Reliv International, Inc. (or Reliv) is a global multilevel marketing company that manufactures and distributes dietary supplements through a network of international independent contractor Distributors. When Reliv wanted to branch out into the French market, and start a new network of Distributors there, the company recognized the need for accurate, reliable and timely translation services, and they turned to Language Services Associates (LSA) for professional translation support.
After successfully completing a sample translation project, as well as multiple live projects (including the translation of the Reliv Europe website), Reliv engaged LSA for the translation of its Distributor Guidebook into French. Because this publication gives new Distributors all the information they need to successfully launch and build their business, a completely accurate and clear translation was of the utmost importance.
The LSA [tooltip content=”A member of the Translation and Localization division assigned to manage a client project from the estimating phase through to completion, delivery and follow up.” url=”” ]Project Manager[/tooltip], Molly MacPherson, recently sat down to answer some questions about the Reliv Distributor Guidebook translation project.
Can you take us step by step through this translation project?
First, we consulted with the client and discussed the best transmission method for the layout of the publication (a 201MB zip file containing the manual content, as well as its related images and fonts). We all agreed that an FTP transfer was the best method and LSA received the file accordingly. We then converted the file to a format in which we could properly analyze the content using [tooltip content=”A Translation Management System (TMS) that offers language and workflow tools to manage translation projects.” url=”” ]WorldServer[/tooltip]. The analysis revealed about 7,300 words, with only a few words matching previously translated material in the client’s [tooltip content=”A database that stores sentences, paragraphs or sentence-like units that have previously been translated, in an effort to aid human Translators.” url=”” ]Translation Memory[/tooltip]. Based on this information, we were able to adequately prepare a competitive [tooltip content=”An estimate of the cost and turnaround time for your project. At LSA, the cost and time estimate is issued by your Project Manager.” url=”” ]Cost and Time Estimate[/tooltip] for the client.
The client approved the estimate and LSA selected a [tooltip content=”The team of Linguists assigned to a given project. This usually includes Translators, Editors and/or subject-matter experts.” url=”” ]Linguistic Team[/tooltip] with the right variant of French (European) and the appropriate background for this type of a project (those with experience in the areas of sales, marketing and nutrition). In just six days’ time, the translation had gone through both a Translator and an [tooltip content=”Qualified Linguist who reviews the translated file(s) and makes any modification he / she deems necessary. In LSA’s model, the Editor is an experienced Linguist who specializes in the subject matter at hand.” url=”” ]Editor[/tooltip], and was ready on WorldServer for review, download and layout.
Upon receiving final approval from the client on the layout, the French design files were posted to LSA’s FTP site for the client to download and publish.
What did Reliv hope to accomplish with the translation of its Distributor Guidebook? What was the company’s overall goal?
With the translation of its Distributor Guidebook into French, Reliv hoped to branch out into the French market and start a new network of Distributors there. This translation allows Reliv to bring their nutritional product offerings to a whole new country, increasing their brand’s global footprint.
Which translation method was used to complete this project? Why was this method selected?
As is the case with most glossy for-print publications, the TEP Translation method (Translation, Editing and Proofreading) was used for the Reliv Distributor Guidebook project.
TEP Translation is a three-step process. After translating, the document is sent to a second Linguist who serves as an Editor. The Editor may make changes and corrections to the initial translation and has the final say on these edits. The Editor then sends the document to the Project Manager, who provides a final proofread and quality assurance check.
What is the current status of this project and what are your next steps?
This project is complete and Reliv is now publishing their Distributor Guidebook in French. Because we now have a cache of Reliv’s specific industry terminology, and familiarity with the subject matter, they now rely on us for further translations of their materials.
