German to English translations

 

Every time you commit words to a page, you are creating a marketing document. 

That’s obviously true when you’re writing specifically to attract business, for example with a website or a press release.

But it’s also true for writing you may not think of as marketing per se. Maybe you’re writing to a customer clarifying a problem… announcing a new pricing policy… asking for cooperation… apologizing for a misunderstanding….  or even just sending an invoice.

These are also marketing documents.  Why?  Because your written communication always positions you, somehow, in the hearts and minds of your readers.

In fact it functions on two levels at once:  On the surface it aims of course to provide the readers with information… But it may also aim to keep them interested… to persuade… motivate… convince them to take action. 

Clearly, what you have to say is important if you want to achieve these goals, but equally important is how you say it.  Because your readers are not only reading. They are also judging you. So below the informative “surface” of your message, the style of your communication is playing a vital role, too. 

By “style” I mean your tone of voice, the degree of formality you choose, whether the writing seems dynamic or static, active or passive, and even the emotional distance you seem to create between yourself and your readers. All of these intangibles affect how they see you, what they think of you, and how they will respond.

So even if the content has nothing to with the usual objectives of marketing – e.g. getting new business – its style reinforces your image, your brand promise, and how you position yourself in your market… and can hugely influence how receptive your readers are to your message.  

Style is the hidden persuader.

Now let’s be honest: when it comes to style, German and English are not the same.  Things are communicated in different ways in the two languages – sometimes the differences are linguistic, and sometimes cultural. That doesn’t mean that one is better than the other; they’re just different.  

To a good German-to-English translator, this presents a challenge. These differences may only be questions of nuance, but they are real, and can have real consequences.  

The English version of your German original still needs to be in your voice. And it needs to embrace and affirm your brand values just like the German text – but it must do this through the lens of English – which means it will be somewhat different.  A phrase-for-phrase copy of the German text might be technically correct but only half as effective.  Your translator needs to express all your ideas, but find the right way to do this in the English language and manner.

Can your translator do this?  I can.  

My name is Woody Wade.  In a freelance career spanning 30 years, I have translated thousands of pages of German business texts into the English that works best, i.e. it’s not just correctly translated, but it flows like natural language, and the style perfectly matches the context of the document; the specific situation that prompts the communication.

I am US-born and educated but have lived and worked in Switzerland since the 1980s.  I have a bachelor’s degree in German and an MBA from Harvard Business School, and I’ve held a number of executive positions in several leading Swiss organizations.   

My background is important: it means I can understand your business and how you market your services and products. I myself have been a Product Manager in a large multinational and the Marketing Director in an institution that is regarded worldwide as the Rolls-Royce in its field. In these jobs I created hundreds of pages of advertising copy, brochures, website pages, press releases, high-profile speeches – you name it. 

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My clients have high standards.

As a German-to-English translator, I’ve created English versions of all of these categories of business communication as well.  My clients, all Swiss, come from different parts of the economy, from Switzerland’s largest brewer and one of its most important chocolatiers to small art galleries and giant aluminum processing companies.  

But my main focus has always been on:

Wealth management & private banking

Investment & finance

5-star luxury hotels

Today my two biggest clients, for example, include the Zurich-based institution that Bilanz has ranked “Best Private Bank in Switzerland” three years in a row – a client for more than 20 years.  

And in the luxury hospitality sector, I work for the hotel group whose flagship property has been chosen as the site of the World Economic Forum in May 2021 – a client since 2010.

Both of these clients consider me more than just a translator of words. They count on me to translate their ideas into the best English for the given situation.  To them, I am not only a service provider but a real “Mitdenker” – a partner who thinks on their behalf, too.  

I also do copywriting or proofreading/editing.  Contact me and tell me about your project.

Am I expensive?

A lot less expensive than relying on unnatural, poorly translated English — language that, like it or not, reflects on you and your brand. Poor English may make your clients wonder whether you really do pay attention to detail. And this lack of confidence has a cost.

My translation rates are reasonable, and in line with the market. (In fact, they haven’t changed in over 15 years.)

Interested in having me work for you?  

Let’s talk.  Please phone me at +41 (0)79 359 8102, e-mail me at wade@11changes.com, or fill out the form below. I’d be happy to discuss your project and give you a quote, without any obligation on your part.