When your business expands past the confines of your native language, it's tempting to take the path of least resistance to translate your material yourself.
After all, you don't have to look much further than Google Translate™ to find free, web-based services for most of your translating needs. Not to mention that if you're doing business in another country or with another culture, it's likely that someone on your team has at least some familiarity with the second language; s/he may even be fluent.
But just ask anyone with real multi-national business experience: when it comes to business translation, the path of least resistance is fraught with embarrassing mistakes. Shortcuts will inevitably lead to costly errors that can set your business back, errors that will cost you clients and contracts.
In our Do-It-Yourself culture, some things are still best left to the experts.
Companies that offer translation services, like say, Weis Words for instance, are personal tailors. They custom-design exactly what you need. Without mistakes.
Typically (and certainly in the case of Weis Words), translation services translate your material by employing linguists with intimate knowledge of local languages and cultures. These aren't people who are simply bilingual; they are skilled in the art of translation. They have developed a sensitivity to nuance. No one will ever detect that your documents and material have been translated into a second language. They are THAT good.
Moreover, professional translators are well-versed in "localization." This is the difference between the American "elevator" versus the British "lift"; the coastal "soda" versus the Midwest "pop"; or even understanding that Brazilians consider themselves "Americans."
Good translation requires an astute familiarity with the audience. Good translation accounts for what the ear is used to hearing. Good translation is authentic, and authenticity, by definition, cannot be faked.
Your business is careful about its finances. You provide stellar customer service. You are conquering your unique field. So why would you leave a major detail like translation to amateurs? Or worse, ill-equipped machines?
When it comes to your company's bottom line, you care about the details. So don't bury your head in the sand and hope for the best when you enter the global marketplace. With so much at stake, leave it to the experts. Leave it to Weis Words.
