| The great thing about online businesses is | | | | to have a native speaker write the site for |
| that you have the opportunity to reach more | | | | you. It's simply better if you avoid trying |
| customers than you can in a traditional | | | | to add in other languages too because you |
| physical store. But with that extended | | | | don't want any international customers to |
| reach, you need to remember that you also | | | | feel 'left out' because their language isn't |
| need to create your site with international | | | | used. |
| visitors in mind. There are many things you | | | | |
| should never do on your website when you are | | | | Not Have a Translation Page |
| trying to bring in international business. | | | | |
| Here are four of the biggest mistakes you | | | | When you don't have a way for your page to be |
| could make when dealing with your global | | | | translated for your customers, this can spell |
| customer base. | | | | problems for your business. True, there are |
| | | | websites that profess to be able to translate |
| Use Clichés and Slang | | | | pages for you, but they're not always |
| | | | reliable. What you will want to do is create |
| When it comes to getting lost in translation, | | | | a simple English website and then hire a |
| clichés and slang are the two things that | | | | translator to translate it into the languages |
| you need to avoid. While you might think | | | | that you want your site in. That way, you |
| that you are being clever on your website, | | | | can have customers click onto a new link to |
| these phrases can often be interpreted as | | | | get the site in their native language. When |
| disrespectful and even crass to some | | | | you don't offer this, it can look as though |
| international visitors. Your website should | | | | you're simply not interested in helping your |
| contain plain and simple English that will be | | | | non-English speaking contingent. |
| simple to translate and to understand. Your | | | | |
| sentences should be short and filled with | | | | Forget about Currency Exchange Rates |
| basic words, but still rich with descriptions | | | | |
| of your business and your products. | | | | Of course, if you are selling anything, you |
| | | | need to be able to price things as the |
| If you are writing your own website content, | | | | customers will be paying for them. Have a |
| you will want to go back to reread what you | | | | currency exchange calculator built into your |
| have written down to be sure that everything | | | | shopping cart experience so that you can |
| is easy to read in a literal sense. For | | | | easily help your customers. That way, you |
| example, if it's not actually 'raining cats | | | | can get the money in the currency you wish to |
| and dogs,' don't say that it is. Have a few | | | | be paid in and your customers have a clear |
| people read your site before you post it up | | | | idea as to how much they will be spending. |
| on the internet to be sure you are being as | | | | You might also want to have a currency |
| clear as possible. | | | | exchange calculator on the pages with your |
| | | | products if you don't have the prices clearly |
| Use Other Languages Improperly | | | | adjusted. |
| | | | |
| The next mistake that many people make with | | | | When you are trying to woo international |
| their international website is to try to use | | | | customers, you need to make sure you have |
| a few languages from various cultures they | | | | everything they need for the transaction to |
| cater to - but this can be disastrous. If | | | | go smoothly and respectfully. |
| you haven't taken the time to be fluent in | | | | |
| the foreign language, you should not be using | | | | Scott Oliver offers free video coaching to |
| it on your site. The only way that you | | | | help you build a profitable home business |
| should use a foreign language on your site is | | | | FAST. |