Introduction
The world of translation and localization is oftentimes as vast and diverse as...

Advanced Language Translation passes ISO surveillance audit
ALT achieved ISO9001:2000 certification in January 2004, with a Surveillance Audit on October 4, 2004. During this recent audit ALT demonstrated continuous improvement of our Quality Management System...

Rochester Business Alliance International Business Council appoints ALT president Scott Bass to Advisory Board
The Rochester Business Alliance IBC Advisory Board consists of representatives from some of the Rochester area’s top international firms, serving over 2200 of the region’s most prominent exporting companies...

STC appoints ALT marketing manager Cheryl Schreiner to STC Council
Cheryl will serve a one-year term and hold the office of Programs Manager....

Strategizing your next move in the global game
by Karin K. Schaff Glazier. If your company is on the fence when it comes to developing overseas markets, consider 2005 will be the best year in decades to gain market share for your company's products and services in foreign markets...

Quality translation aids in credibility
Bill Judkins' article addresses the importance of localizing your company's public relations, which is guaranteed to close the credibility gap in foreign markets...

SBA loans help exporters increase international sales
As you target expansion into international markets, you may be aware there are Federal and State grants and loan programs available to support your efforts. However, you should also know that the Small Business Association is another resource for funding foreign market growth, including loans to address your translation needs...

Happy Holidays From Advanced Language Translation Inc.! 
Advanced Language Translation has enjoyed working with you throughout 2004, and sincerely appreciates the opportunities you have presented us. We look forward to continuing our relationship in the coming new year, and to supporting your continued translation and localization needs. We wanted to be sure to inform you that our offices will be closed from Friday, December 24 thru Monday, January 3, 2005. Any orders in production at that time will continue on schedule. New orders will be taken upon our return Monday, January 3. We hope that you, your familes and colleagues have a happy holiday season and a prosperous new year.

Advanced Language Translation Inc.

25 North Washington St.
Rochester, NY 14614
USA

1.800.218.9024

advancedlanguage.com

Introduction

The world of translation and localization is oftentimes as vast and diverse as the cultures and nations in which global business gets done. The ALT Newsletter is your vehicle for keeping up with the important trends in translation for documents, the web and software. In each issue we strive to include articles relevant to our clients, associates and anyone doing business internationally. We recommend scanning the article names and intros that appear at the top and jump to those items of interest to you. One further recommendation, don’t just edify yourself with this information, share it with colleagues who will also benefit from it, and, by all means, use it to grow your international business!

Advanced Language Translation achieved ISO9001:2000 certification in January 2004, with a Surveillance Audit on October 4.

During this recent audit ALT demonstrated that our original certification was valid by showing continuation and improvement of our Quality Management System. We passed with no major or minor non-conformances and only one noted opportunity for improvement. We undergo another surveillance audit in 2005 and another in 2006.

A recertification audit will occur in 2007.

ALT’s President, Scott Bass, notes: “ISO 9001:2000 certification has enabled us to improve. Even though we were always a process focused company, implementing a robust quality management system according to the standard provides a disciplined framework to manage quality continually—not just when it is convenient or when problems with quality arise.”

Advanced Language Translation President, Scott Bass, was appointed to the RBA International Business Council Advisory Board in October 2004.

The Advisory Board consists of representatives from some of the Rochester area’s top international firms, serving over 2200 of the Western New York’s most prominent exporting companies.

Cheryl Schreiner appointed to STC Council

Cheryl Schreiner, Marketing and Customer Relations Manager, at Advanced Language Translation has been appointed to the Society for Technical Communication Council for the Rochester area. Cheryl will serve a one-year term, and hold the office of Programs Manager. The 2004-5 season will mix “soft topic” presentations with technical and business hands-on, growth-oriented topics, including: “Building TRUST Between People and Organizational Layers”, “Your People: Your Competitive Advantage”, “How To Do Business with the Federal Government”, “Grant Writing”, and more.

The Society for Technical Communication is a nonprofit international organization dedicated to advancing the profession of technical communication. The society includes writers, editors, marketing professionals, graphic artists, technical illustrators, and multimedia specialists. It represents specialties in manufacturing, computer technology, science, healthcare, education, telecommunications, graphic arts, and not-for-profit organizations. STC’s worldwide membership exceeds over 20,000.

If your company is on the fence when it comes to developing overseas markets, consider 2005 will be the best year in decades to gain market share for your company's products and services in foreign markets. Thanks to the weak dollar, goods and services from the USA are cheaper in many markets—especially in Europe. But, be sure to plan your expansion in the right way. Karen Schaff Glazier's article will motivate you and your company to plan and commit to taking your business global.

