As marketing budgets grow because of increased market competition, marketing translations should be included in this.
The same marketing principles apply to overseas marketing as to domestic marketing, but gathering and analysing data can prove challenging if you don’t have an optimised web site in the language of your target consumer.
Location, Location, Location
No, nothing to do with homes, but rather where your ads and marketing campaigns live. Directories and even TV advertising is on the decline. Advertisers are increasingly being driven on line by consumer buying patterns. It is believed that by 2017, the Internet will be the world’s biggest advertising medium. Online marketing is still relatively cost-effective, but this will increase as demand increases.
Why are marketing translation services so important?
How do you understand your overseas target market, their buying behaviour and their culture? Translation companies like ours can help. Professional translation agencies use highly qualified, professional, mother-tongue translators to work on their translation projects. These translators have a lot of offer; excellent language and writing skills in the source and target languages, but also an insight into the cultural norms and buying behaviour in their own country.
It’s not just foreign languages that need to be considered either. Many companies are now looking to adapt their content for other English-speaking markets, such as adapting content written for US English consumers in order to aim it at consumers in the UK and vice versa.
Your products will need to appeal to a whole different audience, with their unique buying patterns and expectations, and although the language consumers speak and buy in is a major factor, it isn’t the only one.
How important is multilingual content?
In a word, vital!
As consumers are bombarded with daily advertising campaigns, relevant, interesting content is all the more important if you’re going to stand a chance of your content being read.
Great content is only half the story though. It is tempting to use the same content across marketing channels, but your advertising message needs to be tailored for each different channel in order to create relevance for its users. Brand identity needs to be consistent and stay the same, but different media demand different approaches.
How do you retain your brand identity in another language?
You will need to ensure that your logo and other corporate elements of your brand do not convey a negative image in another culture.
Targeting overseas customers is like applying similar marketing principles to those of the home market, but with likely different outcomes. These need to be taken into consideration.
Avoiding faux pas
Even some of the world’s largest organisations have got it wrong in the past.
A slogan stating that ‘Nothing sucks like and Electrolux’ aimed at the Swedish manufacturer’s American audience, probably cost someone their job and cost the company a fortune in wasted advertising costs. Slogans need to be memorable – for the right reasons!
The importance of professional translation
It can be the difference between success and failure. Allow for professional translation costs in your marketing budget. It shouldn’t be an add-on service or an afterthought. Words and images are the most important part of the selling process and need to be right.
ALM Translations supports many businesses in their overseas ventures. We have a whole host of references and examples of how our marketing translation services have benefited customers. We can make your budget stretch further too. Contact us today and we can discuss your requirements for the current year.