subject: Go global BUT localize it!!! [print this page] Being a former ESL teacher, I think I've heard it all when it comes to funny ways of making a sentence, some even unrecognizable to say the least. These were all acceptable, as students were paying me to learn rather than criticize.
Now I bet many of you have received those mass-forwarded emails to make us laugh at different signs with funny translations around the world. I have received plenty, like the one from Kentucky Fried Chicken, when they rendered a poor translation of their slogan "finger-lickin' good" in Chinese, which came out as "eat your fingers off".
Or the one outside a Hong Kong tailor's shop: "Ladies may have a fit upstairs" You gotta love the one In a Japanese hotel too: "You are invited to take advantage of the chambermaid" Now these ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE.
Here's where simply hiring a bilingual person is not enough to convey your message in a target country. Just translating words doesn't cut it anymore. Your competition is no longer 2 to 3 businesses around the corner. Your competition is the whole world now, as we are virtually getting smaller and smaller each day with an ever-increasing globalization. You must be able to adapt, and adapt faster than your competition or you might not survive at all. Localization is key here.
You can definitely try and make a translation of your website and any advertizing free of mistakes, or even faux pas as mentioned above. However, in order to reach the masses in the target country, it is essential to find an expert from such target country who will "localize" or adapt your website to the native language desired, taking into account the linguistic, cultural, social and monetary requirements of the target market.
Clip art, photographs, symbols and colors must be adapted for culture-specific
adaptability. A clip art symbol of an American "stop" sign, or a two-fingered "V" for victory
may be viewed differently in other countries. Even the color scheme must be looked at,
since colors have different cultural associations in different countries.
There are many qualified professionals out there, but just as many who lack the proper experience and expertise who pretend they do. Please follow these suggestions when searching for a localization/translation company:
Ask them how many years they have been in business
Ask them about previous projects in the target language that you need, as one company may have great experience in a variety of languages but not your target language. They will probably hire someone they've never worked with in the past and when you find out the service rendered does not fulfill your objectives, it might be too late
Get references and call them, especially if they refer to big name companies. You want to make sure you don't fall for those who advertise clients they never had
Make sure the contract signed specifies what happens should the work be poorly translated, causing you to lose thousands in sales. Are they reimbursing the full amount, half, after how long? They don't have to reimburse it all, but just make sure you have all the details and amounts covered in that contract before signing on the dotted line
At last, NEVER accept work from companies who demand 100% upfront. Although it prompts willingness for excellence in a few companies, others get corrupt and take forever to get the job done, or worst of all, disappear and you realize it was just another scam after all
You can get a professional quotation by an honest company with verifiable testimonials at the link below:
