Lost In Translation In Information Technology

The language of business has always been traditionally known as money, but these days, it's not just that. Rather, it has taken on a literal significance. While English has been known as the main medium of instruction, it has become a necessity to speak the language of other countries. What better industry will this have an effect than in information technology. IT leads are not just found locally, but also in countries and cultures that speaks a different tongue. It can have a huge impact in your IT lead generation and IT appointment setting campaigns.

Now, what are the things that you might miss that might give you translation problems?

1. You might overlook the cultural differences of countries sharing the same language.
2. Your website might not be capable of handling language translations, further adding a strain in working with your customers.
3. Measurements and units used in one country may not be understood in another country.
4. For the Chinese, it is assuming that they all use the same language. In fact, they have different dialects in each part of the country. This can be troublesome in telemarketing.
5. The Arabs, a potentially profitable market, may be missed because there are not that many programs that can translate into Arabic, including the right-to-left reading direction.

These are just some of the challenges faced by a lot of companies wishing to target foreign firms in their attempt to generate more IT leads. Given the level in which information technology has taken the world, going global might be the best.

Small Business Marketing News Update - Even With Electronic Communications, Jacksonville Businesses Need Direct Mail

(Today’s Guest Blog is written on the subject of direct mail for small business, by Jim Davis, a former senior executive in the direct marketing industry.)

In a world of electronic communications, websites, banner ads and Facebook pages, there remains one medium that is a consistent response generator for small businesses - direct mail.

Following a few simple guidelines, direct mail still can still yield excellent and cost effective results for businesses of all sizes.  The proof is in our mailbox everyday.

There are three factors that experts agree consistently contribute to direct mail success:  Audience, Offer, and Creative.  But the relative importance of these three factors may surprise some new mailers.

Think of the factors this way:  60/30/10.

A full 60% of any direct mail success can be attributed to the Audience, or, in other words, the mailing list used. Whether mailing to a geographic area, a demographic segment or a business group, a mailing is only as good as it the list used.

We’ve all receive mail addressed to Resident/Occupant or the friendlier greeting “To our Friends At”.  This is a sure indication that every household in your neighborhood is receiving the same mailing piece. And household mailings are a basic and reliable traffic-building tool for consumer-oriented, local businesses.

Compiled, demographic mailing lists which incorporate an individual’s name also are available for more targeted offerings.  Similarly there literally are thousands of specialty mailing list comprised of everything from subscription lists to individuals who have responded to previous offers.

Businesses-to-business lists are another whole category of mailing lists. These lists offer selectivity by SIC (Standard Industrial Classification) code and various company size indicators (annual sales, number of employees, etc.).  And, again, there are specialty lists comprised of subscribers to various trade journals or other select groups that are available as well.

It would be remiss not to mention what may be the best mailing list of all - the one that businesses can compile consisting of their own customers. As always, existing customers represent one of the best sources of new and repeat business and every business should have the ability to mail to this select audience.

The next factor is Offer, which can impact a mailing by 30%.  Think about it – without a compelling offer or incentive, direct mail is just a simple message.  There is no reason to respond. Too many mailings have weak, inadequate or ill-timed offers for a chance at success.

Customers and prospects want to know “What’s in it for me?” and that is the question that must be asked about every mailing piece designed.

Finally Creative must be considered, but the way the offer is communicated contributes to the success of the mailing only by 10%.  It is true that there is a crucial point (typically three to four seconds) when a recipient decides whether or not to further read/consider a mailing piece. That’s when creative can play its role.

Veteran mailers often say that creative must appear to one of four basic emotions:  Need, Greed, Fear, or Exclusivity. Try looking a mailing piece you receive at home and you can learn to identify the elected emotional appeal for the mailing.

And to be sure, direct mail creative is technique-driven. That is one reason that postcards or self-mailers  -- communicating an Offer quickly, without the need to open an envelope  -- are so popular with small businesses.

The numbers 60/30/10 can vary by the mailing professional citing them but the principle always in the same.  Audience, followed by Offer and then Creative determine the success of any mailing.

So, if the secret to success is so evident, why doesn’t every business mail? One reason dominates all others: expense.

Even using the most cost-efficient mailing techniques for smaller mailers, each piece of mail delivered is relatively expensive  -- ranging from 40 to 50-cents up to a dollar or more for elaborate mailings  -- so the cost per thousand contacts is higher than most other mediums.

Still, direct mail has it place in an overall marketing strategy. As long as Americans maintain the habit of checking their mail daily, direct mail messages have the opportunity to be seen, and to sell.