With today’s businesses being more globalized than ever before, there is a much higher chance that language barriers can exist. Perhaps your business is located here in the United States but your manufacturing plant is overseas, and you have overseas customers. What this means is that you are trying to communicate with people who speak another language and just trying to get by isn’t good enough.
Here we’ll take a look at why professional translations matter so much in the business world, and why you don’t want to be taking any shortcuts.
Legally Binding Contracts
One of the most obvious reasons proper translation matters is because you want to be sure the legally binding contracts you enter are exactly what you understand them to be. Signing something only to discover what it means later on down the road is never a good plan. You could end up in an agreement that harms your business, and yet you’re stuck in it.
The Cost of the Translation Pays for Itself
Professional translations don’t come cheap, but what business owners have to think about is how much money it can save them in the end. Again, if you use the wrong wording when drafting a contract in another language, that simple mistake could cost your business a lot of money in the long-run. It’s just not worth taking the chance.
Make Sure Your Messaging is Clear
These professional translations also help you to make sure your messaging is clear. That could be messaging with clients/customers, vendors, suppliers, partners, overseas staff, and anyone else you are hoping to communicate with.
All you have to do is take a look at some of the rather ridiculous examples of real life funny out of order signs on the mantasticpursuits.com site to see just how important the right words are. Without using the right ones, your messaging is lost and often misdirected.
Ensure Your Content is Always High-Quality
Another benefit to using professional translations is that you’re going to be making sure that all the content you put out regarding your brand and its products is high-quality. This is especially important when it comes to your digital content thanks to the newest Google search engine algorithm. You don’t want to risk your website being penalized by Google, thereby missing out on potential business.
A Chance to Localize Your Content
It’s a fact that when you localize your content it performs better not just locally but on a global scale. Part of that “localization” includes understanding the local culture and language, and appealing to them in a way that makes communication accessible by all.
Not the Place to Make Shortcuts
While there are a number of areas that allow for shortcuts and budget cuts, providing high-quality translation shouldn’t be one of them. Making sure that your message is being relayed and understood as it is intended has a massive impact on the actual success of your business. What this means is that the translation service pays for itself.
https://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/img_7348.jpg500750StrategyDrivenhttps://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/SDELogo5-300x70-300x70.pngStrategyDriven2017-12-21 11:00:392017-12-27 16:11:59Why Professional Translations Matter in Business
In the twenty-first century, offices are much more than a set of booths, each one with a tower computer and a waste paper bin. Working environments are now much more user-friendly with opportunities for collaborative working and they are designed to consider the needs of employees to a much greater extent. Your office should emulate the ethos of your brand, be an open, welcoming and bright space, and be the optimum area for the most productive working. Take a look at how you can create your perfect premises no matter what industry sector you work in.
Location
If you run an advertising agency, you need to be in the thick of a city center environment; close to the big brands, next to excellent transport links and amongst other like-minded businesses. Clients will be attending your offices for meetings, to view your latest presentations and to brainstorm ideas for their next marketing campaigns. It’s vital that they have confidence in your credentials the moment they work through the door. Your interior needs to be sleek, modern and a hive of activity. City center premises can be older and more traditional, or you could opt for an office in a more minimalist and modern building depending on the ethos of your brand.
Space
How you use the interior space is up to you. You could opt for a more traditional zonal system where you cater to those colleagues who need to knuckle down alone in more private spaces as well as providing meeting rooms for those brainstorming sessions and collaborative meetups. You may forego the tried and tested cubicles, for a more open, transparent office environment. If you’re implementing something new, you’ll need to utilize the services of an outfit like BCI Worldwide international logistics company who can kit out a brand new office without you having to lift a finger. They use intuitive project management systems and logistics platforms to track all tasks required throughout the lifecycle of your project installation. By outsourcing a project like this, you are tapping into external expertise and networking with fellow professionals to achieve your desired office environment.
