Thursday, May 2, 2013

US Industrial Renaissance is Eroding Emerging Markets’ Competitive Edge | Enterprising Investor

US Industrial Renaissance is Eroding Emerging Markets’ Competitive Edge | Enterprising Investor

This article points to the fact that U.S. manufacturers are competitive with the Asian manufacturers that dominated in the last 2 decades.

With the reduced energy costs driven by the Natural Gas resources, we can grow our reach to other markets. Not only are we competitive but we are high quality. WinWin for all looking to build.

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Mexico: Your Next Market? Translations Can Build Sales

Mexico - your next market!

Facts to think about

Mexico's GDP growth is over 4%

Mexicans spend 40% of the travel budget at the Mall. Their favorite destination country? The U.S.

Mexicans equate quality with U.S. goods and prefer to buy U.S. products like Skippy, Quaker Oats and Huggies over their own brands.

Luxury goods are hot, haute, hot. Looking for a new market? Mexicans love our cars, jewelry, clothing...

U.S. Health and Beauty products are very popular among Mexicans.

Mexico buys more U.S. products than Brazil, Chile, Latin America all combined.

Mexico is our 2nd biggest trade partner.

Mexico has more free trade agreements than any other country.

Need I say more? Read my May newsletter for more information on entering this new and exciting market.

Get Ready - Set - Grow with Translations!

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Language Discussion at W & J University

Last Saturday I was a panelist for a discussion on language careers at Washington & Jefferson College and the Sigma Delta Pi Gamma Mu chapter in Washington, PA. This was the 1st annual panel and I found it to be a fun and interesting way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

The students were interested in studying abroad and how they can utilize language skills to develop a career path. I was intrigued by the availability of grants to help students there travel and experience other cultures. This is truly an education that no student should pass up. The opportunities to engage with others in different cultures opens a mind to new ways of thinking, acceptance of different ways of doing things and adds value to the travelers experiences in more ways than can be imagined.

The State of PA has more reps within country than any other state. These reps are located throughout the world and work to help you grow business in other regions. Many of our in-country PA state reps will be in Pittsburgh on May 6th and will accept appointments if you would like to meet them. Please see the 3rd link for more details! Businesses located in the commonwealth of PA are fortunate to have such amazing resources! Take advantage of it!

The below links are posted here for Hannah. She is traveling to China for 18 days and we discussed entering a very different culture. When traveling to a new region, know the U.S. resources there. The first link lists who to contact, where their offices are and tips for safe travel. I hope this helps you as you journey beyond our borders. Remember their are grants to help you translate your websites and marketing information to sell to other regions. Contact me for more details, together we can build sales! Get Ready...Set...Grow with Translation!


http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1089.html         resources you should have when traveling.



 

http://www.spcregion.org/plan_news.shtml#trade       PA China reps will be in Pittsburgh May 6th. You could make an appointment to meet them.
 
Zai Jian, (Goodbye)
 
Linda Richardson
President
All Clear Translations

Monday, April 8, 2013

A Novel Look at Emerging Entrepreneurs

A novel look at emerging entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurship is a hot topic everywhere. The Internet, connectivity and mobile platforms has changed the face of entrepreneurs. 25 years ago an entrepreneur was usually someone you knew, a face that was familiar. Your barber, shop owner, restaurant, insurance man. Now you can connect with small business all over the world.

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Video is the new wave of marketing campaigns - Get Multilingual! Now you can reach everyone through translations!


 
 
 
We can get creative with you to connect with clients all over the world.
Need a multilingual video, there are online resources that we can use to create your amazing awesome video. Now you can affordably and easily be found by anyone ANYWHERE!
Check it out! Let's talk video translations for your next campaign.

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Translating Tipping to International Guests

Last week I was attending PittCon in Philadelphia. I was enjoying breakfast at the Reading Market with a colleague at a small Amish counter for breakfast. Sitting beside us was a couple from Israel. They were discussing the bill and asked me whether "people like this" should be tipped.

Understandably, they do not know many of our customs in the U.S. Many regions in the world do not tip but add the wage in the bill. I explained that we customarily tip our wait staff and the appropriate tip is 15-20%.

 My Mistake:
The couple left the waitress $1 for her gratuity.  My mistake was not explaining to the couple why we tip and how essential it is for many service workers. Tipping enables you to show your appreciation for their service in a monetary way. In my past, I waitressed and I have 2 daughters that are working their way through school as waitresses. Much like a commissioned salesperson, wait staff are rewarded monetarily for upselling and offering excellent service.

