Before Your Company “Sails the Seven Seas”... , Seven Considerations

Consider These Essential ”Seven Cs”:

Seven Core Components of a Successful Global Product Launch

Effective website, product or media globalization goes well beyond translation of your English content. In order to compete in the global market place, globalization services must address the needs of target locales, while concurrently providing scalability within a company’s operations. Because this is far from easy, many companies neglect to develop and deploy a comprehensive international go-to-market strategy, only to see their brand under-perform or even fail.

Your Language Services Provider (LSP) can help develop and protect your brand, ensure global functionality, test for an optimal geographically-customized user experience, provide pre- and post-sales support and assist with legal compliance–all vitally important aspects of business success overseas.

So, before your company “Sails the Seven Seas,” consider these essential”7 Cs”:

Consulting: Do you have a Global Reach Strategy?

Global Safe Harbor Consulting
General International Law Advisory
Brand and Promotion Strategy
Comparative Market Analysis of Competitor Sites

When it comes to a successful global launch, regulatory compliance, warranty regulation, product liability, privacy laws and data security are just as important as a well-localized product and competitive market knowledge. Even well-established global companies can find themselves battling in European courts over the validity of their terms and conditions or are caught unaware of local customer preferences in another country. Consult with local experts to make sure this doesn’t happen to you.

Code: Have you thought about the importance of internationalization (i18n) for your software, web, app and media?

Evaluation of Web/Apps/Media for “Global Readiness”
Pseudo-Localization
Analysis of Language Detection and Response to Format
Global Visibility / SEO

If done right, a multilingual website or software user interface can help you expand your marketing reach and also convey the fact that you are a global entity. However, underneath your nicely-designed current website or software, there could lurk hidden issues that need to be resolved BEFORE you decide to localize into other languages/cultures. A poorly localized website not only delivers reduced ROI, but it may also do considerable harm to your company’s image or to your product brand.

Culture: Would you pass a Cultural Audit for Global Appropriateness?

Assessment of Message and Imagery for overall Localizability
International User Experience Evaluation
Functional and Linguistic Enhancement Recommendations

Your US-based customers love your product, but will it fly off the shelves in other countries? A simple “Cultural Validation” or “Localizability Check” may save you from embarrassing surprises and help you avoid sluggish sales. Have you ever asked your LSP for one?

Creative: Do you have the Domain Expertise in Global Design, Branding, and Promotion?

Global Brand and Campaign Development
Web- and Application Interface Design and Production
Rich Media in Motion (Video, Special Effects, 3D Development)

Can your provider support you in developing guidelines and procedures that ensure a unified and consistent global brand across a dozen different global marketing departments? Does your provider outsource your audio/video projects to third party studios? In-house capabilities deliver faster, smoother, cheaper!

Content: Is your Translation Workflow effective?

Best Practices for Content Creation: “Writing for a Global Audience”
Custom Development for Interoperability with existing CMS (Content Management Systems)
Translation, Localization, Editing
Trans-creation, Copywriting, Linguistic Enhancements
Localization QA
Machine Translation Suitability

Content is king! … but only when delivered at high speed and with appropriate quality. Sometimes a good translation alone isn’t enough, and a uniquely crafted message – written from scratch and with local nuances in mind – is needed. And sometimes machine-translated content is better than no translated content at all. Knowing the difference makes all the difference. Explain your needs, budgets, and goals to your LSP.

Continuity: How do you maintain your Global Program and incorporate updates?

Development of Program Workflows, Translation Memories and Glossaries
Evaluation, Installation, and Implementation of most suitable TMS (Translation Management Systems)
Custom Development for Connectivity and Interoperability of TMS with existing CMS
Online Client Portal for Comprehensive Project Tracking

Often the best LSPs are tech savvy, but tools agnostic. Buying service and technology from the same provider may limit your options and lock you into hard-to-exit annual contracts. Your LSP should be able to help you gather requirements, vet shortlisted providers, and offer impartial guidance based on an array of industry leading options. Advanced LSPs will add system connectivity as well as client portals for detailed and transparent 24/7 project reporting.

Certification: Does your LSP have the required Competency and Experience?

ISO Certifications
Skilled Project Management Team with MA Degrees in Translation, Interpretation, or Localization Project Management
Certified Translators and Interpreters
Seasoned Consultants

ISO offers many standard certifications; look for ISO 17100:2015, the latest quality standard, specifically for translation companies. Also look for related industry standards, such as ISO 13485:2003 for medical device makers/suppliers, or ITAR (International Trade of Arms Regulations) registration for defense-related projects. And don’t forget project manager (PM) credentials: MediaLocate’s PMs are bi- or tri-lingual, have an international graduate education and have lived and worked in other countries. A good PM can make or break your global launch!

MediaLocate can help you determine the right level of globalization investment and related infrastructure, and our language and technology specialists, internationalization engineers, and our global service partners deliver comprehensive solutions that work at home and abroad.

For an initial free consultation, please contact us at 1-800-776-0857 or [email protected]