At first, your business dreams may only extend to hiring some employees or landing that dream client. Anything beyond that sounds too much like a pie-in-the-sky fantasy. What if the unimaginable happened and your business really took off.
Contents1. Write with the translation in mind2. Research your target market3. Find an agency4. Find a translator5. Test6. Special cases – Legal documentsTranslation of commercial documentsAs you grow and then expand in your home country, you may also find opportunities to expand abroad. Of course, expanding abroad also means translating all the commercial documents with which a foreign client or partner will be confronted. So how do you translate these documents in a way that won't leave these customers and partners scratching their heads?
Keep reading for six tips on effective business document translations.
If you know or strongly suspect that you are going to expand into a foreign market, you can do yourself a favor early on. Write with translation in mind.
Keep your writing simple and direct with important documents. Skip things like metaphors, which almost never translate.
You've probably done a lot of research for your target market in your home country. You need to do as much research for a foreign target market, if not more. Needs and wants don't always transfer from one culture to another.
You also need to have some idea of cultural norms, so you don't inadvertently offend people.
Yes, there are translation software. No, you don't want him to write the copy for your website and brochure. Automated translation often comes across as stilted and errors are common.
An agency will use human translators who possess at least professional working fluency and ideally native proficiency. This means you'll get translation services that deliver results that read the way a person wrote them.
If you don't mind shelling out for it, you can hire a translator yourself. Of course, you should opt for people who have native or near-native skills.
You should test the quality of a translator or an agency. Ask them to translate a small document on a trial basis. Then show the translation to someone you know is bilingual in the target language.
If they sign, you're probably in good hands.
Legal documents are a special case because many terms have specific and special meanings. You will need translation companies or a translator who specializes in legal documents for contracts and similar documents.
Ideally, you will find one that provides onsite translation services. Having them on site improves privacy and security.
Expanding into overseas markets isn't just about building a website and arranging shipping options. You need to translate all your business documents, from contracts to web copy. The good news is that there are steps you can take to achieve effective translations.
Research your target market. Work with professional translators, either through an agency or that you hire directly. Write for future translation.
Do a test project and have someone fluent read the results.
Looking for more tips to help you manage your business expansion? Check out the articles in our Business section.
