A client came for an online store redesign. You look at their catalog and realize: there are foreign buyers, but the site is only in Russian. Should you bring up the topic of website translation, or not interfere?
Websites with localization on average get +13% conversion just from language — without changing the design or product. This is not abstract statistics: this is real business profit.
Most agencies don't talk about it. Not because they don't know, but because they don't understand how to sell it without feeling like you're pushing something unnecessary. Below are specific arguments and a script.
When to Bring Up the Topic
Not every client needs multilingualism. Before the conversation, quickly check:
- The client operates in a niche with foreign buyers: tourism, education, B2B export, IT, craft, art
- The website has traffic from other countries (can be checked via analytics or by asking directly)
- The client has already mentioned entering new markets or working with international partners
- The catalog or portfolio contains something interesting for an audience outside their country
If at least one point is present, the topic is worth raising. This is not imposing, it's a useful recommendation.
How to Start the Conversation
The mistake of most agencies is to start with the technical side. “We can connect Multify, and the site will be in several languages.” This tells the client nothing.
Start with their situation:
“I looked at your website. Do you work with clients from the CIS, Asia, or Europe? Do you have international traffic?”
If the client says “yes” or “I don't know” — continue:
“On average, buyers are much more willing to place an order when they see the website in their own language. For an online store, this usually directly affects conversion. Would you like to see how this would look for your website?”
This is not a sale, it's a question. The client decides if they are interested.
Script for three typical situations
Situation 1: New Project
The client is just starting to build a website. Multilingualism is easiest to implement from the start.
"While we are building the website, we can immediately add multilingualism. This does not complicate development — the website will simply be available in several languages right away. This makes it possible to attract clients not only from the local market but also from other countries from day one."
Emphasis: not about complexity, but about lost profit and scale from the start.
Situation 2: Redesign or Refinement
The client is already working, has an audience, has data.
"I looked at your website. You have [X% traffic from other countries / mentions that you work with international clients]. You are currently losing some of this audience — they see the website in Russian and leave. We can set up translation, and this traffic will start converting."
Emphasis: there is already an audience that you are losing.
Situation 3: The client himself brought up entering new markets
The easiest case — the client is already thinking about it.
“If you plan to enter the international market, a multilingual website is the first thing you need to do. Without it, all other promotional work loses its meaning. Let's include this in the project right away.”
Emphasis: without localization, everything else doesn't work.
Answers to typical objections
“It's expensive”
Multilingualism does not require creating a new website. We set up the system once, and then everything works automatically. There is a subscription, but it is many times cheaper than hiring someone for translations and administration in several languages.
If the client compares it to manual translation and maintaining a separate domain — explain the difference: here there is one website, one content, you update it once. Translations are pulled automatically.
Another argument: comparison with hiring a content manager or an SEO agency. Yes, the translation service costs more than the basic Tilda plan, but this cost is recouped by convertible traffic, and the plan only grows with the scale of your business. If you hire a live content manager for each language, the costs will be incomparably higher, and the management burden will be many times more complex (constant communication, training, control).
If you delegate this to an SEO agency, monthly bills start from $657-$1314. Multify is a tool that, for a relatively small monthly fee, takes on all technical and content support, which is many times more cost-effective than maintaining staff or paying for agency services.
“We don’t need it, we don’t have international clients”
Two possible answers:
If there is no data: “Let’s check the analytics. If there are at least 5-10% visits from other countries, these are potential clients you are currently losing.”
If there is no data and no analytics: “Then let's not do it yet. We'll install a counter, check in a month — and if we see foreign traffic, we can quickly connect.”
This shows that you are not imposing, but offering a solution based on facts.
Another option is to run a quick test for 2-3 months. You can connect Multify to your current website without deep SEO optimization for foreign queries. Even in this mode, Google will start indexing pages, and you will see the first results in Search Console. This is an inexpensive way to test demand before investing in full localization.
“We will translate it manually ourselves”
Manual translation on Tilda means duplicating all content: pages, texts, buttons, form messages, catalog. Every time you update, you'll have to do it again. Plus, there's no automatic SEO markup: hreflang, separate URLs for each language in search.
Honestly say: "The manual option works for 5-7 static pages. If you have a catalog or a blog, in six months it turns into a separate job position."
"That's for later, not now"
Accept. Don't push. Note in the email:
"Okay, then we'll come back to this when you launch the main project. I'll add it to my tasks — I'll remind you in two months."
The client will appreciate it. And when they're ready, you can connect it.
How to Show a Demo During a Call
Words are less convincing than a picture. If you feel that the client might potentially agree to a translation, make a Multify demo — show how the translation looks on the client's own website right during the call.
This works much better than any arguments: the client sees their website in English right here and now. The question changes from “do we need this” to “how quickly can we launch it”.
If you want to try it, just write to our tech support. We will set up a 7-day demo for free without any conditions: you just send us a link to the website and the desired languages, and we will deploy a demo version on a technical domain.
It's important to understand that Multify is a flexible tool, not a "black box." If the translation quality on a project requires refinement, it doesn't mean the solution isn't suitable. You can always change the neural network, give it additional instructions, or set up replacement rules for specific terms. Each project is unique, and the ability to fine-tune is a standard part of the job that allows you to achieve the ideal result.