You've spent countless hours developing your business and your brand.
Now it's time to expand internationally, sell your products abroad, or reach foreign suppliers and customers.
Maybe you are looking to broaden your local reach by appealing to foreign language communities within your area.
You see the importance enhancing your business' local and international image, but, when it comes to selecting a translator, or an agency, you aren't sure how to start the selection process.
How do you know you will get a good translation?
The 3 C's of Translation Buying:
Correctness
Grammatical and cultural correctness are imperative for a good translation. Get both by hiring a native-speaking, qualified translator (or agency), one who has experience and a formal education in the language.
Within the same language, there are nuances and cultural influences that vary by location. This is why it is important that the translator you choose is native and able to act as your cultural consultant.
Fight the urge to recruit your neighbor or co-worker who speaks Spanish, or German, to handle your translations. You may think that it'll be easier, and may save you money, but critical mistakes are often made by non-professional translators that could hurt your business. A poor or incomplete translation can be worse than no translation at all, as you risk an inaccurate representation of your brand or services.
Consistency
You understand how important, and challenging, it can be to maintain a consistent brand identity. A key benefit of working with qualified translators is that they will be consistent in their language. Your translated materials should remain as consistent in their tone and terminology.
Qualified translators become familiar with your message and make sure that the translation is as appropriate and effective as it was originally written.
You don't want to risk diluting or disrupting the brand message that you created and nurtured.
Competence
Are you translating marketing or medical materials? Do they contain legal or scientific language?
Besides hiring a qualified and consistent translator, it is important that they are specialized and experienced in your field of work. Most professional translators focus on a particular industry and are experts in that area. They know the terminology, understand the subject matter and are your best option for a great translation.