Business trends that will drive success in 2019 – and how they impact on translation

It’s that time of year when we look ahead to see what the future might hold. Forbes is one of those to have a go at gazing into the crystal ball this year, identifying four sales trends for 2019. Here, we take a look at the trends that Forbes has highlighted and consider their implications for the professional translation community. 

Engaging the next generation

Selling to those in the teens and early 20s will be a top priority for many companies in 2019. Known as Generation Z, these youngsters will make up the biggest generation of consumers by 2020, responsible for as much as $143 billion in direct spending. 

Having grown up in an incredibly interconnected world, thanks to the technological advances of the past couple of decades, Generation Z will look beyond national borders when it comes to their travel, their friendships and their purchases. As such, marketing translation will be key for companies looking to engage fully with this generation of young people. 

Sales enablement

2019 will see companies investing in upskilling their sales teams. From training to embracing new technology, businesses will be thinking strategically about how they can ensure their sales staff are the best of the best. In such a competitive global marketplace, they can’t afford not to!

From a translation perspective, business translation, newsletter translation and email translation can work well when delivered as part of a clear strategy designed around making sales team feel positive, nurtured and invested in. 

Artificial Intelligence 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is nothing new, but as this area of technology develops, companies are constantly finding new ways to turn AI to their advantage. In 2019, that will include using AI to help make businesses and their staff more productive. The analysis of huge swathes of data will come into play here. 

In terms of translation, the impact of AI will be twofold in 2019. For business translation clients, there will be a range of translation tasks related to this mass of data, from technical translation to market research translation. Meanwhile, the increasing focus on neural networks and deep learning from those looking to master machine translation will likely mean further calls for post-editing machine translation work, as companies ask humans to step in and correct the machines’ mistakes. 

Omni-channel marketing

This is another area where the impact of Generation Z will be felt in 2019. Youngsters expect their cross-device product and brand engagement to flow seamlessly when they research, review and purchase products. Companies that win at this omni-channel experience will be the drivers of success in 2019. As such, app translation services, along with website translation and social media translation, will be much in demand, as businesses seek to engage young consumers across international borders in a variety of ways. 

Video translation 

Another key 2019 business trend will be the use of video, which continues to grow as a means of educating and engaging customers, as well as advertising products in more traditional ways. As such, video translation will also be much in demand, with translators who are looking to get ahead ensuring that their captioning and timestamping skills are up to scratch. 

Final thoughts

As ever, 2019 will see business trends impacting on the requests made of translation professionals over the course of the year, as companies seek to establish and maintain their global footprint. Translators who are ready to step in and provide the services detailed above should be in for a successful year as a result. 

And one final word, before you go… The Tomedes Text Summarizer Tool is now live on our website and completely free to use. If your business is one of those looking to get ahead of the competition in 2019, why not check it out and see how it can benefit your company on a daily basis.