Companies in South Africa, large and small, often see export as a way of strengthening sales performance and improving profitability. Marketing translation for South African companies targeting customers in countries like DRC, France or Spain is a must in order to directly appeal to their new multilingual consumers. Marketing content is often the first interaction a potential client will have with your business and it can leave them with a lasting impression that will influence their buying decisions. Marketing translation for South African companies is crucial in international markets as studies have shown that the number of customers buying products from countries different to their own is growing. As a result of these findings, multinationals are increasing their spending on the translation of their marketing offers, product information, and website for new markets.
Marketing Translation for South African Companies Global brand image
Which brand would you trust more as a consumer – a company that had all their packaging in Portuguese, French and German (with no English), or a brand that had English on the pack? At best, you may choose the no-English labelled product if it is substantially cheaper, or if it has compelling other aspects to the packaging, such as amazing design. In either case, price or artwork design will have to work really hard to get the sale. Translating your product packaging or translating your website can significantly increase your product’s reach hence the importance of marketing translation for South African companies competing in global markets.
Good marketing communication is highly tailored to the target audience specifics and to their needs. As a South African company, if you’re building a global marketing strategy to reach customers around the world, translation and localization must be a vital part of it. We know from the latest Common Sense Advisory report that customers prefer to conduct business and purchase goods in their native languages. In a survey of 3,000 consumers in 10 countries, they found that 56% spend more time on sites in their own languages than they do on sites in English–or consumers avoid English-language sites altogether. Even millennials, who are generally more comfortable with English, still strongly prefer content in their own language
Marketing Translation for South African Companies Legal compliance
Many products are required by law to be accompanied by certain information, whether it’s on the pack, or in the form of instruction leaflets or product labelling (sometimes all three). Most countries require food labelling to be in the local language. Care labelling is also highly regulated, as is toy labelling.
In France for example, The use of French is compulsory in all designations, offers, presentations, user manuals, and terms of service for a product or service. In addition, all invoices and receipts must also be in French. The objective of this measure is to provide information, consumer protection, and enable the individual to buy and use a product or service while having complete knowledge of the product’s nature and warranty.
Quite simply, if the information isn’t in the language (or languages) of the country of sale, you may be breaking the law so it always pays to check.
Marketing Translation for South African Companies Checklist
The quality of your translated content speaks volumes for your own commitment to quality and respect for local cultures. In the global marketplace, a company must expect to work with many different people, who often speak different languages and have different cultural ideas. Knowing this ahead of time is the best way to form trusting relationships.
Translations are needed for:
- Sales brochures
- Leaflets
- Newsletters
- Fact sheets
- Press releases
- Websites
- Product catalogues
- Product descriptions/categories
- White papers, case studies and eBooks
Marketing Translation for South African Companies Guideline
Learn to localise marketing material and adapt it to the country you are translating for as details change from country to country. Etiquette should be exercised when dealing with puns and idioms as they differ from one country to another. Sense of humour differs too with culture and language so be careful with how you express humour. Video captions help you spread your message to the deaf community and translating video captions will lead to a wider audience. Search engines differ with countries therefore your SEO should be tailored in a way that your digital marketing translation reaches the correct target market. Always make sure that your written language corresponds with the target market you are aiming for and make sure the information you put on the marketing material is uniform in all languages use.
Frenchside, Marketing translation partner of South African Companies
Frenchside specialises in providing powerful marketing translation for South African companies that wow potential customers and build relationships with audiences. We’ve performed a multitude of marketing translations for South African companies and they range in shape and size, from independent boutique digital agencies to large multinational companies based throughout, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban or Cape Town.
Whether it is a multilingual website localisation project or a newsletter in French, we can help you with your marketing translation project by using the best translators, backed up by our friendly and proactive Pretoria-based project management team. Tight deadlines and complex projects don’t faze us – we love a challenge and we’re always looking for fresh ways to make your global marketing work harder… and your life easier.
Are you ready to take your global marketing campaigns to the next level? Contact us for a quote today, and discover the peace of mind that comes from working with Frenchside.
