LSP who spends time understanding your goals and requirements, who is familiar with your industry and your products or services and that can help you with every language requirements, from Website Translations to Telephone Interpretation.       
• Choose an LSP who can help with specific dialects (e.g. note the differences in Spanish for Spain and Spanish for Latin America) and who can offer proofreading by a second translator;
• Choose an LSP who can build glossaries and style guides with you (as opposed to for you), to ensure not only terminology consistency across all translations but also legal, technical and branding compliance;
• Finally, choose an LSP who can either provide other translation-related services, such as typesetting, SEO and interpreting, or who can refer you to other trusted partners.

In export, translation is more than a one-off task, it is the gateway to the success of your business overseas. It is important to think about translation at the beginning of your export journey, to include it in your export strategy and budget, and to choose the right partner to help you along the way.

At thebigword, we are experts at taking business across cultural barriers. With our range of computer-assisted translation tools, we have a solution to answer any budget or timescale challenge.

Almost infinitely scalable and with a range of specialist support services that make us unique, thebigword is an essential partner to growing your international business.

For more information visit: https://en-gb.thebigword.com/ and https://wordsynk.com/