What is localization strategy?

Answer 1

The road to localization success is not an easy one. Companies oftentimes begin the process with a desire to expand their international presence, but have little experience or prior knowledge of what is required to successfully complete a full scale localization effort. Realizing that you need a strategy is one half of the challenge and the process of educating yourself about how to avoid potential problems and pitfalls is the other.

Along the journey you are, of course, bound to make some mistakes. Minimizing those mistakes, is the key to avoiding roadblocks that can bring your localization projects to a standstill and cause product launches to be delayed or at worst, canceled.

To keep your localization projects running smoothly over the inevitable bumps, detours and slow downs, here are four localization strategy blunders that you can learn from and, more importantly, what steps you can take to keep your localization projects on track.

Mistake 1. Not having a strategy is the worst strategy

Companies that sell products or services internationally know they need to understand localization in order to tap into local markets. However many wait too long, sometimes weeks, months and even years before fully engaging with the process, instead relying on ad hoc translation jobs to see them through. Next thing they know a major competitor sweeps into a market they had their eye on with a great product, a spectacular launch and a bunch of promotional activity that is carefully tailored to the local market. Now the game of catch up begins, as everyone scrambles to pull together a plan. If this sounds familiar, you're not the first and probably won't be the last.

To compensate, you end up working frantically to meet deadlines, make rushed decisions that lead to delays and leave inadequate time for a thorough and proper response to the competition. This can often lead to the recruitment of vendors that are not matched with your business objectives or expectations, and in the long-term this can cost you time and lost revenue.

The problem with this scenario is that, as the saying goes, failing to plan is planning to fail. A localization project is complicated. It requires input from many different stakeholders who all need to understand how each part of the localization process influences end results. This can only be accomplished by first creating a localization strategy, and engaging everyone from engineering, product, sales and marketing as early as possible in the product development cycle. This ensures that everyone understands the end objectives and how to get there, taking an existing product or service and making it relevant, understandable, functional and successful in each of the languages it's adapted for.

Mistake 2. No communication or Support

A company can't expect perfect translation quality from a localization vendor if they don't effectively communicate their brand values and product benefits. Remember, you know your products and services best. If you can communicate how they work and why your customers buy them, along with your brand, positioning and communication style, you'll find that when you come to review your translations it's not just the words but also the meaning, style, tone and terminology that have been adapted to fit the target language. This level of understanding from your vendor is vital if you want to run a tight ship, keeping linguistic review time down, and keeping amends to a minimum.

Managers also sometimes have difficulty obtaining sufficient support from key people within their organization because they don't effectively communicate their localization strategy or the recommendations of their localization vendor. Without a good level of engagement across departments involved in the localization strategy, you'll eventually find yourself struggling mid-process, trying to convey the importance of collaboration, missing your targets and wasting time and money.

Mistake 3. Going with the first big guy (or little guy) and thinking they are the best for the job.

Many first-time time translation and localization buyers search for the best known names in the localization industry and hire them without knowing what they actually need, or what questions they should ask. Sending out a one-size-fits-all 'request for information' to multiple vendors without performing due diligence will only complicate the selection process. Like buying any other service or product, you must understand what you're looking for first so you can better decide what you need from a vendor.

Another problem is that many first-time buyers are viewed as "small fish in a big pond" in the eyes of some L1ON vendors. This means they may not deliver all the support the first-time buyer needs during the critical first phase of launching a product or service in a new international market .

Alternatively, some first-time buyers may feel more comfortable hiring a small, local vendor. This can lead to a situation where the chosen vendor may not have the depth of expertise and resources to support your localization plans, quickly becoming a waste of time and money as you outgrow them. So make sure, when selecting a translation and localization provider, that you give yourself enough time to perform due diligence and use an evaluation process tailored to your specific needs. If you do this you'll find it much easier to select the right vendor at the right price.

Mistake 4. Getting sold on expensive technology you don't need.

All Translation Management Systems are not created equal; one size does not fit all. A TMS solution that works for a mid-sized company may not work for a smaller company and vice-versa. Your company is unique and deserves a tailored approach. Some vendors have become very successful at convincing companies that they need to buy expensive technology and encourage them to automate the process with X, Y and Z System. They claim that everything will operate much more efficiently, the long term cost savings will be significant and that implementation will be straightforward, however the truth is sometimes the opposite. Most Translation Management Systems require dedicated teams to look after them and involve the development and implementation of specialized work flows for the system to functions effectively.

Instead, it is much more practical to buy a technology solution that is scalable and flexible enough to seamlessly adapt to your existing business processes. A technology solution should not only save time and money but also be intuitive and unobtrusive allowing you to stay focused on what is important: implementing a successful localization strategy.

If you would like more in depth answer you can contact me at valarie.badame@milengo.com