Money is always in short supply, and although all translations are equal, some are definitely more equal than others and your organisation is unlikely to be best served by buying the cheapest translations available. Indeed, translation is a worthwhile investment, not a 'necessary evil' deserving the least possible expense, because it provides your organisation with an opportunity to show, through masterful use of language, just how efficient, customer-oriented, tightly organised, professional and internationally minded it is.
There are many ways to cut your translation costs, and we genuinely have your interests at heart. So here are a few suggestions to click and explore.
Get a FREE translation!
Get a volume discount
Don't pay for what you don't need…or want
Have fewer texts translated
Produce shorter texts for translation
Translate texts into fewer languages
Opt for summaries instead of full translations
Offer your readers translations on demand instead of translating everything all the time
Make sure you aren't overpaying!
Make sure that the prices you're charged are transparent
Manage translations more effectively
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However, a very important part of the process occurs upstream of the translation request, within your organisation. In fact you may be surprised to learn that what your organisation does (or does not do!) can directly and substantially affect the actual or perceived quality of the outcome. In other words, a great deal of time and money can be saved by producing source texts conducive to the production of translations that are truly fit for purpose.
Here are our 5 top tips:
- Make sure that all authors are trained writers.
- Make sure that all source texts are written in the author's native language.
- Make sure that authors are aware of the level of knowledge and likely language skills of their target audience.
- Make sure that authors pass on any information that may be of use to translators.
- Make sure that your supplier is fully briefed on your requirements and expectations.
Being specific can save you a lot of disappointment, hassle, time and money!