B2B Sales and the Role of Translation for Foreign Markets - Creative Word

If you are considering business to business sales in a foreign market, hopefully you’ll already be thinking about localisation.

Localisation will give you the ability to trade in foreign markets using the native language, allow you to understand your target market, ensure you’re compliant with regulations, and guarantee a first-class service for your new customers.

However, translation services don’t end once you start trading. There are numerous reasons to continue an ongoing relationship with your translation service provider, here are just a few…

Compliance with new laws and legislation

You will be required to comply with legislation in the country that you wish to trade in. This may include relatively simple tasks such as translated information on packaging, or be as complex as legal obligations that must be fulfilled in the native language. A continuing relationship with your translation service provider should keep you up-to-date with new laws ensuring you stay ahead of the game.

Marketing

When selecting a product to buy do you go for one that is written in your native language, or, would you choose a product with information on it that you can’t understand? Generally speaking, we all choose a product that is familiar to us; the writing is in a language we can access and the graphics appeal to our sense of culture – the product is target marketed to native users.

The same principle applies with B2B sales. Translation is required to win customers as they are likely to make a choice based on emotional and intellectual considerations. Also, if you fail to provide translated material to your in-country teams, or distributors, they may take it upon themselves to translate material. To maintain control over translated content, ensuring branding is consistent, it is essential you provide the product or service with localised content as you may deem the alternative inferior. Translation and transcreation of marketing and advertising content ensures you can connect with potential customers and remain in control of branding.

Customer care

Good customer care and after sale service is essential. If there is a language barrier to overcome your customers will be frustrated which leads to diminishing customer satisfaction. Support can come in many forms; FAQ, live chat, or email but if it is in the user’s native language they are likely to be more satisfied and therefore, repeat customers. If your product is highly technical even a reader who has a strong grasp of other languages, may struggle with information in a language that isn’t native to them. Your translation provider can assist with updating specifications, altering ingredients, changing dimensions, and so on, ensuring your customers can understand your products and all other relevant information.

It has been frequently proven that customers the world over will incline toward services or products that “speak their language”. Don’t discard your translation specialist once the initial localisation is complete, instead continue to maintain a working relationship with them so that you can be certain your customers will receive the best service available.

The success of your business depends on your ability to communicate clearly with your customers in foreign markets – they will appreciate it and you’ll reap the benefits.