The digital economy today has allowed for plenty of connectivity, which is a fantastic thing. It’s a fantastic thing because it allows businesses to connect with the larger global market in the simplest ways possible. Global markets, though diverse, have one thing in common with local markets – they want an experience that they can relate to and identify with. The facts are pretty clear – customers are far more comfortable reading content in their own language and it makes a huge difference with regard to the purchase decision. So, it’s obvious that you need to offer global customers an experience that makes sense to them. But, how do you do that? Well, you simply leverage your localization team.
Understand Their Position
You see, localization teams are often stuck in what is known as a transitional limbo. They are still struggling to settle because the evolution of technology and the changes in customer expectations can take a toll on them. These teams are practically torn apart by the pressure.
Though it’s much easier to connect with international markets, the changes in customer expectations are far more frequent and sophisticated. Several studies indicate the same thing – that customers will develop a preference for products that are advertised to them in their main language.
Needless to say, this puts localization teams in a unique and critical position – they are actually in a position to generate revenue.
It is very necessary for businesses to understand that localization teams are actually assets, extremely important ones at that. This is especially true if the concerned business aims to expand internationally.
As Tobias Bergström from the Thule Group puts it, the ability to communicate with people in their respective languages is a prerequisite for global expansion. So, support for translation and localization is a must.
Collaborate
This doesn’t have to be said, but here goes – if you work as a team, it’s much easier to achieve organizational goals. How does this apply to localization?
Well, localization is basically an investment and it can be leveraged across programs, campaigns, and channels. There is plenty in terms of benefits to stakeholders. But, the challenge comes in when you have to manage the whole thing.
Stakeholder support is very much needed in making sure that corporate strategy and global content strategy are on the same page.
The former determines the products/services that the business will offer and the markets it will offer these products/service to. The earlier you rope in the localization team, the better they will be able to offer their support.
The latter strategy determines what content will be localized and at what level. Here, the localization team can turn out to be very valuable. They can offer information about cost, efficacy, and speed while keeping the organization aware of technological changes that are likely to have an impact on the timelines and budgets.
According to Drew Fortin, VP of Marketing at Predictive Index, businesses, more importantly, need to think about the product deeply instead of just the market. This will allow them to broaden their base, receive increased exposure, and boost profits and revenue.
The truth is clear – there is far more engagement from customers when wanted information is offered in their respective languages. Today, localization teams are valuable enough to be positioned as exceptional assets, which is extremely important if you’re a global business.
