Learn four steps to use bilingual communication to create a stronger call to action, and how to choose, balance, cue, and test your languages.

Bilingual communication is a fun and innovative space to explore. I believe it's the perfect platform to infuse your unique touch with your cultural individuality. While a 100% translation may be the simplest strategy to be inclusive, I often find it hinders the communication towards a call to action, when dealing with very long text in one reading. Through practice, I've grown my own inclusive writing style, or 'savoir-faire', incorporating French words and sentences into English paragraphs as a subtle example. Don’t be afraid to show your style. Bilingual communication is always appreciated by the audience. It demands additional effort to create, but the end result of reflecting the diversity of the community is undeniably impactful.

How can you use bilingual communication to create a stronger call to action?

Bilingual communication is the ability to speak and write in more than one language. It can be a powerful tool to persuade your audience and motivate them to take action. Whether you are writing a sales copy, a blog post, or a social media post, bilingual communication can help you connect with your readers, increase your credibility, and appeal to their emotions. In this article, you will learn how to use bilingual communication to create a stronger call to action.

1 Choose the right languages

The first step to use bilingual communication effectively is to choose the right languages for your target audience. You need to consider the demographics, preferences, and needs of your readers, and select the languages that they are most comfortable and familiar with. For example, if you are writing for a global audience, you might want to use English as the main language, and add some phrases or words in other languages that are relevant to your topic or niche. This way, you can show your respect and appreciation for their culture, and also catch their attention and curiosity.

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2 Balance the use of languages

The second step to use bilingual communication is to balance the use of languages in your call to action. You don't want to overwhelm or confuse your readers with too much or too little of a language. You need to find the right proportion and frequency of using each language, depending on your purpose and message. For example, if you are writing a sales copy, you might want to use more of the language that your readers associate with trust and authority, and less of the language that they associate with emotion and urgency. This way, you can build rapport and credibility with your readers, and also create a sense of scarcity and value for your offer.

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Caroline Nguyen

Senior Advisor at National Bank of Canada, Division Director at Toastmasters International, Leadership Development
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Bilingual communication is a fun and innovative space to explore. I believe it's the perfect platform to infuse your unique touch with your cultural individuality. While a 100% translation may be the simplest strategy to be inclusive, I often find it hinders the communication towards a call to action, when dealing with very long text in one reading. Through practice, I've grown my own inclusive writing style, or 'savoir-faire', incorporating French words and sentences into English paragraphs as a subtle example. Don’t be afraid to show your style. Bilingual communication is always appreciated by the audience. It demands additional effort to create, but the end result of reflecting the diversity of the community is undeniably impactful.

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Eduardo García Rodríguez

Communication and Content Marketing Specialist
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I think this is a strategy that can work in very specific cases. Sure, bilingual communication is great at fostering inclusivity, rapport and accessibility, especially in multicultural societies like Canada or even Switzerland where there are a lot of diverse linguistic backgrounds. What’s more, in Luxembourg, 25k people speak Franglais, 40million people speak Spanglish in the US. I wonder how many people speak Catañol en Catalonia. But when it comes to marketing campaigns, maybe it’s best to just offer information and resources in multiple languages. Once you’ve identified a justifiable audience that can benefit from this kind of language, special care must be put it making sure the messaging sounds authentic and not cringeworthy.

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3 Use bilingual cues

The third step to use bilingual communication is to use bilingual cues in your call to action. Bilingual cues are words or phrases that signal the switch or contrast between languages, such as "however", "on the other hand", "in other words", or "in contrast". These cues can help you create a smooth and coherent transition between languages, and also emphasize your main points and benefits. For example, if you are writing a blog post, you might want to use bilingual cues to introduce a different perspective or a new insight in another language, and then explain it in the main language. This way, you can engage your readers and show them your expertise and knowledge.

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4 Test and optimize

The final step to use bilingual communication is to test and optimize your call to action. You need to measure the results and feedback of your bilingual communication, and see what works and what doesn't. You can use tools like Google Analytics, A/B testing, or surveys to track and analyze the performance of your call to action, and make adjustments accordingly. For example, if you are writing a social media post, you might want to test different combinations of languages, words, and emojis, and see which ones generate more likes, shares, and comments. This way, you can optimize your call to action and achieve your goals.

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5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Costa Vasili

CEO & Founder @ Ethnolink 🌏 Translation Services (NAATI) & Multicultural Communications in 150 languages, helping Government & NFP clients communicate with Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Communities
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When seeking to engage with non-English speakers residing in Australia, creating a bilingual resource is often a sensible approach. The advantage of such a resource is that it can be consumed and understood by an entire family unit with varying language skills. Take, for instance, an elderly Greek woman who is fluent in spoken Greek but has limited English proficiency. Her daughter might be bilingual, speaking both English and Greek fluently, but only have rudimentary reading skills in Greek. A bilingual resource would allow the family to collectively engage with the material, facilitating discussion and mutual understanding. Bilingual resources also aid language learning for migrants.

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Aline Bravo

Openly Autistic advocate about Disability & Inclusion in the workplace | Storyteller & TedX Speaker | EY wavespace|
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Using different languages in the same text/speech never comes across well. Cringe I believe is the word to be used. Take note of Ana Botella’s speech at the Olympic committee someone advised her that saying “A relaxing cup of café con leche” was a good idea, it was even trademarked afterwards. Peppering your speech with words in another language can really come across badly and even condescending. Being bilingual is great, having content in various languages is great, but intertwining them has very few instances where it could be appropriate.

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How can you use bilingual communication to create a stronger call to action?

1

2

3

4

5

1 Choose the right languages

2 Balance the use of languages

3 Use bilingual cues

4 Test and optimize

5 Here’s what else to consider

Communication

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How can you use bilingual communication to create a stronger call to action?

1

2

3

4

5

1 Choose the right languages

2 Balance the use of languages

3 Use bilingual cues

4 Test and optimize

5 Here’s what else to consider

Communication

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