Things start to hot up as we reach the letter S:
Sexy – No, sorry, translation is definitely not sexy. But your translated website, corporate brochure, product description, advert, etc. won’t have the desired impact if the text content is clunky or unclear. And as the saying goes, you only have one chance to make a first impression.
It’s a bit like watching TV when the sound and picture are slightly out of sync. If the difference is only very small, you might not be aware of it but nonetheless have a vague feeling that something is not quite right. If the gap is greater, you start to notice it and comment on it. And if things get seriously out of step, you end up laughing and pointing at the screen. A weak translation will have exactly the same effect.
Given that companies will typically have invested a considerable amount in design, development, marketing, building a website, printing costs, PR, etc., it’s odd that translation is often perceived as being a low priority and treated almost as an afterthought. Translation may not be sexy, but getting it right is pretty crucial to making that investment pay off.