Another example is this ad for a US$300,000 Bentley. It was filmed last year with an Iphone S5 and Ipad Air. Wow! Of course they were professional camera people, but it does show you that the image quality of a smart phone is great for a simple video!

So, my challenge to you is to put together a short video for your website by the end of next week.
I will do so too and post it on this website. It only needs to be short (no more than 2 minutes).
If you email me your video, I am happy to give you feedback and post it on this website (if that's ok with you!)

If you don't have a Youtube Channel for your business, the video below will show you how to do it!

The other day I googled one of my favourite restaurants to find out their address to pass on to a friend. On the side of the page, the google listing showed up. This is the listing most people will go to as it stands out. On the listing, it had opening hours and it said that the restaurant was now closed. That seemed strange, so I called them. They were actually open!

So I thought, that would be a good tip. Ensure your business information on Google is correct so you don’t miss out on customers!

You may change your business hours during the year with seasonal changes, relocate your business, have changed the look and have new photos etc.

To update your listing, go to: https://www.google.com/business/ and login to google.
Then, simply update your information!

Have a great rest of your week!

Kind regards, Marijke

I recently heard a story of a Chinese visitor who was reprimanded at Auckland airport for smoking. The sign said ‘SMOKE FREE’. The visitor thought (understandably) that he was free to smoke.
Why not just say ‘NO SMOKING’? That way, there is no doubt.

Lost in translation…

If you are dealing with overseas visitors whose first language is not English and you provide information to them, whether written or verbal, try to think from their perspective. It’s about giving them a great experience, isn’t it?

Being a Dutch native, I had no choice but to learn multiple languages at school as few other nationalities speaking Dutch. I was also lucky to live in France and the US when I was young and learnt French and English at a young age. And I also learnt German and Spanish in school.

So, I have always been fascinated by language and fortunate to have the ability to view things from different cultural perspectives.  

Why is it so important to make it easier for international visitors to understand your messages?

• To clearly explain what you offer to a particular target market
• To avoid confusion due to cultural differences
• To grow sales by getting your unique selling points across

How can you avoid your message being lost in translation? Here are 6 tips to provide better information to your international markets:

1. Put information on your website in the languages of your target markets. It doesn’t have to include EVERYTHING, just the info and products that apply to them. It can be in the form of a pdf.

2. Have a QR code on your brochure with a link to that information.

3. Get the information professionally translated and DO NOT use Google Translate. You can contact your RTO for recommended translation services.

4. Keep in mind that ‘kiwi English’ is difficult to understand for most other nationalities. Speak slow, use simple language (no jargon) and ensure people understand you!

5. Research cultural differences

6. Ask your customers with that nationality for feedback (is the information clear, is the guide easy to understand etc).
 
Have a great weekend!
Marijke