Marketing & Brand Growth
A message in the customer's own language can feel like it was written for them.
Much business marketing is written in English because it feels more professional, even when the customers speak and decide in Kannada, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu or a mix. This session helps owners decide which language suits which customer and channel, write plainly in it, and avoid the common mistakes of poor translation and mixed signals.
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Language is part of trust. It tells customers who the business is for.
A customer who reads about a business in their own language understands it more easily and may feel it is meant for them. A customer who gets only English may assume the staff will not be comfortable speaking with them, or may not understand the offer at all.
Using a local language well is not as simple as translating the English. Phrasing, tone, spelling and the script itself all matter, and a poor translation can do more harm than none. This session is about doing it carefully, with the help of people who read the language every day.
What the session covers
36 topics across 7 areas. Seven parts, from the language decision to checking the work.
Which Language for Which CustomerAsk, do not assume.5
- Languages your customers speak, read and prefer
- Spoken language versus written language
- Older and younger customers, and the educated and less-educated, may differ
- Business customers versus households
- Asking at enquiry: which language do you prefer?
A customer who speaks Kannada at home may still prefer English for a technical or financial matter. Preferences differ by topic.
Where Language Choices Show UpTouchpoint by touchpoint.6
- Signboard and printed material
- Google profile and social media
- WhatsApp greeting and replies
- Phone answering and staff skills
- Bills, quotations and packaging
- Advertisements and posters
Writing Plainly in a Local LanguageEveryday words, not literal translations.5
For example, a simple warm greeting such as ನಮಸ್ಕಾರ (namaskara) and a thank-you such as ಧನ್ಯವಾದಗಳು (dhanyavadagalu) are widely understood. Beyond such basics, have a fluent reader write or check anything you publish.
- Writing in the way people actually speak, with care
- Short sentences and one idea at a time
- Avoiding translations that sound stiff or strange
- Keeping English words that customers themselves use
- Respectful forms of address
Script, Typing and SearchPractical details that trip people up.5
- Writing in Kannada script and in Roman letters
- Phone keyboards and voice typing, and checking the result
- Common spelling differences, such as how a place or product name is written
- Using both forms in a profile where customers search both ways
- Checking how text appears on different phones and in print
Always read a message on a phone before sending it to many people. Characters can display badly if the font or setting is wrong.
Mixing Languages SensiblyMany customers already do.5
- When mixing English with a local language feels natural
- When it looks careless
- One language per message, or clearly separated
- Keeping the brand name and key terms the same
- Matching the customer's language in replies
Getting Translations CheckedA second pair of eyes is cheap protection.5
- Asking a native reader from your customer group
- Reading aloud for flow
- Being cautious with machine translation, and always checking it
- Checking prices, dates and legal or health information twice
- Keeping a glossary of approved terms and names
Staff, Calls and Everyday ServiceMarketing promises are kept in conversations.5
- Who on the team can speak with customers in each language
- Greeting people in their language where possible
- Not promising language support you cannot give
- Handling a customer who prefers a language nobody speaks
- Respecting different dialects and scripts
What participants leave with
- A language map of their customers and touchpoints
- One short message rewritten in a local language and checked in the room where possible
- A translation checking routine
- A short glossary of names, terms and greetings for their business
- A list of what to change first and what to leave
What this session is not
- A language class or a translation service
- A claim that one language is better than another
- A promise that local-language marketing brings more customers
- A substitute for a fluent reader checking your actual wording
How the session runs
Two to three hours, in a small group, ideally including participants who read the local language in question. The session is led in English with a mix of other languages as the group prefers. Owners map their customers and touchpoints, then take one message they use, such as a greeting, a price enquiry reply or a poster line, and rewrite it in the language of their customers. Fluent readers in the room check what is written, and the group discusses what worked and what read stiffly.
What your students leave with
- A decision on which languages to use for which customers and channels
- A way to ask customers which language they prefer
- A short message rewritten in a local language, checked by a native reader
- A process for checking translations before they are printed or posted
- Guidance on writing and searching in a local script and in Roman letters
- A list of places where language choices should be consistent
Scheduled sessions
Nothing scheduled yet
Sessions are arranged with a college once a date is agreed. Ask us and we will find the right person for it.
A student rather than a college? See what is coming up, or ask your placement team to host this.
Use the language your customer uses, and have someone fluent check it.
Tell us who your students are and what stage they are at. Sessions are free for participants.