My Correction:
I felt badly and left the waitress a 40% tip to compensate for the low gratuity left by the Israeli couple. As a translations expert, I realized I did not communicate the full value of gratuities and should have been more informative.

Don't let your message be truncated or lost in translation. Be sure the value of your product, brand, and service are being translated by professional experts. Your website and software translations are key to reaching new customers and helping current clients utilize the full value of your amazing expertise!

Hoping you are Growing Globally with Translations!

Linda Richardson

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

The Time is NOW! Sell in Emerging Markets to Grow your Manufacturing Business.


 By 2025 annual consumption in emerging markets will be better than 30 trillion USD. This statistic should make you think about your products and where they are needed. Perhaps China or South America are regions that you haven’t explored yet. These and other emerging markets offer manufacturers new revenue streams.
Middle class growth in many countries means increased consumers are probably looking for or using a product such as yours. Consumers around the world value American made goods because of the quality and status symbol they impart.
What are these new middle class consumers buying? Now that they have discretionary income, they are looking at automobiles, appliances, electronics, luxury goods, and have increased awareness of healthcare goods.
How to develop a new market? There are many steps you can take to develop a new market and a few are discussed here.
·         Find a region that has need for your product. Focus on growth clusters. Introduce your product in a growing urban area. Some emerging cities are growing up to 20 % or better per year. Sao Paulo is a good example of a burgeoning city. Many 2nd tier cities are experiencing double digit growth and have need of services and goods to service their population
·         Innovate! Adding diversity to your marketing efforts cannot happen without research. Know your market. What are their likes, values, tendencies? Does your current marketing make sense in this region? Invest in a cultural assessment that will look at your product, brand and image and help you understand if your new target understands the value you offer. . Perhaps your product is selling like hotcakes t in the U.S. but needs to be updated or changed to better meet needs in other cultures. R & D can save you thousands or tens of thousands dollars investing in a region that doesn’t match your products target.
·         Build relationships. In-country resources will be invaluable in helping you navigate your new market. They help you with introductions, find office space, and other valuable insights that only living there and  connecting there can provide. The US Commercial Service has a Gold Key Program that helps you build your connections in other countries. The State of PA has 54 representatives throughout the world, feet on the street in-country to help you build a successful business there. The state of Ohio and other states have resources to help you navigate a new international market. The Small Business Development Council offers Global mentoring and is in many major cities and universities.
·         Exhibit at international trade conferences. Many of the resources listed above offer trade missions to international markets. You can travel with representatives who help you set up meetings, travel arrangements, etc. At some large international trade conferences, you can participate as a vendor in their state or US booth. Connect with these valuable resources to help you understand and successfully start your international sales.
·         STEP Grants: These grants vary with states and you may qualify for grants up to $15,000 to finance translations, trade shows, etc. to develop your international sales.
·         Research and Development: NAMII is now located in Youngstown, OH. Additive Manufacturing has reduced the cost and time of developing prototypes and will continue to impact our innovations in manufacturing. The Oh-Penn region is a prime example of growth in manufacturing. Innovative technologies like the ones developed at NAMII (National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute) coupled with our low energy costs are helping manufacturing become stronger, grow and enrich lives throughout the world.
·         Last but not least, translate your information. You want to be found, right? 56.2 percent of consumers say that the ability to obtain information in their own language is more important than price..
The resources listed below are here to help us develop our products and sell them throughout the world. These agencies are generous with sharing their knowledge. Take a webinar, workshop or seminar on exporting, you will find it a gateway to great possibilities.
Federal and State Resources:
www.trade.gov                  U.S. Commercial Service
www.nwcommission.org             www.swrdc.org   Regional Economic Development Centers in W PA

About the Author:
Linda Richardson is the President of All Clear Translations. Her team helps companies increase sales through translation and localization services in all major languages. Areas of expertise include websites, software, technical manuals and marketing materials. A new technology they employ is computer generated voice overs in many languages. Companies can now use current video with additional languages provided by All Clear Translations. Another unique service includes Plain English to help companies increase understanding and comprehension while reducing translation costs of safety and operating manuals and information. She is certified in Localization and Project Management for Localization through The Localization Institute of California State University.

Where to find Linda Richardson
March 18-19 PittCon Philadelphia
March 20 NW PA Commission, Erie, PA
March 27 I79 Development Corridor, Dy-Net
April 20 Washington and Jefferson University, Panelist for International Growth
May 20 AAPG Conference