Do I Really Need Professional Translation to Attain Global Reach? Study Results from Chief Marketer

Tuesday February 03, 2009 - When companies ask if they really need professional translation to effectively market their products across borders, Don DePalma, founder and chief research officer of the research and consulting firm Common Sense Advisory, typically answers that "translation and product localization are extremely important when you're doing business outside the United States. People don't buy what they can't understand."

During a recent survey of international business buyers, DePalma's group asked about the real need for professional translation and localization. The results were clear.

The majority of business buyers wouldn't consider a product without localized marketing materials that they can read and understand completely. In fact, 96% of survey respondents preferred products for which all components, from marketing to manuals to customer support, have been translated and localized.