Are you looking for ways to find new markets and customers? Companies today realize marketing their brand and selling their offerings only in the United States is becoming even more challenging. Businesses are facing fiercer competition, smaller customer segments resulting from corporate downsizing or businesses closing their doors, as well as the change in consumer-buying behaviors fueled by an unpredictable economy. All types and sizes of companies in a variety of industries are finding undertaking a global approach is imperative if they plan to keep their competitive edge and secure their future survival.

Becoming a global player is even more of a necessity today. Doing it well is critical to help ensure a smooth entry into new marketplaces — and being fully prepared to ‘go global’ is essential to ensuring long-term success and meeting return on investment (ROI) expectations. To do it right, businesses today have to be committed to spending the quality time needed to strategize and test their global game plan.

Too often we hear, “I have a global presence. The company’s communication materials and vehicles are translated to speak to our international audiences.” Unfortunately, translating one’s Web site or print materials into different languages isn’t the only requirement to ensuring your business is ready to “go global”. Understanding how your internal operations and employees will function and manage a global business model is key to getting out the gate with a running head start.

Why globalize?
  Expansion into new markets = new revenue streams
  Create new distribution channels 
  Increase market share
  Increase brand reach and awareness, introduce products/service to new 
    customer markets
  Adhere to the market’s needs and demands
  Establish your brand as a global player giving your business the competitive 
    advantage

You may begin to ask, “What are the right questions to ask to be sure we are prepared and capable at this time to ‘go global’?” – or – “What if it doesn’t work?” Keep in mind you don’t have to tackle all markets at once. Develop a pilot program — focus on one market at a time utilizing and leveraging what you learned in prior market expansion practices to help enhance and strengthen new market entries. The pilot approach will also help to gradually ease your staff into their new roles in the global marketplace.

Here are some questions to begin with to help determine if and when your company will be ready to enter the global marketplace and what is needed to do so:

1. Is the corporate leadership committed and involved in going global?

2. Who should be involved in our global game plan and strategizing sessions? What are their specific roles and responsibilities?

3. Have we done any market research to determine: Which global markets have a demand for our offering? Who would we compete with in each market – how are we the same and different? Does our offering (products/services) have to be restructured or rebuilt to include specific features and options?

4. What do we anticipate in operations cost increases? Does the revenue potential in that market support that increase?

5. Does our enterprise system have the capability to support multiple languages and currencies?

6. Should we acquire foreign companies or partner with existing businesses in the local markets to support expansion strategies? Or should we build our own operations?

7. What operations should be local and which ones should not?

8. As we continue to enter new markets, how will we integrate them into the overall marketing and communications strategy as well as those operations and processes already in place?

9. Will we need additional staff to provide language expertise by market, cultural and geographical understanding, legal support, etc? Should this staff be located in the areas we do business? Or, should we consider outsourcing to those who offer services to support our needs in key markets — i.e. multilingual contact centers to provide customer support or warehousing for fulfillment and shipping?

10. Once our global game plan is finalized, how do we introduce it to the entire organization to generate excitement, ownership, accountability and enthusiasm? What marketing and communication efforts should we focus on to launch our new corporate international mission to our customers and partners – should we focus domestically and/or globally?

If your organization is a pure dot-com or is interested in ‘localizing’ its Web site presence to support efforts in new markets, then also ask yourself these types of questions:

1. Are the markets we are targeting equipped for Web connectivity?

2. Have we done our homework prior to “building our online presence” to completely understand our target market and its local customers? Do we really know how our online audience behaves, what their shopping traits are like, what payment methods they use, what sort of information they need to make a purchase and how do they want that presented to them?

3. Have we localized our site graphics, content and navigational structure to support the target audience and their cultural preferences? Does our brand image (logo) and corporate message make sense to our target markets? Are our corporate colors or content wording culturally offensive in anyway?

4. Who will manage the content on the site - updating, accuracy, messaging, etc.? Do we have a qualified partner to help us translate all our Web content? Does the partner have local translators in country to do the translation? What portion of the site and its content should be translated? Should the content be translated verbatim to what we say in our local language, or should we rewrite portions of it to better communicate to our target audience?

5. Who will manage the site’s performance, daily functionality challenges, IT, etc.?

6. What criteria will be used to measure the success (Return on Investment) of our global expansion online?

7. Does our e-commerce site support the locale - market currency/conversion frequency, payment methods, taxes, tariffs, VATs, language, logistics, supply chain fulfillment, customer service and support, distribution channels, legal practices, etc. Do we have technology to handle multilingual email inquiries, accounting and payment needs, etc.?

8. Should we forge partnerships with individual banks to handle our online transactions or with a ‘payment hub’ that already holds relationships with banks in specific markets?

9. Do we have a logistics partner(s) who understands global shipping and handling requirements based on our warehouses and ship-to markets?

While it is imperative for businesses looking to expand their offerings to new markets and customer segments to gain foothold in these markets, beware of the 'must build' mentality. Take the time to ask the questions and challenge your existing business strategies and practices before taking your business to new frontiers. You have one chance to make a positive impression, no matter what market you are in!

