6 Business Card Translation Tips

Ok – so you have that great deal in the making in China or Brazil and your business card needs to be translated.  First impressions are everything, so the care and time you take in translating your business card will reap great rewards down the road.

1.  Your logo and colors may need to be adjusted.  Certain colors, symbols and numbers can be superstitious or offensive in some cultures.  By being aware of this potential hiccup and adjusting, you will not cause anyone to be uncomfortable.  

2.  Be aware of how important the translation of your name/company name is.  Some languages do  not have the same sounds and tones as English and by translating your name phonetically you will help potential partners, clients and employees pronounce your name properly. 

3.  Not all titles are treated equally.  Many of the common English business titles are not used around the world.  Word for word translations may not be clear to your foreign contacts.  It may beneficial to leave your title in English.

4.  Be sure that your phone number is internationally appropriate.  Folks outside of North and South America cannot dial 800 or toll free numbers.  In addition, you should add the prefix "+1" before the area code so that you can easily be contacted.

5.  You may want to leave your address in English.  While translating the address seems like a must, your foreign contact may send you correspondence via the U.S. Postal Service and their machinery will not recognize the translation.  You may want to have an English version on one side and a translated version on the other.

6.  Research the appropriate way to exchange your newly translated business card in the country/culture you are visiting.  Many cultures are offended by people writing on their card or just tossing them in their pocket/purse.  You would be very disappointed if the reason a potential client didn’t buy from you was because of your business card exchange.

You wouldn’t think that something so small would be so important however, even though it has very few words it can cause lots of confusion if not done properly. 

Use of Puns – They do NOT translate well

It is important that you look at your English writing techniques to ensure understanding globally.  When is an NFL football or American sports pun not effective? When you use it in your marketing or documents outside of the United States. this goes for any local sayings and understandings.  Examine your original English documentation from the perspective of an international reader, and eliminate regional colloquialisms and other informal vocabulary.  This will ensure that you don’t leave your international customers, distributors and employees lost in translation.

Translation Mistake?

From www.failblog.org this looks like a translation gone very wrong. 

What do you think it was meant to say? 

The translation should say "Fresh Food Supermarket."  Oops. 

Would you shop there?

Don’t help your organization make this type of mistake…choose your translation firm wisely…otherwise it may cost you lots of business when taking your products and services global.  

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