Technology
For some businesses, the latest technology is vitally important. For others, it is more of a luxury. Don’t get too hung up on having the biggest, best and latest gadgetry. What’s more important is the staff team that you surround yourself with and the minds that you manage to merge together to think outside the box and create initiatives that enable your business to grow. Having an attractive premises and office environment will hook those perfect candidates attending an interview for a role within your company. They’ll be eager to work in a dynamic space and one that is conducive to being at the forefront of your particular industry.
Your premises can reflect your brand in the most subtle of ways. If you are an honest, transparent and collaborative company, show this off in your office space. By doing this, you can reflect your company’s core values and promote your business vision effectively.
https://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/BeHappy.jpg8531280StrategyDrivenhttps://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/SDELogo5-300x70-300x70.pngStrategyDriven2017-12-20 11:00:102017-12-22 16:05:43Why Your Premises Should Emulate Your Brand
The reason you worked so hard to complete an executive masters in business administration program is that you wanted to make a difference. Over time, you saw areas which could have been handled more efficiently and at lower costs within your organization. Although you were already in a position of authority, you felt you needed better skills to keep things flowing smoother in accordance with best practices, as outlined in the company manual.
The one issue you kept running up against daily was keeping employees focused on the task at hand. You’ve finally gotten that online executive MBA degree and it’s time to put it to use building strategies to keep your team on task.
1. Complete an Assessment of Why and How Employees Become Distracted
The first step in building any strategy is to determine what it is you’d like to accomplish. The end goal sets the stage for any strategy because, by its very nature, a strategy is a roadmap to success. In this case, you are using your MBA to define common causes for distractions, in order to facilitate a more focused approach to the jobs at hand.
2. Create New Policies to Avoid Distractions
One of the best strategies is one in which you set new rules. In the course of assessing the source of distractions, you’ve discovered that altogether too much talking is going on about things totally unrelated to what they are currently working on. While you don’t want to be a hard taskmaster, you do want to keep things moving along to increase productivity. Why not set a rule that talking is allowed only in terms of job-related issues and all other conversation is best left to the break room.
3. Keep Peripheral Distractions to a Minimum
As you studied for your executive masters in business administration online, you knew that you needed to be in a place where there were minimal distractions. As a result, you set aside one room in your home where you couldn’t hear the television and noises from the playroom couldn’t filter in. You can use the same strategy on the job! Reroute foot traffic through areas where employees aren’t sitting at desks or working on the line and try to keep announcements over loudspeakers to a minimum.
You can clearly see that distractions are costing your company a ton of money each and every year. Not only do distractions cut profits, but they also increase the risk of inferior quality of work. In fact, you may even want to open the floor for discussion among the very employees you’ve found to be most distracted while on the job. Their input could be invaluable. They might define a whole new set of issues they find distracting, after which you can devise strategies to reduce those as well.
Your job as an administrator is to devise and implement strategies. Reducing distractions is a great place to test your newfound skills. Don’t let it be your last.
https://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/img_7346.jpg32184859StrategyDrivenhttps://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/SDELogo5-300x70-300x70.pngStrategyDriven2017-12-19 16:00:212017-12-19 19:25:193 Effective Strategies for Keeping Employees Focused on the Task at Hand
Traveling is hard enough, without trying to run a business as you go! Arranging transportation, accommodation, trips and looking after your money is difficult to juggle – without the added pressure of blogging. A common problem is finding internet connection when you have important emails to attend to!
Thankfully, it’s clear to see nowadays that people CAN do it. Travel blogging is a huge industry, and we’ve got some tips to help you join in the action. After you’ve booked your tickets and sorted your passport and visas, use this guide to find internet fame and make money as your own online traveling show.
1. Start with the Essentials
To get going, you’ll need…
A blog (of course!) – easily create one with WordPress, make it look pro, link it up to your social media, and gain a following in no time.
A smartphone – a must-have for sending and answering messages on the go. You can’t conduct business without one!
