Making the Business Case for Translation

Many business owners make the mistake of presuming the advantages of professional translation do not justify the costs involved. Many choose to believe that English is and always will be the global language for business communication. In fact, it is estimated that only 10% of the world’s population speak English, and developing markets such as Brazil, Mexico and Asian countries continue to do business in their own language.

For those who plan to do businesses overseas or to trade with those who speak other languages, there is a clear case for translation. Here are just a few of the many advantages to business translation in more detail:

• • Reach a Wider Audience- It may seem obvious, but the more languages you translate information on your products or services into on a website, the larger your online audience becomes. Translation will open up markets you have little knowledge about, leading to more global business opportunities. When people from all corners of the globe can visit and understand your website, there is a high chance of an increase
    in revenue.
    
  • Complex Terminology- If doing business with a foreign language speaker, even if you both converse in English some complex terminology can be misunderstood. That is why translations can aid in translating important business documents such as contracts, agreements or policies. Some industries have complex or specific terminology which is why accurate translation is necessary in these situations – for example, legal or medical organisations will need to understand various technical terms.
  • Independence- Hiring a professional interpreter for a face to face business meeting can give you the independence needed for professional conversation. For example, having set up a business meeting with a foreign language speaker, they may suggest bringing a family member or friend who can speak fluent English. An interpreter who has any personal interest or stake in the matter cannot be trusted to interpret to a professional standard, and there is no guarantee they will have the ability to translate completely accurately verbally or in written communication (an interpreter will translate spoken material from one language to the other while a translator will deal with
    written material).
    

Translation is the answer for any businesses who are aiming to expand into the global market in 2014. This is even more relevant to online content, as internet experts predict Asian languages will soon overtake English as the unofficial parlance of the web. The only way to move forward and appeal to a worldwide audience is to allow potential clients located overseas to absorb the information in their mother tongue; this is easily achieved through translation.

So what kind of business materials does it pay to translate?

• • Website: Website localisation is easily one of the most valuable business investments any organisation can make. Even smaller firms with a web presence can benefit from having second language versions of their website if they do international business. The simple reason for this is that a high percentage of sales start online and once designed- a website costs less to maintain and deploy internationally than printed materials such as leaflets and brochures which accumulate print, paper, design and postage costs not to mention
    address sourcing.
  • Product Manuals: if you hope to sell products overseas, it is essential to have a product manual or user guide in the destination language. This can help to instil buyer confidence and will ensure customer service is effective and efficient.
    
  • Business Cards: If you travel frequently overseas to sell, to network, meet suppliers or customers, having a business card in the local language can pack a strong professional punch. It shoes that your brand is committed to its presence in the area which can generate goodwill and faith in your ability to deliver products and services far from home.