Marketers seeking to create memorable and engaging customer experiences need to leverage customer data to ensure that the language strategy accounts for preference rather than just location when it comes to the buyer, according to a new Millennials’ study released by SDL.
According to the study, today’s Millennials are part of the “always-connected” generation and expect content to be delivered to them across devices, channels, and in the language they prefer. For brands, a localization strategy can drive both international business expansion and engagement in domestic markets if done correctly by joining the customers’ culture and conversation, rather than just selling into markets.
Study data reports that 46% of Millennials are more likely to purchase if information is in their preferred language. What’s more, 32% of Millennial consumers in English-speaking countries prefer a language other than English. These new findings suggest that it’s imperative for brands to speak to consumers in the language they desire to improve the overall customer experience, foster brand advocacy, and ultimately drive increased sales.
SDL’s fourth report contained in the “Five Truths for Future Marketers” series is titled, “There is Only One Language,” and features results from SDL’s global survey of more than 1,800 Millennials (ages 18-36).
The survey data indicates that language is directly tied to purchasing behavior, but is not always tied to geography. Here are some key takeaways from the report:
· 1 in 2 respondents in Germany, the Netherlands, and Norway speaks a language other than the local language in their household.
· 1 in 3 respondents in the U.K. and Australia speaks a language other than English at home.
· 1 in 4 U.S. millennials speaks another language at home.
Making language and localization a priority in the overall marketing strategy is a critical first step for brands to gain a competitive advantage, according to the report. To gauge where your organization stands related to speaking your customers’ languages, consider the following:“With around 3,600 hotels and over 460,000 rooms, we interact with customers from around the world constantly, and at every level of our organization,” said Bénédicte Lefeuvre, VP Distribution Systems Administration at Accor. “With the help of SDL, we are translating over 20 million words a year to ensure that our customers receive the quality experience they have come to expect from our organization. Brand loyalty and customer advocacy are integral to our overall marketing strategy. The ability to communicate appropriately with our consumers, and even our employees around the world, with the help of SDL’s language solutions, allows us to provide a unique and personal experience for each of our guests.”
· Speak up: A language and cultural content strategy must be a fundamental component of your overall marketing plan. Local language websites, ad hoc and last-minute fixes are not nearly enough. You need to be wherever your customers are and have the ability to engage with them in a culturally relevant manner.
· Don’t assume you are “Talking the Talk.” As the report indicates, consumers live in multilingual settings, even within the same country, and they prefer to engage with brands in the language that is most relevant to them. Marketers must have localization strategies grounded in customer engagement references for a successful customer experience.
· Never have the last word. Once context (language, channel, device) is understood and established with customers, expand the relationship well beyond the basics of pre-sales, purchase and support. Creating transparency and accessibility to a wide range of self-service assets encourages customers to come back for more, keeping your brand top-of-mind. According to recent research from Common Sense Advisory’s report, “Can’t Read, Won’t Buy,” 74% of people are more likely to purchase from the same brand again if the after-sales care is in their language.
“All too often, language is an afterthought in an organization’s customer experience strategy,” Paige O'Neill, CMO at SDL, said in the study. “Marketers now need to address the demands of globalization and ensure that their business speaks only one language: The language of its customers. Localization strategies must be adopted to address translation at a local level, but also the personal demographics of its target audience. 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.”