The New LSP - Localization Strategic Partner
Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash
In part 14, we dive into an official name change for LSP to Localization Strategic Partner in our effort to oversimplify for the sole purpose of escalating localization, globalization, and above all…collaboration!
Recently, leaders in localization have been talking about their transition from service provider to strategic partner. Every webinar, article, and clubhouse conversation where I hear someone share their success story brings the entire industry closer to achieving this goal. If you’re like me and follow Slator articles on M&A and funding, you have read about recent investments in the localization industry. We’re hot right now! Let’s not rest on our laurels and get all of our partners, team members, and supporters on the strategic partnership train. Localization should not be something that our friends and relatives have to keep asking “what do you do again?”
Upstream Innovation
Applying a practical global mindset can help us promote, educate, and acquire knowledge to and from our peers. With partnership and collaboration, we work smarter and better – this should become part of our DNA. Embed our processes with continuous re-evaluation and innovation. Upstream translates to as early as possible. Key stakeholders are in sync at the right time. Localization does not need to be an afterthought or a last-minute scramble of resources. The objective is to devote the appropriate talent and strategy to make the best impression on global users and customers.
Get in the Room and Zoom
Seek out meetings where you will provide value and gain knowledge to plan and scope. It is never too early to be involved in a project. The practical global mindset will build trust in teammates and partners and you will be able to see where localization fits in the big picture. You will also have the ability to change direction if need be.
Selling the Unsellable
I promise to continue my quest to promote collaboration. I am encouraged to write as more and more peers share their success stories of strategic partnership. Our peers and partners do not need to understand the intricacies of linguistics, machine translation, and language technologies to see the value in localization. If all of us do our part to promote the benefits of speaking to our global customers directly, the demand for personalization, and the impact of a brand’s international presence, we can achieve the partnership we deserve.
Alignment in Localization
Businesses today have core values and a global mission. Alignment with localization can be the translation of the brand to global audiences. Lead generation speaks to the alignment of sales and marketing. Agile promotes communication between technology and the user. These methodologies focus on alignment and provide tools to communicate objectives clearly and prioritize what is important. The high demands brought on by the personalized user experience have fast-tracked the close partnership between globalization and localization in addition to every function of an organization. We can apply this to our objectives.
Get that Data
Data is a universal language. Use it to tell the story you want to tell. Embrace your inner data analyst and follow any data that will support your cause. Utilize existing data, such as the performance of web pages, and follow popular trends. Closely watch digital touchpoints within international markets. Mobile usage vs. desktop. Social media performance. Seek out the profits by locale. You cannot argue with data. There is an enormous amount of facts and figures that apply to localization.
Content requirements for marketing and user experience will increase in complexity over time as brands profit within individual regions. If language is siloed from design and planning, there can only be missed opportunities and mistakes. Look at the brand journey from inception to execution to use. Focus on a localized buyer persona and provide as much context as possible to your translators, linguists, and internal teammates.
Pay it Forward
Globalization is not a trend or a fad. It’s only going to grow in demand and complexity. This brings an opportunity to the industry as a whole. We should be setting our peers and partners up for success at every stage. Sharing best practices and mentorship are going to elevate all of us.
Abolish Afterthought
Localization and globalization are no longer nice to have, but rather a requirement. Multiple rounds and mistakes are costly. As a service provider, we wait for the finished product and are unable to scope, plan, and advise. We are reactive instead of proactive. The strategic partner is a valued resource at every touchpoint. They are subject matter experts that foresee what others cannot anticipate. Language is complex, the content within language is vast, and language changes its meaning when imagery and experience are involved. Brands and experience are interpreted differently as it travels. I cannot see a more valued partner than localization.
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