Culturally Customized Content
When businesses embark on the creation of country specific websites, and culture specific content, they need to set a budget.
But…
The budget for translation often looms as vague and difficult to pin down. Almost as if you are trying to find something in thick fog.
And…
Because a translation budget is difficult to evaluate, businesses usually begin a whole series of questions…
- Can we get away with English content?
- Do we need to translate everything we have?
- What sort of translation budget do we need?
So when will you need translation?
First, you need to look at what you will need translations for.
In-Depth Market Research
In previous articles, I have shared my view that you should use free translation tools to jump start international market research. This can help you a lot.
But…
There are times when you need more accuracy.
Many companies first use free translation tools for online market research and then follow up key research materials with a human translation. In complex situations a second human translation can sometimes be useful.
- They use the free translation tools to identify key resources.
- And then they follow up with human translations when necessary.
This depends largely on the business environment you are in.
Sales Communication
Yes, you must get all of your sales communications written by a human being.
I have put this after market research…
Because…
You need to have sufficient international business intelligence to get your sales message right.
Now, you may not have enough international business intelligence when you first start communicating with your international markets. And even if you think you do, you may get additional feedback from your new markets that you want to use in your communication.
So…
You creating foreign sales communication in different stages is often a good strategy.
The person most capable of writing your sales communication in a foreign language is a person who already writes sales communication in your target country.
You often need time to find this person. It is almost like searching for the “sheep with 5 legs” as they say here in France.
Give yourself time to find the right message and the right person to translate that message.
Frequently Asked Questions
Once you get your main communication translated, remember to provide a series of well thought out Frequently Asked Questions for your new future clients.
You may have many different languages to deal with, and you may wonder if this is worth the investment. Then simply test “before FAQ” results with “after FAQ” results to establish viability for one country.
Most businesses do get good results with FAQs in foreign languages.
Cultural differences also come into play here. These new clients probably need a few more answers than your domestic markets.
Culturally targeted Frequently Asked Questions are a great opportunity to connect with different cultures.
A Balancing Act
Planning budgets for future translation needs can be tricky.
You can dispel the fog if you keep the points above in mind.
- Start early to look for the right person to translate your particular communication needs.
- Evaluate your needs for in-depth research.
- Do not jump into translating all of your current marketing and sales communication – your communication will probably change in 6-12 months.
- Plan for some strategic culture-specific content.
Culture customized content builds stronger connections.
Read more on Culturally Customized Content in these articles:
- Morphing Into A Foreign Culture
- Translations, Foreign Language Content and Culturally Customized Content
- Customize Your Content For Different Cultures
- What Is Your Culture On The Social Web?
- Who Should You Get To Write Your Foreign Language Web Content
- The 2 Main Reasons Why Companies Do Not Have Good Foreign Language Content
- Multicultural Marketing And Colors
- The Phases Of Cultural Communication You Go Through To Increase International Sales
- Info-Products – Writing For International Readers
Here are a few more Translation Tools articles:
- Translation Friendly International English
- Translation Software – It Is Time To Question Old Truths
- Over The Counter Translation Perfection Not Here Yet
- Translation Agencies’ Narrow Vision
- Translate Server Error
- How To Use Online Translation Tools
- Translation Widgets – A Small Step Towards Website Globalization
- Online Translations Tools Write Bad Sales Copy
And read even more in the…
Get International Clients International Sales Road Map
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Culture Customized Content Guide• What is the secret to effective international business development? |
