French to English: Marketing, Part 3

 

We've come to our third and final instalment of marketing terms.

Marketing observers will agree that the 1990s ushered in a new focus for marketing strategy at corporate level.  It used to be that corporate marketing guidelines covered product, sales and distribution. A fourth perspective - socially responsible marketing - became part of the marketing landscape in the 90s.  Today, as we're about to end a decade since the millennium, the social responsibility component is reflected in the "green shift" - the unceasing preoccupation about protecting the environment at all costs.  I think our thanks are due to David Suzuki, Al Gore and all the other tireless activists who have been sounding the alarm about how we've become negligent as a nation towards our fragile environment.

The residential and industrial construction industry is well-positioned to take advantage of this concern for the environment by placing a priority on energy-efficient methods and products.  Our province's public utilities also pride themselves in feeding us with constant reminders about how to conserve fuel and tips on how to winterize our homes.

In short, the combination of marketing and the environment makes for a successful recipe that businesses can use if they want to be identified as being at the forefront of the collective social conscience.

This brings to mind a few newspaper articles I translated for Nuns' Island Magazine.  These articles were written by the editor who sometimes attends community meetings initiated by a real estate developer in Nuns Island.  When they hold meetings with residents, they don't necessarily do a direct sell of the condo towers they're building and promoting; instead they focus discussions on how their real estate goals do not in any way interfere with the area's natural habitats. 

Nuns' Island is an upper income residential area in Verdun Borough; residents are particularly proud of their lake (Lac de Battures) and natural forest where hundreds of bird species can be found.  Home developers in Nuns Island are aware of this and try, as much as possible, to respect the concerns of residents. 

When marketing a real estate project, builders can follow the lead by this Nuns Island developer.  During meetings with residents, they describe the environment-friendly materials they use and the strategies they're keen on employing to keep heating and cooling costs down. (The bird photo above was taken from the web site of Nuns Island, www.nuns-island.com)

Sometimes, indirect marketing carries more punch than direct marketing methods.  Because the public is made up of enlightened and educated consumers, marketing experts must bear in mind that there are occasions when the unspoken word is stronger and more persuasive. Marketing a residential project could be successful if developers promote - and prove - that the project will not harm the environment.

FRENCH	ENGLISH
aptitude à la vente	sales ability
langage du corps	body language
qualités relationnelles	interpersonal skills
aptitude à trouver des solutions	solution-finding skills
autogestion	self-management skills
marché cible	target market
conclure la vente	close the sale
gérer les objections	handle objections
couverture du marché	market coverage
niveau d'intensité	level of intensity
rapidité de la commercialisation	speed to market
merchandising à gamme limitée	limited-line merchandising

For the rest of December, I'll translate French culinary recipes into English - my way of adding to the festive atmosphere of the Christmas season.