Good communication is essential for any business and that can be hard enough in today’s world of remote and hybrid working. By now, we all understand the frustrations of dodgy Internet connections and awkward silences during team meetings on Zoom.
The value of effective communication shouldn’t be underestimated. It can be hard to communicate even when we all speak the same language. It’s even more important when you have to cross linguistic and cultural boundaries to be heard and understood in a different language.
When international communication breaks down or fails, it’s not just your message that gets "lost in translation", your business reputation and credibility also suffer. Misunderstandings can be costly, cause unintended offence or even create life-threatening situations.
Why run the risk of a poor quality translation that fails to make your voice heard?
Professional translation services are all the more important for your voice to be clearly heard and understood in new and emerging markets.
Sure, there is a cost involved but you should look at it as part of your business strategy and the only reliable way to protect the integrity of your business in foreign markets.
What makes translation so important for your business?
Millions of people speak a foreign language but a good translation involves more than just knowing the language.
Translation is a specialist skill which requires a combination of 3 different skills.
An advanced linguistic knowledge of both the source and target languages
Karen on reception might have an A level in German but that doesn’t mean she can translate your product catalogue for you. Professional translators spend years developing their ability to understand and translate both the foreign language and their native language.
Translators work with languages with a very high level of understanding that surpasses anything learnt at school or even university. And they never stop learning. They are the ninjas of the language world (along with interpreters).
An insight into the subject area of the document being translated
Due to the type of content a business needs to translate, it’s the only sensible option to choose a translator that knows your industry inside-out. Professional translators often have years of experience translating content for specific fields, such as medical, engineering, legal or marketing content. That way they understand the message you’re trying to communicate to your customers.
For example, I work in the field of health and fitness because that’s one of the fields I know best. So when I translate articles about glycolysis and ATP production, non-starch polysaccharides or internal rotation of the knee during a squat, I understand what the author is talking about and know how to convey that information in Spanish.
An in-depth awareness and understanding of the target culture
Language and culture go hand-in-hand and a translator understands what does and doesn’t work when it comes to transmitting ideas from one culture to another. Brand names, website design, even the colours and images used in sales brochures, can all influence your customers in foreign markets and might be the make-or-beak issue that stops them from buying from you.
That's why a good translation does more than communicate words, it expresses the ideas and nuances of a language that only a native-speaker would fully understand and appreciate.
Sounds difficult? Maybe not…
If you want to reach new markets in a different language but aren’t sure where to start, don’t worry, help is at hand.
The translation industry is huge - a recent Language Industry Survey estimated that the current size of the UK language services market is between £1.5 and £1.7 billion*. That’s just in the UK! So there’s plenty of scope when it comes to finding a translation partner.
But how do you do that? Where do you start? Get in touch today and let me show you the best way to get the ball rolling.
*Source - Association of Translation Companies