The world has changed significantly over the last decade, and so has the way companies conduct business. Many of the methods which were considered effective only 10 years ago, are today regarded as outdated. With advancements in artificial Intelligence as well as technology in general, businesses can now approach consumers anywhere in the world fairly easily, even without being physically present (e.g. a high street shop) in that market.
Nonetheless, approaching international markets still isn’t a straightforward process. It requires a systematic and detailed strategy and a very careful implementation. Due to globalization, in 2020, small, individual markets are somewhat transforming into one large, joint marketplace with interchangeable trends, fashions and in many cases – consumer behaviors. Despite this however, customers within these smaller markets are becoming more aware of their individualism and particular value they add to the mix.
As a result, the old-fashioned ‘one-fits-all’ approach to internationalization simply no longer works for UK based companies. This method, focused predominantly on approaching all foreign markets without changing or adjusting the company message, was based solely on the belief that the campaign would work abroad because it worked well in the United Kingdom. Today however, businesses tend to localize their approach and adapt it specifically for each of the target markets, based on its values, culture and other socio-economic factors. One of the most important aspects of this methodology is the correct use of language, and so it is essential that the consumers are approached directly in their native tongue. As a result of these changes, translation agencies and other language providers have fast become key partners for businesses across all sectors.
Which Documents Should I Translate?
Nowadays, translations are an essential part of approaching foreign markets for a majority of UK based businesses and organizations. For companies and corporations without any previous experience in handling such projects, it can however be a very difficult, lengthy and expensive process. Nonetheless, in order to minimize the risks associated with internationalization as well as the translation process itself, business owners can take certain steps.
One of the most important aspects of translation services is establishing which exact documents and materials should actually be converted into the target language. Often, it is not required for a company to translate all of their literature and content, which can in fact be an easy, but costly ‘way out’.
For example, although translating your website is perhaps one of the most important tasks during internationalization, as in most cases it will be the primary point of contact between you and the potential customer, it may only be necessary to translate pages which directly relate to the services or products you intend to offer within the new target market, and not the entire website, as this might significantly increase the translation costs without bringing back any returns.
If you’re planning on having a physical presence in the target market, other marketing materials such as business cards, leaflets or brochures should also be included in the translation strategy, as it will allow you to create a professional brand image and successfully trade with potential customers and business partners. Making sure that your brand comes across as a professional and customer-friendly enterprise is key when trading within a new, foreign market.
Additionally, it’s important to also translate any legal documents and materials which might be essential for your company to operate abroad. Contracts, warranties or terms & conditions are some of the vital documents which you must translate when expanding abroad.
Now I Know Which Documents To Translate, But How To Find The Right Translations Provider?
Choosing the right translation provider can be almost as difficult as deciding which materials or documents you need to translate in the first place. In the UK alone, there are not only thousands of language service suppliers, each specializing in translations for a different business sector, but also a number of possible approaches you can take in order to translate your content. Some of them include:
- Working with a professional translation agency
- Working with a freelance linguist
- Using free Software, such as Google Translate
The most popular solution amongst UK businesses and organizations wanting to approach international audiences is, by far, partnering with professional language agencies that specialize in providing translation services for corporate clients. This method guarantees not only high linguistic accuracy, but also ensures that any sector specific terms and jargon will be interpreted reliably into the target language. Generally speaking, a professional translation agency would work solely with native speakers of the target language and assign linguists accordingly to their particular specialisms. For example, if you decide to translate your marketing materials, the agency will then allocate a translator with previous experience within the field, who also has a first-hand experience in your business sector and experience in translating similar materials. Translation agencies apply this solution regardless of the type of your documents – whether it’s marketing, legal, financial or medical materials, the linguists translating them will have sufficient sector knowledge to convert them accurately.
Another popular approach to translations is working with freelance linguists. This method, although has seen a slight decline in popularity over the recent years, is still fairly popular in the United Kingdom. Working with freelancers can sometimes be cheaper than using an agency, nonetheless, it comes at a price (pun intended). Freelance linguists usually work into only one target language, which may be just fine for small projects or projects without a strict deadline, nonetheless, if your company requires translations for a number of different markets, finding the right translators who specializes in your business sector and have experience in converting documents similar to yours for each of the target languages can be quite tricky and time-consuming. Also, managing a translation project involving a number of freelance linguists can potentially get very complicated – and so convenience, faster turnaround times and simplicity are perhaps amongst the main reasons for a growing number of businesses choosing to work with translation agencies instead.
The recent improvements in artificial intelligence made by technology giants, such as Google, allow businesses to now approach professional translations from a completely different angle. Free and widely available tools now play an important part not only in our personal lives, but also within the corporate world. Although these tools and software are mainly used for communicating with friends and family, or to simply get around during international escapades, companies also use them on the daily basis to translate documents such as memos, emails or other internal communications.
As you can see, there are several different ways in which you or your business can approach translating documents or other corporate materials, and each of them has their very own advantages and disadvantages, which might vary depending on your particular situation and requirements. Whether you decide to work directly with a translation agency, find a freelance linguist experienced in translating materials similar to yours or simply use free online software such as Google Translate, which have improved enormously over the last decade or so, you must ensure that the final translation is accurate, reliable and culturally suitable for your target market.
Do All Translations Cost The Same?
The price of a professional translation can vary, depending on a number of different factors. One of the main aspects which can directly influence how much a translation of your documents might cost is the language or languages you require to translate your materials from or into.
To find out a little bit more about how pricing structure works within the translation industry, we spoke to Dan Edwards, a representative of one of the leading translation agencies based in the United Kingdom – “LanguageExperts”.
“The total cost of a translation varies depending on a number of different factors. The language pair required is perhaps the most obvious one. Some languages, such as French, German or Spanish tend to be more popular, not only amongst our customers, but also our linguists. As a result, these languages are generally slightly cheaper than languages which are rarer, such as Finnish, Japanese or Korean.” He also added: “Another important aspect which can influence the price of a translation is the type of document you wish to translate. As a rule of thumb, marketing materials tend to be more expensive, as they also require additional proofreading to eliminate any potential stylistic mistakes or grammatical errors. They must also be carefully looked at from the socio-economic and cultural points of view. Legal or financial documents are usually somewhat more straightforward and easier to translate, and as a result the price can also be lower.”
The turnaround time is an additional element playing a key part in pricing structure of a translation. The sooner you require the documents back, the higher will be the price. So, as you can see, it might not be the best idea to leave the translation of your marketing materials into Finnish for the last minute…
Although this might perhaps sound a little strange to some of you; language isn’t the only important aspect of a professional translation. Social and cultural aspects, political situation in the country/region or even the dominant religion can all directly influence how your translated materials are welcomed by the target audience and how your brand comes across within the new market. As a result, working with a specialist translation agency is the most popular approach to translation services, as it guarantees not only linguistic accuracy, but also cultural suitability, ensuring that your company thrives abroad.