Marketing Plan for Translator Connect Services

Service Offering and Value Proposition

Translator Connect Services provides translation services to businesses, government officials, and travelers who must transact business in foreign countries. Translation services are offered to clients in two ways. First, live translators may be accessed via a toll-free phone number to provide direct translation during a business transaction; the estimated translation accuracy for this option is 75%. Second, customers may access translation services through a phone application that instantly converts spoken input into digital text, which can then be read aloud to the native speaker. This second option requires that the person requesting the translation have a basic reading fluency of approximately eighth-grade level by U.S. standards. Alternatively, the translated text sent to the mobile device can be read directly by the individual for whom the translation is needed — that is, the speaker of the foreign language. With this approach, a business person should be able to transact business in the foreign language with approximately 98% accuracy.

Pricing. The market rate for basic translation services will be determined following market research specifically designed to establish pricing points and applicable discounts for distributors. These analyses will differentiate market pricing for text-assisted translation services and for on-site translation services conducted via phone or Skype. A prospective break-even analysis will also be conducted to guide construction of the pricing structure.

Value proposition. Translator Connect Services provides convenient, cost-effective translation services that meet the diverse needs of business people engaged in international travel. By using Translator Connect Services, business travelers can achieve meaningful savings on translation costs. Repeat customers receive a discount, and businesses that establish a monthly billing account will receive a 25% discount compared to independent session-by-session activity. Account holders may also select preferred translators, ensuring a measure of control over both translation quality and information security for highly sensitive transactions — such as the period preceding an IPO or conversations with C-suite executives. The value proposition excludes domestic translation services, as that competitive market is saturated. However, pending further market research, an exception may be made for global business ventures that regularly require translation services both domestically (for foreign associates visiting headquarters) and internationally.

Target Market Analysis

The target market analysis will use a two-pronged approach to market segmentation. The first prong will employ strategies based on psychographic data — specifically consumer preferences, opinions, attitudes, interests, and lifestyles (Kurtz, 2009). The second prong is service-related and will focus on usage rates of similar services and the benefits consumers seek from a service such as that offered by Translator Connect Services (Kurtz, 2009).

Psychographic data. Consumers likely to be interested in purchasing Translator Connect Services fall into three basic types: pleasure travelers, business travelers, and government travelers.

The following section examines psychographic data related to each of these user types, with focus on their preferences, opinions, attitudes, interests, and lifestyles (Kurtz, 2009). This step assists in generating target market user profiles.

1. Pleasure travelers may be uneasy about engaging a translator while in a foreign country. Since they do not speak the language, they have little feedback to inform their trust. To select a translation company or individual, they tend to rely heavily on prior customer testimonials. They are also most likely to prefer a translator who resembles them in terms of gender, age, work experience, education, and social status. Attitudes exhibited by pleasure travelers are influenced primarily by social status, educational level, and travel experience. Interests vary widely: many seek translators knowledgeable in history, architecture, literature, art, and other cultural pursuits. If the translation need is business-focused, they may look for translators experienced in law, accounting, or medicine. Lifestyles among international pleasure travelers are as diverse as their numbers. Many accommodate expensive hobbies such as wine collecting, destination golf, or adventure travel that requires engaging local guides and suppliers. The majority, however, are primarily seeking to enrich the travel experience itself.

2. Business travelers prefer to conduct business expediently and economically. They do not tolerate client-focused mistakes and stringently avoid circumstances that could lead to embarrassment due to poor or inadequate services. Business travelers typically form opinions of service providers based on how effectively those services help them meet their professional travel goals. They frequently consult peers in their industry for recommendations on translation service providers. Their attitudes are generally aligned with their business objectives, and they tend to be pleasant though brisk and focused customers. It is common for business travelers to expect support service providers to accommodate their schedules. While business travelers typically negotiate for the best service rates, this function is often handled by corporate employees dedicated to vendor relations and contract negotiations.

Business travelers may have many interests both within and outside their professional roles. They may require translators for quite different functions — engaging one for the business transaction itself and another for associated leisure activities overlapping the trip. For instance, a business traveler who wishes to explore golf courses during free time may engage a translator who enjoys golf and can serve as a companion as well as a language resource. Another business traveler might hire a translator with expertise in contract terminology for the business transaction, but separately engage a different translator to guide a sightseeing excursion. Business travelers tend to be sophisticated with eclectic tastes. Accordingly, it is best practice to match them with well-educated translators who have some business experience of their own.

3. Government travelers will expect translators to be discreet and to adhere to non-disclosure agreements. All translator engagements for government travelers are handled through account-based relationships. When the business of a government official is sensitive or classified, translation services will be provided by government employees or contract personnel who hold the appropriate security clearance. In all other cases, the expectations of government travelers mirror those of business travelers who have no interest in blending leisure with their official trips. The personal lifestyles of government travelers will rarely be a consideration when matching them to translators.

User Profiles

The target market for Translator Connect Services is best analyzed by constructing user profiles (Kurtz, 2009), generated from market research findings on user attributes and preferences, as well as competitive and business intelligence reports. A number of formal databases are commercially available that use activities, interests, and opinion statements (AIOs) to create clusters of consumers (Kurtz, 2009, p. 275). Italicized tags in each user profile below are drawn from a Japanese VALS™ study conducted by SRI Consulting Business Intelligence (Kurtz, 2009, p. 276). VALS is an acronym for values, attitudes, and lifestyles.

1. Pleasure traveler user profile — Experiencer / Altruist / Fun-seeker. Translator Connect Services seeks to maximize the benefits that the pleasure traveler experiences. Translators accomplish this by providing cultural context, acting as a buffer between the traveler and the local population, and shaping the travel focus to take advantage of the richest experiences available. Translators often assume the behaviors of a traditional travel guide, enabling access to concierge-like resources throughout the excursion.

2. Business traveler user profile — Striver / Thinker / Achiever. Translator Connect Services offers efficiency, accuracy, and reliability to the busy international business traveler. Account-based relationships reduce the effort and concerns associated with using translator services abroad. Business travelers who combine business and leisure activities may benefit from access to a range of translators with specialties in both domains, achieving maximum effectiveness by matching goals to resources.

3. Government traveler user profile — Makers / Believers / Survivors. Translator Connect Services offers trouble-free translation for routine government translation needs. Account-based translation services are required given the nature of government work. Leisure-focused translation services need not be offered to government travelers, as all required translation is of a business nature.