To business owners in the U.S. it may seem obvious to market to all demographics in English. When it comes to millennials, however, organizations limiting themselves to operating in one language may be doing so to their own detriment. A recent study conducted by SDL found that 25 percent of millennials speak a language other than English at home, and, more importantly for business owners, 46 percent of those individuals are “more likely to purchase” from companies using their dominant language.
Still, many entrepreneurs have ignored this evidence and have continued to target their audiences in English alone.
“All too often, language is an afterthought in an organization’s customer experience strategy,” said Paige O’Neill, chief marketing officer at SDL. “Marketers now need to address the demands of globalization and ensure that their business speaks only one language – the language of its customers.”
According to SDL, companies can target millennials more effectively by creating a culture and language strategy to better understand and cater to their target audiences. This will require both time and small business working capital, as using subpar translators simply won’t cut it, SDL reported. By developing their brands to include a more diverse range of languages, companies can grant consumers the kind of personalized service they crave.
“Localization strategies must be adopted to address translation at a local level, but also the personal demographics of its target audience,” O’Neill continued. “In doing so, consumers will be compelled to share content and foster brand advocacy in their language of choice, giving marketers a competitive advantage and the ability to deliver the customer experience that truly defines their brand’s voice, globally.”
If a business owner is interested in hiring outside translators to create customized content in different languages, they should reach out to National Funding to find out more about small business loans and other financial options.