A tablet or laptop – this is a risky one, because it’s large, easily breakable, and a target for thieves. Leave it in your hotel or hostel’s safe and never take it out of your room. If you can take one, it’s invaluable for working on your website and writing, otherwise you’ll be working from a tiny phone screen or internet café.
Internet dongle – so you’ll never be without wi-fi. How else will you post Instagram pictures from a mountain or the jungle?
A camera – again, this is tricky, because good cameras are expensive and could get stolen. But, unless your phone has a great camera, you won’t be able to take
amazing pictures and entice people to read your blog.
2. Get Sponsored
Now you have your blogger kit, you’ll need to gain the attention of brands to partner with. They can send you free products to endorse, offer you experiences and even pay you to stay in hotels, in exchange for good reviews on your social media.
You then post affiliate links on your blog, pages and channels, and get paid some commission when customers buy the company’s products or services through your link. This is easy, passive income as you travel.
As your audience and engagement grows, companies will want to advertise on your blog – they’ll pay you to be exposed to your large readership. This of ten requires no input from you (e.g. you don’t have to make a video endorsing their product), but a banner is posted on your website sidebar.
3. Look After Your Finances
Whilst you’re traveling, the last thing you want is to run out of money, or worry about paying taxes and chasing invoices. This is where hiring an accountant would be an amazing idea (if you’re making enough money).
Luckily, you can find trained accountants all over the world – as far and wide as accounting services in Malaysia. As a professional blogger, you should consider yourself a small business – all of which need good accountants. This takes all the financial paperwork out of your hands, and leaves you free to enjoy yourself (while working hard)!
4. Make Money by Writing
As your blog grows, often magazines, newspapers, news websites and other blogs will pay you to write for them. You could write articles about traveling, reviews of places you’ve stayed or your personal journey of making money while traveling.
Pitch your stories to publications as a freelance writer for some extra cash. (As a freelancer you need to pay special attention to tax and invoicing – where an accountant comes in very handy!)
5. Blogger Meetups
Build a worldwide readership with meetups. Blog readers LOVE blogger meetups, either in the form of meeting with your fans or other bloggers.
Organizing meetups with other travel bloggers is a clever way of expanding your audience. Make a video together, and get exposure to their entire audience too. Send them a message when you’re both in the same country and suggest collaborating.
Meeting with fans is a nice way to build networks and connections, and get tagged in their social media posts too. As explained in point 2 of this guide, followers = money!
https://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/img_7345.jpg32644928StrategyDrivenhttps://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/SDELogo5-300x70-300x70.pngStrategyDriven2017-12-19 11:00:162017-12-22 16:11:36How You Can Make Your Blog a Business While Traveling the World
A great design team is only as good as the staff within it. The team itself includes the personnel, all of their assigned roles within the team, personal objectives, their methodologies and software (like the new Altium designer 18 package), and the framework they use. When any of the above component parts of a team are missing or misaligned, things tend to go wrong or are placed at opposing sides which leads to difficulties completing tasks on time, if at all.
Multiple Roles or Single Roles
Depending on the person and the size of the team, it may be necessary for team members to perform multiple roles on a project. When mixing too many roles for a single employee, this can create difficulties as it’s both difficult for them to embrace collaborators for each of their distinctive roles, but more so when two or more of their roles conflict with each other with no one to act as a referee.
Some roles also don’t mix well with others. The person funding the project shouldn’t usually also be a designer on the project because their motivations may get muddled. Is it more important to create a better designed circuit board or website, or to keep to the development costs within the budget set by upper management? Where is the line drawn?
Every Team Member Has Professional Advancement
With advancement, we don’t necessarily mean a promotion. It’s important beyond position and money that an employee feels invested in the project and its outcome. It’s also useful when they feel that the project adds something new to their cache in the industry and is something that can go on their resume as a selling point.
When a project lacks that special something that’s different to what they’ve done before, or they’re not being allowed to advance in their knowledge and involvement, they begin to feel stagnant. In some senses, it doesn’t matter if they been given access to the cutting-edge Altium designer 18 software ahead of its release or been responsible for new areas of a design project, there must be something there to spike their interest and sustain it throughout completion of the project.
