Dear Martha,
There is a slang word current in the US that comes from Advertising - the word is "buzz." It derives from the sound made by a busy bee and the similar sound made when a group of people is talking excitedly about something. Also implied in the word is the way buzz spreads from person to person and builds on itself. Well, there is no buzz unless there are bees. If the bee is locked up in the hive as far as your customers and your employees are concerned there is no buzz. And that's not good - no buzz, no honey. |
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Where There Are Bees There is Buzz
Every company that serves foreign language markets, either domestic or international, confronts the challenge of translation. The most basic issues concern how much of what materials should be translated. What material is absolutely necessary and what has a lower priority? Then comes the issue of accuracy. Languages are complex and subtle. Accurate translation requires a strong sense of current usage, idiom, the vernacular, context, gender, syntax and semantics. Add to these, local variations and it becomes clear that translation is a very tricky business. It is no small undertaking and it costs money.
Why is it then that so often the distribution and placement of translated materials is left to chance? Too often the distribution and publicity about these materials are not part of the overall strategy of communication or marketing. Here are some ways to avoid having your translated materials languish unseen or unread.
- Send press releases in the target languages to local media outlets regarding new corporate or marketing initiatives.
- Create internal communications such as posters in the cafeteria or locker rooms to let employees know about available materials.
- Make sure updated technical information accompanies all training programs.
- Make sure foreign language websites are updated as promptly as those in English.
- Get local management into the act - when they talk about something it starts the buzz.
The most important step in translation is the last one - getting it used. The implementation phase cannot be assumed to happen on its own - someone local has to be the beekeeper to keep the buzz going. Does your buzz translate?
See you soon.
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About Us
Galindo Publicidad, Inc. (GPI), Specializes in translating English business-related materials into and from Spanish and Portuguese, while also providing translations in Arabic, German, French, Italian, Korean, Chinese, Japanese, Hungarian, Creole, Russian and others.
Using its select network of native professionals, GPI guarantees linguistically accurate, reliable, and confidential translations performed with sensitivity and cultural respect.
Galindo Publicidad, Inc., winner of multiple awards, has been selected twice as a Florida 100 company by the University of Florida, a top honor recognizing rapidly growing, privately owned companies in the state of Florida.
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Martha E. Galindo
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