Lessons from the field
How to Work in an Increasingly Bilingual World: Reaching Buyers and Sellers in Any Language
George Martinez lost a client's referrals in his first year as a business broker because he couldn't answer one question: did he have any bilingual brokers? Here's how adapting to his clients' language made his brokerage, how brokers can reach buyers and sellers in any language today, and a free multilingual brokerage checklist.
Quick answer
A multilingual business brokerage can work with buyers, sellers and employees in the languages they're most comfortable with, whatever those languages are. It matters because buyers and owners increasingly prefer to do business in their own language: in the U.S. alone, 74.1 million people, 23% of the population, speak a language other than English at home, and international buyers find listings online in their own language before they ever call. Brokers can reach them by hiring or partnering with brokers who speak their clients' languages, showing their website and listings in any language, offering key documents in the client's language, marketing in those languages, and reviewing every translation, with professional translation for legal documents. Vertica CRM can automatically show any text on a broker's website, including listing details, in any language. A free, printable multilingual brokerage checklist is available to download from this article.
“Did I have any bilingual brokers?”
George Martinez, a business brokerage owner in Southern California, knew almost 20 years ago that he would have to change his business model. He was less than a year into his business.
“I sold a small restaurant to an entrepreneur from Mexico. The guy was terrific and his English was great. He owned three other places in southern California and was coming to me for help in expanding his business.”
It looked like the start of a valuable relationship.
“There were a few times I asked if he had friends who would be interested in places around here. He said, yes, did I have any bilingual brokers? Nope. I did not. Well, that was the end of that.”
The hire that paid off for 15 years
George decided to hire a young woman who needed flexible hours. She was from Cuba and worked only when her kids were in school.
“She stayed with us for 15 years. She was our top producer most of those years because she was able to work with buyers and sellers and even key employees, in Spanish.”
So when new software became available for George to use on his website, he jumped at the chance.
“You don't stay in business for 20 years by standing still. You innovate and adapt. That's why we went bilingual. In my area, it's really vital.”
In George's market, the language was Spanish. In another market, it might be French, Chinese, Portuguese, Arabic, Hebrew or a dozen others. The lesson is the same: meet clients in their language, or someone else will.
Why brokers kept asking for multilingual tools
George wasn't alone. Around the same time, clients in the U.S., Canada and Latin America started asking us for the same thing: a way to present their listings in more than one language.
“The bilingual clients want US and Canadian investors and buyers. And the American clients want to cater to a growing population of Spanish speakers. It was amazing that they all started coming to us almost simultaneously.”
What did those brokers have in common?
“They're some of my most successful, long-term clients.”
Someone in our office put it best: “Well, they must be ahead of the curve.” I agree.
What is a multilingual business brokerage?
A multilingual business brokerage works with buyers, sellers and key employees in the languages they speak, and markets its listings in those languages. Which languages depends entirely on the market: the communities that own businesses in your territory, and the buyers, local or international, who want them. A brokerage can be multilingual through its people, its marketing and its technology, and the strongest are multilingual in all three.
Why it matters
- Many owners and buyers prefer another language. In the U.S., 74.1 million people age 5 and older, 23% of the population, speak a language other than English at home, according to Census Bureau survey data reported by USAFacts.
- Today's owners are tomorrow's sellers. Every business in your territory will change hands someday, and many owners will choose the broker who can explain the process in their own language.
- Buyers come from everywhere. International investors and immigrant entrepreneurs search for businesses online, in their own language, long before they call a broker. (Casting a wider net.)
- First-time buyers need clarity. In BizBuySell's 2026 survey of small business buyers, 54% had never owned a business before. A buyer who reads the listing and the process in their own language is more likely to stay in the deal.
5 ways to make your brokerage multilingual
- Find out which languages matter in your market. Look at who owns the businesses in your territory, where your inquiries come from and which languages your buyers ask for.
- Hire or partner with brokers who speak them. George's best hire worked with buyers, sellers and key employees in their language. If you can't hire, co-broker with someone who can.
- Show your website and listings in any language. Buyers search in their own language. A website that shows listings, descriptions and contact forms in the visitor's language reaches buyers your competitors miss.
- Offer key documents in the client's language. Teasers, CIMs and summaries help clients understand the deal. For NDAs, purchase agreements and other legally binding documents, use a professional translator and have an attorney confirm which version governs.
- Market in their language, and review every translation. Emails, social posts and ads in the languages your clients speak, with a person checking financial and legal terms before anything goes out. (Email marketing.)
