08 Feb Are you speaking their Language?
In his book ‘The Loom of Language’ Frederick Bodmer says: “Language is a function of geography and of the need to communicate”. In a world increasingly connected by technology, it’s tempting to assume English is the universal language of business. But for businesses looking to connect effectively with their audience and unlock new markets, embracing local languages isn’t just a nice touch, it’s a strategic imperative.
When you look at the most spoken languages around the world today compared to the turn of the century, there are some trends that become clear. English is still the most widely understood with 1.4 billion people using it as a first or second language. Mandarin Chinese has the most native speakers at 955 million. French has a high proportion of second language users but has dropped from third to sixth most used language. Standard Arabic and Indonesian have grown in popularity both due to expanding populations and cultural influence in some regions of the world. Indian languages like Hindi and Urdu are also rising as populations grow. So, assuming that you can use English as a “one size fits all” language is no longer possible.
In our last blog we talked to Ben Cosstick and David Godwin, about Terra’s work for clients at trade shows and conferences around the world. Ben discussed trips to a major meteorological show held in Paris and Geneva with an American client. This event attracts visitors and exhibitors from all over the globe, and the difference Terra made to our client at Geneva compared to the previous year in Paris was that we had team members with advanced language skills in French, German, and Spanish. As Ben said, “when people came to our booth and wanted to understand more about the client, the fact that we were able to fully explain it or at least be able to have a communication in their local language was a benefit which cannot be underestimated.”
David concurred: “Certainly at this level when you’re talking, at specialist trade shows, most people from France will speak pretty good English, but still, it is welcome if you do try. I’d say more in Latin America, I’m noticing, it really helps to speak Spanish, or Portuguese, obviously talking to the Brazilians. And then in Asia. I think if you can have local language support in Asia, it is critical. I’ve talked to people, recently for one of our clients, from Vietnam, and Korea, although they can speak English. It really helps if you have someone on the team that can speak their language because I think information can get lost in translation, particularly in cultures where maybe English isn’t so familiar for them”.
Terra’s flexible and dynamic approach allows you to deliver a global sales team with knowledge and experience to where your products are needed most. Our background in technical sales on the ground, working within the cultures and with the languages will give you the competitive edge you need to exploit new opportunities. To learn more about Terra Sales Solutions and how we can work with you to achieve your international expansion goals in any part of the planet, book a conversation, and follow us on LinkedIn for the latest news from Terra Sales Solutions
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Posted at 11:23h, 08 May[…] and negotiation preferences. A team with local expertise bridges this gap. They speak the language, as we’ve discussed in an earlier blog, understand local business etiquette, and can tailor their approach to resonate with potential […]