When you want to take your business global, there are so many considerations to bear in mind. Finding new clients, understanding the competition, researching your new market well – the list is endless.
One important area of taking a business global that’s often overlooked is the impact of language and translation on marketing materials. It’s an area that if you get right, will only enhance your expansion campaign. Get it wrong though, and you could find your business struggling to make new ground.
Global business expansion and the importance of language
Language is incredibly important when it comes to expanding your business globally. It can sometimes be seen as a task to complete, and even a hurdle at times. However, if you recognize that it’s actually a vital tool in your expansion, you can really use it to your advantage and boost your efforts. With a professional translation company and voiceover support, using language correctly in foreign markets could give your business an edge over competitors.
The digital age of language
Language and translation are particularly important these days because we live in a digital era. Whilst the internet opens so many doors for e-commerce, globalization won’t be fully achieved without also making proper use of subtitles, translation and voiceover services in your marketing efforts. Even when the correct language is used, it’s so important that it remains consistent across your various online and offline communication platforms, including:
- Website
- Marketing campaigns
- Training videos
- Social media
- Reports
- Live business meetings via video conferencing
- Online sales pitches
- Employee talent acquisition
Language quality and consistency will strongly impact these areas of your business when you’re looking to grow and extend across borders.
Quality and precision of language matters
Clear and precise voiceovers, subtitles, and translation help to avoid any misunderstandings, whether that be with new clients, suppliers, or potential customers. This is particularly true when expanding into Middle Eastern or Japanese markets where language application is extremely specific.
Japan has three writing systems alone, and formal Japanese is so complex that even native Japanese speakers get it wrong sometimes! When it comes to Arabic, things can be just as challenging. For example, did you know that the Arabic language doesn’t actually follow an alphabet but instead, follows a different system called an Abjad? It also has sounds that don’t exist within other languages.
With Japanese, Arabic, and other languages, a task as important to your marketing efforts as translation should really be left to the professionals – always resist the temptation to save on cost by using online translation software or something similar. By working with a professional translation and voiceover agency, you’ll ensure the correct languages are applied to your outreach marketing campaigns.
Whilst broader translation can be used in marketing campaigns targeted at a country level, very specific regional and contextually appropriate translation may be required for more localized campaigns. Get it right, and you could make some real progress in your new target markets. Get it wrong, and you could cause some serious damage to your brand’s reputation, not to mention jeopardizing your new marketing campaign right at the outset.
Prioritize language for a successful global marketing campaign
If you’re looking for a boost in your global business expansion efforts, consider investing in a professional voiceover agency. It really could make or break the next step in your business expansion, boost your sales and give you the edge over competitors, enabling you to make some real inroads in your target markets.
Larry Blackwell has had a varied career in PR and Marketing with responsibility for the marketing department of several SMEs and experience in international organisations. He has developed new marketing strategies with a particular focus on understanding and exploiting multi-lingual campaigns. He speaks French, Spanish and his native English and is a regular contributor to the Matinée Multilingual Blog.
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