Successful Teams Are Often an Eclectic Mix
When looking at any design team, you’re unlikely to see a herd that all dress alike, talk alike and look somewhat similar. Diversity across the team is a good thing in many cases as is the previous project experience they bring to the table. New blood brings fresh perspectives and ideas on how to do things differently, more efficiently, or simply better. It’s important that the team leader embraces diversity in the ranks and does not see a culture developing where people who are different get hammered down until they conform. Conformity is usually the death of the type of creativity that’s badly needed in great design execution.
Great design teams are carefully put together and managed. Every team is likely to be quite different to the next one. Embracing those differences rather than citing them as reasons why a previous failure occurred, encourages the best creatives to work in a team environment that they might otherwise find too stifling.
https://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/img_7342.jpg34565184StrategyDrivenhttps://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/SDELogo5-300x70-300x70.pngStrategyDriven2017-12-18 16:00:282017-12-27 16:28:53What Does It Take to Create a Good Design Team?
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Business Programs
Why Professional Translations Matter in Business
/in Business Communications/by StrategyDrivenHere we’ll take a look at why professional translations matter so much in the business world, and why you don’t want to be taking any shortcuts.
Legally Binding Contracts
One of the most obvious reasons proper translation matters is because you want to be sure the legally binding contracts you enter are exactly what you understand them to be. Signing something only to discover what it means later on down the road is never a good plan. You could end up in an agreement that harms your business, and yet you’re stuck in it.
The Cost of the Translation Pays for Itself
Professional translations don’t come cheap, but what business owners have to think about is how much money it can save them in the end. Again, if you use the wrong wording when drafting a contract in another language, that simple mistake could cost your business a lot of money in the long-run. It’s just not worth taking the chance.
Make Sure Your Messaging is Clear
These professional translations also help you to make sure your messaging is clear. That could be messaging with clients/customers, vendors, suppliers, partners, overseas staff, and anyone else you are hoping to communicate with.
All you have to do is take a look at some of the rather ridiculous examples of real life funny out of order signs on the mantasticpursuits.com site to see just how important the right words are. Without using the right ones, your messaging is lost and often misdirected.
Ensure Your Content is Always High-Quality
Another benefit to using professional translations is that you’re going to be making sure that all the content you put out regarding your brand and its products is high-quality. This is especially important when it comes to your digital content thanks to the newest Google search engine algorithm. You don’t want to risk your website being penalized by Google, thereby missing out on potential business.
A Chance to Localize Your Content
It’s a fact that when you localize your content it performs better not just locally but on a global scale. Part of that “localization” includes understanding the local culture and language, and appealing to them in a way that makes communication accessible by all.
Not the Place to Make Shortcuts
While there are a number of areas that allow for shortcuts and budget cuts, providing high-quality translation shouldn’t be one of them. Making sure that your message is being relayed and understood as it is intended has a massive impact on the actual success of your business. What this means is that the translation service pays for itself.
Why Your Premises Should Emulate Your Brand
/in Entrepreneurship, Marketing & Sales/by StrategyDrivenIn the twenty-first century, offices are much more than a set of booths, each one with a tower computer and a waste paper bin. Working environments are now much more user-friendly with opportunities for collaborative working and they are designed to consider the needs of employees to a much greater extent. Your office should emulate the ethos of your brand, be an open, welcoming and bright space, and be the optimum area for the most productive working. Take a look at how you can create your perfect premises no matter what industry sector you work in.
Location
If you run an advertising agency, you need to be in the thick of a city center environment; close to the big brands, next to excellent transport links and amongst other like-minded businesses. Clients will be attending your offices for meetings, to view your latest presentations and to brainstorm ideas for their next marketing campaigns. It’s vital that they have confidence in your credentials the moment they work through the door. Your interior needs to be sleek, modern and a hive of activity. City center premises can be older and more traditional, or you could opt for an office in a more minimalist and modern building depending on the ethos of your brand.
