Selling to another language

Communication World, Dec, 1996 by Sana Reynolds

You need to grab the reader's attention, put yourself in her shoes, and view the product or service you offer from her perspective. You should write about benefits not features. You may find the features of your product or service fascinating, but will your reader? You can't bore people into buying your product or service. As Milton Bennett, a renowned communication specialist, so succinctly says, "Assuming that others are like ourselves when we talk is tantamount to talking to ourselves." And since when did talking to yourself ever increase your business?

No, it's definitely not easy to write about your product or service in an interesting way. Not even to other English-speaking people.

But, it becomes even harder when writing to someone for whom English is a second or third language. Non-native speakers of English are often unfamiliar with idiom. They can be confused by the subtleties or shades of meaning of many English words. And they may not tell you - many cultures consider questioning to be impolite. Pretending to understand when you don't is often dictated by a culture's desire to be courteous, to seek harmony and confrontation-free relationships, to avoid embarrassment.

So, what should you do when writing to sell your product or service outside English-speaking countries? Are there any ground rules you can follow to make sure your writing is culturally sensitive and easy to understand? Here are a few proven guidelines:

1. Use simple, specific, concrete words.

Their meaning is clear, powerful, vivid, and most importantly, unambiguous. Try to use common words; the words normally learned in the first two years of language study. Avoid uncommon words, such as onus for burden, efficacious for efficient, or flux for continual change.

2. Use the most common meaning of words.

Many words in English have multiple meanings: the word high has 20 meanings, the word expensive has only one. Get can mean to buy, borrow, steal, rent or retrieve. Accurate has only one meaning; right has 27. Non-native speakers of English are most likely to know only the first or second most common meaning.

3. Avoid idioms, slang, jargon and acronyms.

Remember that jargon, slang and idioms are seldom taught in schools. Using phrases such as What's cooking? What's going down? (to ask what is happening), Hang in there! (to encourage perseverance), What's your poison? (to offer a drink) and What's the damage? (to ascertain the cost) are certain prescriptives for misunderstanding.

4. Choose verbs carefully and use the active voice.

Verbs are the true building blocks of English. Using the right verb takes care of a lot of writing difficulties. Select action-specific verbs and use them in the simplest possible tense and voice.

5. Avoid long sentences.

Sentences become long after 21 words. They confuse and bore the reader.

6. Break up long paragraphs.

Paragraphs are considered long after seven lines. Long paragraphs poison documents.

7. Respect the basic rules of correct grammar and punctuation.

Most people who learn English as a second language know their grammar. They can read your writing more easily if you punctuate abundantly.

8. Use visual aids.

Pictures are worth thousands of words. Consider helping your reader with charts, graphs, tables, visuals. Combining words with visual messages increases the chances of effective communication.

9. Be formal and correct. Avoid jokes and humor.

Be scrupulously polite. Avoid informality (e.g. use of first names in letter salutations) unless specifically invited to do so. Beware of sharing the latest joke - humor is one of the most difficult things to translate.

10. Meet your reader halfway in your communication style.

Familiarize yourself with the accepted tone and style of the culture in which you are doing business; when your tone and style differ, the message may be negatively perceived. Being sensitive and making the necessary adjustment can go a long way to building goodwill.

These 10 guidelines should set you on the right track. To quote David Ogilvy, the most sought after wizard in advertising and sales, "A blind pig can sometimes find truffles, but it helps to know that they are found in oak forests." These simple rules map the way to the oak forests.

Sana Reynolds, consultant, professor and author, has more than 15 years of extensive multinational experience both in the U.S. and overseas as a consultant in management communication, linguistic and cultural transference, and acculturation. She can be reached at (718) 625-6797 or by fax at (212) 509-4224.