So you’ve decided to grow your business and this means reaching out to the Quebec market? Great! The only problem is that all your advertising, packaging, brochures and Website are in English. Not a worry! Here are a few tips that will help you make sure your French-language content will be attractive, on target and profitable for your business.
- Deal only with professionals
If you choose to work with a freelance translator, look for someone with formal education in translation, membership in a professional association and previous translation experience in your industry. If you go with a translation firm, ask about their quality control process. Most reputable firms have in place a multi-tier translation review system to ensure impeccable end products.
- Invest in quality
Dealing with professionals means you do not necessarily want to be shopping around for the cheapest rate. Poor quality French will reflect very badly on your business, leading to the loss of prospects. The Internet is teeming with hilarious examples of poorly translated packaging and ads. But let’s bet the business owner isn’t as thrilled with the unexpected attention. So do it right the first time and watch your investment pay off.
- Go local
Quebec has an extremely nuanced political landscape and this has had a definite impact on language. For example, did you know that Victoria Day in the rest of Canada is called Journée nationale des patriotes (or National Patriots’ Day) in Quebec? Given the close connection between politics and language, you need a translator who is familiar with the subtleties of this community. A knowledgeable translator will be able to successfully handle the linguistic and cultural transfer of your English content, while helping you avoid making faux pas in your new marketplace.
Remember that in translation, as in business, quality always pays off!