Space
How you use the interior space is up to you. You could opt for a more traditional zonal system where you cater to those colleagues who need to knuckle down alone in more private spaces as well as providing meeting rooms for those brainstorming sessions and collaborative meetups. You may forego the tried and tested cubicles, for a more open, transparent office environment. If you’re implementing something new, you’ll need to utilize the services of an outfit like BCI Worldwide international logistics company who can kit out a brand new office without you having to lift a finger. They use intuitive project management systems and logistics platforms to track all tasks required throughout the lifecycle of your project installation. By outsourcing a project like this, you are tapping into external expertise and networking with fellow professionals to achieve your desired office environment.
Technology
For some businesses, the latest technology is vitally important. For others, it is more of a luxury. Don’t get too hung up on having the biggest, best and latest gadgetry. What’s more important is the staff team that you surround yourself with and the minds that you manage to merge together to think outside the box and create initiatives that enable your business to grow. Having an attractive premises and office environment will hook those perfect candidates attending an interview for a role within your company. They’ll be eager to work in a dynamic space and one that is conducive to being at the forefront of your particular industry.
Your premises can reflect your brand in the most subtle of ways. If you are an honest, transparent and collaborative company, show this off in your office space. By doing this, you can reflect your company’s core values and promote your business vision effectively.
3 Effective Strategies for Keeping Employees Focused on the Task at Hand
/in Management & Leadership, Talent Management/by StrategyDrivenThe reason you worked so hard to complete an executive masters in business administration program is that you wanted to make a difference. Over time, you saw areas which could have been handled more efficiently and at lower costs within your organization. Although you were already in a position of authority, you felt you needed better skills to keep things flowing smoother in accordance with best practices, as outlined in the company manual.
The one issue you kept running up against daily was keeping employees focused on the task at hand. You’ve finally gotten that online executive MBA degree and it’s time to put it to use building strategies to keep your team on task.
1. Complete an Assessment of Why and How Employees Become Distracted
The first step in building any strategy is to determine what it is you’d like to accomplish. The end goal sets the stage for any strategy because, by its very nature, a strategy is a roadmap to success. In this case, you are using your MBA to define common causes for distractions, in order to facilitate a more focused approach to the jobs at hand.
2. Create New Policies to Avoid Distractions
One of the best strategies is one in which you set new rules. In the course of assessing the source of distractions, you’ve discovered that altogether too much talking is going on about things totally unrelated to what they are currently working on. While you don’t want to be a hard taskmaster, you do want to keep things moving along to increase productivity. Why not set a rule that talking is allowed only in terms of job-related issues and all other conversation is best left to the break room.
3. Keep Peripheral Distractions to a Minimum
As you studied for your executive masters in business administration online, you knew that you needed to be in a place where there were minimal distractions. As a result, you set aside one room in your home where you couldn’t hear the television and noises from the playroom couldn’t filter in. You can use the same strategy on the job! Reroute foot traffic through areas where employees aren’t sitting at desks or working on the line and try to keep announcements over loudspeakers to a minimum.
Research indicates that distractions on the job cost employers over $10,000 per person per year!
In the End – You’re the Boss
You can clearly see that distractions are costing your company a ton of money each and every year. Not only do distractions cut profits, but they also increase the risk of inferior quality of work. In fact, you may even want to open the floor for discussion among the very employees you’ve found to be most distracted while on the job. Their input could be invaluable. They might define a whole new set of issues they find distracting, after which you can devise strategies to reduce those as well.
Your job as an administrator is to devise and implement strategies. Reducing distractions is a great place to test your newfound skills. Don’t let it be your last.
How You Can Make Your Blog a Business While Traveling the World
/in Entrepreneurship/by StrategyDrivenThankfully, it’s clear to see nowadays that people CAN do it. Travel blogging is a huge industry, and we’ve got some tips to help you join in the action. After you’ve booked your tickets and sorted your passport and visas, use this guide to find internet fame and make money as your own online traveling show.
