If your brand is currently considering entering foreign markets, you probably also have done some investigation into the translation services of several agencies that serve the markets your brand wants to enter. But which is the best translation agency to serve the needs of your brand?
Translation agencies offer a sometimes bewildering array of translation and localization services. And having to change agencies down the line when you realize the one you’ve signed with doesn’t offer a service that you find is vital to the needs of your brand is a waste of time and effort.
Before you begin the hunt to find the best translation agency, start by creating a list of the services you may find yourself needing to get up and running in the new market, as well as for continued operations in your new location. Confer with every department manager to get their perspectives on what they will require as well. If you’re like most managers, your list will end up being quite a bit longer than you had initially thought.
On the surface, the best translation agency for your needs is the largest one offering the most services and operating in all the markets your brand is considering entering. But in taking this approach, specialized services specific to your brand’s successful operation shouldn’t be overlooked.
Specialized Translation Services
If your brand is in the manufacturing business, a translation agency that offers supply chain and logistics services is probably already on your short-list of viable candidates. But an agency that offers simultaneous translation services to conventions and seminars may not be, because you’re not in that type of business.
But this means that if you find yourself hosting government and civic officials in a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the grand opening of your new manufacturing facility, simultaneous translation is definitely required. Having to scramble to find another agency that offers this type of service is inefficient and add to your costs.
This is why it’s so important to get a manager’s opinion of the services needed for their department. The marketing and communications department would have had this event on their schedule.
Accurate Messaging Across All Markets
The size of the agency also comes into play if you’re entering multiple markets in different countries. A single agency that is operational in all the countries you’re targeting can be the best translation agency for your needs from a marketing perspective.
Accuracy is key when you’re trying to present your products and services in the best light possible. A single agency can present a unified message and image of your brand more effectively than a series of smaller agencies can.
Your marketing department will also have less work to do explaining the message and marketing concept only once and dealing with a single agency.
The best translation agency for your brand is one that can provide the specialized services required by your brand, operate in all the markets your brand is entering, and be willing to get to know your brand thoroughly. Entering into a long-term contract with this agency should make your operations smoother and more successful in your new markets.