A guide to happy transcreation - Copywriter Collective

Being creative is all in day’s work for us at Copywriter Collective, but that’s not all we get up to. Being an international copy agency, bigger transcreation projects are all part of the day job too. Clients from far and wide call us to help them adapt copy across a range of different languages, for a global audience.
These projects are often larger-scale, complex and changeable. This can make it feel like a daunting task for anyone, but because it’s just part of what we do best, we know exactly how to seize the day, and tame even the most complicated transcreation requests.

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Project management that makes a difference

Handling projects like these takes a different approach. It’s all about acting fast, getting the best quotes, and delivering top writing talent. Thanks to our international network of writers and creatives, we have all the right connections to make that happen, which takes the pressure off you.
Managing multi-language translations for any sized project can be time consuming. From sourcing the writers in the first place, comparing quotes to make sure you’re in line with budgets, briefing the writers, and gathering the completed transcreations once done.
Then of course, there are the occasional complications that may arise. Details in the text may change, writers may deliver late, or fail to respond fully to the brief. You may even be unhappy with the standard of writing submitted.
This is where an experienced project manager steps in. An agent like us has a network of tried and tested writers, who have proved themselves to be talented and reliable. They can also communicate those little, time consuming extras, like changes to the brief, chasing work to deadline, and managing the writers throughout the process. All this gives you a free reign to get on with your day job.

The difference between writers

Not all transcreation jobs are the same. Similarly, not all writers offer the same service.
Depending on their skillset, a writer may simply translate text verbatim, or approach the job as a copywriter. This means they will ensure the copy has the right tone of voice, is creatively on-point, and answers all areas of your copy brief.
As you might expect from our name, at Copywriter Collective we work with experienced copywriters. Our multi-lingual writers do everything you’d expect from a talented creative, but with the added bonus of being able to understand, interpret and translate the flow, spirit and personality of your original text to a different language.

Our steps to happy transcreations

As agents and project managers, we do the heavy lifting when it comes to any project that comes our way. But, how do we run a multi-language transcreation project?
Before we get to the stage of sending across an all-singing all-dancing proposal, there’s a fair bit of groundwork that needs covering off.
Each project is different, and every client has their own specific timelines and considerations. We always start by getting to know you a bit, asking all the right questions to get a really clear idea of what you need, when you need it, and how you’d like to work. Whether that’s over email or the phone, we can start building up a picture of how to approach things in next to no time. After all, as copywriters and specialist project managers, we know how to get to the heart of the issue quick-smart.
As a general rule though, we run our transcreation projects a little like this:

We take a brief: It all starts with a decent brief. We’ll ask you to send your text to us in an excel or a word document, so we can see the word count. Many translation jobs are priced by the word, so this is a vital bit of information.

We start talking to writers: From there, we can get cracking and spend some time liaising with an international team of highly skilled copywriters to take the onus off you finding the talent. Depending on your timescales and the complexity of the brief, we can have this bit done within 24 hours.

We negotiate on your behalf: While we’re doing all this, we’ll negotiate the best price for you with our writers, so you can be sure everything is completely cost effective, as well as bagging the best talent for the job

We send the costs to you: Once we’re at this stage, we can start advising on costs across each different language. To keep things simple, we tend to break your quote down into a price per language for the job, along with a small project management fee for our time. This way, you can clearly see what you’re paying for

We agree on timings: We will have chatted about your deadline in our initial conversation. But now we have confirmed costs and availabilities from our best-matched writers, we can firm up a delivery deadline with you, and ensure everything matches up to your expectations

You leave it in our hands: Everything from quality control to timings are project managed from beginning to end, so you won’t be chasing people up for information, worrying about writers delivering on time, or having to create various files and folders to keep track of the incoming work

We deliver: Way back at confirmation stage, we will have asked you how you’d like the work delivered. Whether that’s in one email, or in a shared google folder. Once the copy is written, we’ll send it back in the best format for you, just to make your life that bit easier

One neat package: So when all’s said and done, we deliver to deadline, ensure everything is top quality, and all without any fuss.

Sound good?

For you, that means that in a few easy steps, your unwieldly, multi-language transcreation project is sorted. And because it’s in safe hands, you can get on with your other day-to- day tasks, and wait for us to deliver all the information in one easy-to- manage blast.
The most important thing to consider when outsourcing your transcreation project, is whether the agency has the right experience, and the best connections. It all comes down to having relationships with top writing talent, and the know-how to run and deliver your project to the very highest standard. And that, is what we do.

If that sounds like your ideal scenario, give us a shout and we’ll do the legwork for you, just like that.