1. Start with the Essentials
To get going, you’ll need…
amazing pictures and entice people to read your blog.
2. Get Sponsored
Now you have your blogger kit, you’ll need to gain the attention of brands to partner with. They can send you free products to endorse, offer you experiences and even pay you to stay in hotels, in exchange for good reviews on your social media.
You then post affiliate links on your blog, pages and channels, and get paid some commission when customers buy the company’s products or services through your link. This is easy, passive income as you travel.
As your audience and engagement grows, companies will want to advertise on your blog – they’ll pay you to be exposed to your large readership. This of ten requires no input from you (e.g. you don’t have to make a video endorsing their product), but a banner is posted on your website sidebar.
3. Look After Your Finances
Whilst you’re traveling, the last thing you want is to run out of money, or worry about paying taxes and chasing invoices. This is where hiring an accountant would be an amazing idea (if you’re making enough money).
Luckily, you can find trained accountants all over the world – as far and wide as accounting services in Malaysia. As a professional blogger, you should consider yourself a small business – all of which need good accountants. This takes all the financial paperwork out of your hands, and leaves you free to enjoy yourself (while working hard)!
4. Make Money by Writing
As your blog grows, often magazines, newspapers, news websites and other blogs will pay you to write for them. You could write articles about traveling, reviews of places you’ve stayed or your personal journey of making money while traveling.
Pitch your stories to publications as a freelance writer for some extra cash. (As a freelancer you need to pay special attention to tax and invoicing – where an accountant comes in very handy!)
5. Blogger Meetups
Build a worldwide readership with meetups. Blog readers LOVE blogger meetups, either in the form of meeting with your fans or other bloggers.
Organizing meetups with other travel bloggers is a clever way of expanding your audience. Make a video together, and get exposure to their entire audience too. Send them a message when you’re both in the same country and suggest collaborating.
Meeting with fans is a nice way to build networks and connections, and get tagged in their social media posts too. As explained in point 2 of this guide, followers = money!
What Does It Take to Create a Good Design Team?
/in Management & Leadership/by StrategyDrivenMultiple Roles or Single Roles
Depending on the person and the size of the team, it may be necessary for team members to perform multiple roles on a project. When mixing too many roles for a single employee, this can create difficulties as it’s both difficult for them to embrace collaborators for each of their distinctive roles, but more so when two or more of their roles conflict with each other with no one to act as a referee.
Some roles also don’t mix well with others. The person funding the project shouldn’t usually also be a designer on the project because their motivations may get muddled. Is it more important to create a better designed circuit board or website, or to keep to the development costs within the budget set by upper management? Where is the line drawn?
Every Team Member Has Professional Advancement
With advancement, we don’t necessarily mean a promotion. It’s important beyond position and money that an employee feels invested in the project and its outcome. It’s also useful when they feel that the project adds something new to their cache in the industry and is something that can go on their resume as a selling point.
When a project lacks that special something that’s different to what they’ve done before, or they’re not being allowed to advance in their knowledge and involvement, they begin to feel stagnant. In some senses, it doesn’t matter if they been given access to the cutting-edge Altium designer 18 software ahead of its release or been responsible for new areas of a design project, there must be something there to spike their interest and sustain it throughout completion of the project.
Successful Teams Are Often an Eclectic Mix
When looking at any design team, you’re unlikely to see a herd that all dress alike, talk alike and look somewhat similar. Diversity across the team is a good thing in many cases as is the previous project experience they bring to the table. New blood brings fresh perspectives and ideas on how to do things differently, more efficiently, or simply better. It’s important that the team leader embraces diversity in the ranks and does not see a culture developing where people who are different get hammered down until they conform. Conformity is usually the death of the type of creativity that’s badly needed in great design execution.
Great design teams are carefully put together and managed. Every team is likely to be quite different to the next one. Embracing those differences rather than citing them as reasons why a previous failure occurred, encourages the best creatives to work in a team environment that they might otherwise find too stifling.