The translation is usually a comparatively small cost factor within an overall project, be it packaging, documentation, presentation, or marketing. Yet translation quality has a major effect on the final outcome, as you know if you’ve ever tried to decipher a badly-translated instruction manual.

A quality translation:

• Is accurate
  
• “Sounds right” to the target audience
  
• Reflects the style and intent of the original text, be it formal, informal, corporate, technical, sales, etc.
  
• Uses current, up-to-date vocabulary and expressions in the target language
  
• Takes into account the culture of the target audience
  
• Makes you look good