"All types and sizes of companies in a variety of industries are finding undertaking a global approach is imperative if they plan to keep their competitive edge and secure their future survival."

"To do it right, businesses today have to be committed to spending the quality time needed to strategize and test their global game plan."

Localizing advertising for markets in which your company is active can enhance credibility in those markets. However, advertising may not be the most effective vehicle for marketing your products and services. Bill Judkins' article addresses the importance of localizing your company's public relations, which is guaranteed to close the credibility gap in foreign markets.

A recent article in the Economist noted that consumers are increasingly seeking ways to avoid advertising. Consumer spending on personal media such as DVD’s, digital video recorders, and pay television has surpassed advertising spending for the first time in history.

Why does this matter? There is a difference between advertising and public relations. Public relations activity doesn’t happen in the realm of advertising – it happens in the realm of what people are reading by choice. Credibility battles can be won and lost in the good, old-fashioned newspaper or trade journal. This is why translation of public relations materials is as important as translating your advertising and technical materials. The likelihood of your article gaining the necessary attention from a foreign editor is increased tenfold when it is properly translated.

One of the primary functions of public relations is to effect third party endorsement. When seeking this endorsement, you are often asking journalists to “spread your message” through newspaper or trade journal articles. Capture their attention with quality translation in their native language. Additionally, public relations efforts can extend to intra-company communications. Company based e-mail blasts, newsletters, and announcements are all forms of public relations–and they should be translated for the audience they are intended to reach. You bolster your credibility with some of your most important people – your staff and management.

When considering a plan, realize that not every article you try to publish will make it to print – but the effort should be made regardless. If you’re selling a product in Europe, for example, and you have invested considerable resources to be sure that your manuals, product literature, web presence, and advertising materials are translated, then do a cost analysis for translated public relations materials and include it in the mix.

Although the effect of the activity can be difficult to measure, the effort to provide foreign journalists and editors translated fact sheets, press releases, invitations to plant tours and so on is a critical part of doing business internationally.

Public relations efforts are often much less costly than advertising and can be targeted in similar ways. If your advertising dollars are being spent to attract an increasingly less attentive audience, then consider working with good public relations professionals. Ask your agency if they have someone who can help you develop a plan. Request upfront that you’d like have these materials translated and tracked so you can measure the results.

For more information on the public relations practice visit the Public Relations Society of America at www.prsa.org. For more information on translation and localization, visit www.advancedlanguage.com.

SBA loans help exporters increase international sales

As you target expansion into international markets, you may be aware there are Federal and State grants and loan programs available to support your efforts. However, you should also know that the Small Business Association is another resource for funding foreign market growth, including loans to address your translation needs. SBA reports:

Small businesses are driving economic growth in the United States and are going global in record numbers. With 96 percent of the world’s population and 67 percent of the world’s purchasing power located outside the borders of the United States, the potential for American small business export growth is huge.

Many small businesses invest the time and resources to develop export leads, only to find that they can't secure the credit to close the sales. The U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Export Express and Export Working Capital Program (EWCP) are designed to help increase a small business’ export sales. Exporters can use these loan funds for:
  Participation in a foreign trade show;
  Translation of product brochures or catalogues for use in overseas markets;
  General lines of credit for export purposes;
  Service contracts from buyers located outside the United States;
  Transaction-specific financing needs associated with completing actual export orders; 
     and/or
  Purchase of real estate and equipment to be used in production of goods or services
     which will be exported.

How Do SBA Export Loans Work?
The SBA provides commercial banks with a guaranty of as much as 90% to encourage the bank to provide the exporter with needed financing. Completed applications are submitted for approval to the SBA.

What are the Interest Rates and Terms?
SBA loans have the competitive rates and terms small businesses need to compete globally. Applicants negotiate terms with the lender and the Rates may be either fixed or variable.

Do I Qualify?
If you are a small business who can demonstrate that the loan proceeds will support a specific export sales, enable entry into a new export market or expand an existing export market and have been in business operation, though not necessary in exporting, for at least 12 months at the time of application, you are eligible to apply for SBA s export loan programs.

Where do I start to get export financing?
Your first stop should be your nearest U.S. Export Assistance Center (USEAC) which can be found on www.sba.gov/oit. The SBA representative at the USEAC is committed to helping exporters and has placed a high priority on SBA’s export loan programs. In addition, each USEAC offers a full range of export programs and services under one roof. Experts from the SBA, the U.S. Department of Commerce, the Export-Import Bank of the United States, and other public and private partners are available to answer your questions and help you expand your export business

www.sba.gov/oit

"The SBA representative at the USEAC is committed to helping exporters and has placed a high priority on SBA’s export loan programs."