Translation done right: what to automate and what to check
| Content | Automatic translation | Professional review |
|---|---|---|
| Website pages and navigation | Yes | Spot-check key pages |
| Listing titles and descriptions | Yes | Review financial terms |
| Marketing emails and social posts | Yes | Review before sending |
| Teasers and CIM summaries | Yes, as a first draft | Yes |
| NDAs, LOIs and purchase agreements | No | Yes, with an attorney |
| Financial statements and tax documents | No | Yes |
Business terms also vary from country to country, even within the same language. Cash flow, goodwill, earnouts and seller financing don't always have a single equivalent, so have someone who knows both the language and the business check the words that carry money.
Free download: Multilingual Brokerage Checklist (printable PDF)
Everything you need to reach buyers and sellers in any language, on one page: how to find the languages that matter in your market, what to translate automatically and what needs a professional, the business terms to double-check, how to set up your website and marketing, and how to handle documents across languages. Download the free multilingual brokerage checklist (PDF).
How Vertica CRM helps you work in any language
- Your website in any language. Any text on your website, including text pulled from listing fields, can be automatically shown in any language, so every buyer can read your listings in the language they're most comfortable with.
- One CRM, every client. Buyers and sellers, whatever language they speak, live in the same CRM with the same automated follow-up. (15 automations that save brokers time.)
- Online NDAs and buyer registration, so the process is just as fast for every buyer. (Buyer registration in a minute.)
- Search visibility where your clients are. Vertica's website platform includes localized SEO tools that help brokers reach the communities they serve. (Vertica Sites features.)
What's changed since 2020
- Translation got much better. AI translation has improved dramatically, and Vertica CRM can now automatically show any text on a broker's website in any language.
- AI search speaks every language. Buyers ask ChatGPT and Google's AI answers questions in dozens of languages, and the brokers whose content answers them are the ones who get found. (More in our guide to AI for business brokers.)
- Specialists stand out. More brokers position themselves around an industry or a community, and language is one of the strongest specialties there is. (Should a business broker specialize?)
- Buyers are more international. Online marketplaces put every listing in front of buyers around the world, and the listings they understand are the ones they inquire about.
Reach buyers in any language with Vertica CRM
See how Vertica CRM shows your website and listings in any language, and keeps every buyer and seller on the same automated follow-up. Contact us for a short demonstration.
Schedule a Demo Questions? Call +1 212 381 4994 (USA) or +61 3 8518 4759 (Australia).Frequently asked questions
What is a multilingual business brokerage?
A brokerage that works with buyers, sellers and key employees in the languages they speak, and markets its listings in those languages. Which languages depends on the market.
Why should a business broker work in more than one language?
Because many owners and buyers prefer their own language. In the U.S., 74.1 million people, 23% of the population, speak a language other than English at home, and international buyers search for listings online in their own language.
How do I know which languages matter in my market?
Look at who owns the businesses in your territory, where your inquiries come from and which languages buyers ask for. Census data for your area and your own CRM records are good places to start.
How do I find a business broker who speaks my language?
Ask brokerage firms whether they have brokers who speak your language, search broker directories that list languages, or ask a broker you trust to co-broker with a colleague who does.
How can a brokerage become multilingual?
Find the languages that matter in your market, hire or partner with brokers who speak them, show your website and listings in those languages, offer key documents in the client's language, market in those languages and review every translation.
Is automatic translation good enough for business listings?
For website pages, listing descriptions and marketing, automatic translation is fast and usually good, especially with a quick review of financial terms. NDAs, purchase agreements and financial statements need professional translation.
Should NDAs and purchase agreements be translated?
A translation helps clients understand them, but use a professional translator and have an attorney confirm which language version is legally binding.
Which business terms are hardest to translate?
Terms that carry money, such as cash flow, seller's discretionary earnings, goodwill, earnouts and seller financing, often have no single equivalent and vary by country. Have someone who knows both the language and the business check them.
Can Vertica CRM show my website in other languages?
Yes. Any text on a Vertica CRM website, including text pulled from listing fields, can be automatically shown in any language.
Do international buyers buy small businesses?
Yes. International investors and immigrant entrepreneurs often find listings online, and a website that shows listings in their language makes them far more likely to inquire.
Is there a checklist for running a multilingual brokerage?
Yes. Vertica CRM offers a free one-page Multilingual Brokerage Checklist (PDF) covering which languages matter in your market, what to translate automatically and professionally, terms to double-check, website and marketing setup, and documents.