Who Do You Need To Write Your Foreign Content

International Content Creation

Who Do You Need To Write Your Foreign Content - Freelancer Or Agency?

I’ve come across a couple of articles recently on the debate of who you need to hire to translate your content.

Are Translation Agencies Better?

Both articles were written by translation agencies. Of course each long article stated that:

• Companies should never hire a freelance translator for their foreign content.
• Only an agency had the manpower to do everything.
• You obviously need a translator, an editor, a proofreader and…well there were a few other professions on the list.

I have not run across articles written by freelance translators stating they are the best option for companies needing foreign content. My guess is they are too busy. And they can’t all bite the hand that feeds them. They also get work through translation agencies.

It would be more appropriate to see comprehensive guidelines written by a third party. But I haven’t seen any clearly written by an independent third party.

Wrong Debate

I actually think that the debate is elsewhere.

The question is not whether you need a translator with a team of agency staff, or a freelance translator.

I’ve held different marketing and sales positions in companies of various sizes and budgets. I was responsible for cross cultural communication in some form or another in each of those positions. And I definitely know what communication I need out in the field.

Is It Translation You Need?

The word “translation” used in connection for any sales materials brings images of bad sales results and extra hours for me to put together my own sales materials.

Good sales materials need to be crafted in its original language to bring in the bacon.

There is a good market for freelance translators.

There is also a good market for translation agencies.

Define Your Needs

You need to define your foreign content needs before looking for a service provider. Don’t automatically assume you need a translator simply because this is your text and you want it in a different language.

Language is only a part of the equation.

• What sort of text is it you need in a foreign language?
• What is this text going to do?
• Would you hire a local agency to write this text for you in your own language?
• Who would you hire to write this in your own language?
• Why?
• Who wrote the original text?
• What were his qualifications?
• Were his qualifications important to write this?
• What were his personality traits?
• Were they important?
• What did he need to know to write the text?

Look For The Right Skill Sets Needed For The Job

Obviously you would want someone with the same background to write the same text in the foreign language.

But that’s utopia.

• Budgets restrict us.
• Deadlines interfere.

Not knowing where to find the right person also gets most people totally stuck. Why don’t they ask themselves where they would get the same text written in their own language? And then look in those places but in the right country?

Find The Right Translator

And then the choice of freelance translator or translation agency comes up.

Both freelance translators and translation agencies can give you excellent foreign content.

There are so many different criteria that come into play. It is all about getting the best person you can for the job…and working with them, and knowing when to give them freedom to get it done right.

Sales Copy Is Always Different

My choice? I would always plan for, and spend the extra time, to find the right person to do the job.

And it would probably not be a professional translator for any sales related materials. I would hunt down the best sales professional I could afford. Get as much foreign copy as I could afford.

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You might also like to read the Translation Tool articles:
- How To Use Online Translation Tools
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- Online Translations Tools Write Bad Sales Copy

Download this free cross-cultural communication tool on Get International Clients - Translation Widget

Tagged as: international marketing, translations