ENGLISH LANGUAGE SERVICE FOR RUSSIA

According to a recent survey, an average of one in eight visitors to a Russian site are English speaking foreigners (living in Russia), this increases to one in five for worldwide visitors. Unfortunately, as most of these sites only offer their service in Russian, conversion rates are extremely low (number of sales from visits obtained), and an opportunity to obtain an additional source of income is lost.

The survey also reveals that 83 percent of English speaking foreigners in Russia use the internet to search for the product or service they require, stressing the importance of getting your business noticed on the internet. However, from those questioned, only 7 percent said they were able to obtain the information they needed without any problem, the remainder listed a number of faults, such as: No English speakers (even though the site indicated there would be), staff with very limited English capabilities (who were unable to fully understand their requests), being transferred to numerous departments in an attempt to find an English speaker (and usually disconnected without explanation when this failed), or simply having someone hang up as soon as they realized it was a foreigner calling.

Some of the most popular searches by foreigners included: DVDs and Videos in their original language, Entertainment Clubs, Sports facilities, Health Centers, Computer repair services, Computer sales (including hardware and software), Electronic and Electrical goods, Banking, Moving services, Dry Cleaning, Fast internet connections, Legal advice, Medical services, Taxis, Travel agents, Apartment rental, Restaurants, food delivery (Pizzas etc.), Security systems, Mobile phones, Hotels, Visa services, Adult interests and others.

As the number of potential English speaking customers (foreigners who speak English as a first or second language) might only provide a small percentage of your overall income, it may not be practical to employ a full-time English speaker to obtain this business. However, the telephone "Hotline" option may provide a good solution to this problem.

There are of course a number of Russian sites that provide information in English, but these frequently contain grammatical errors, spelling mistakes and incorrect usage of vocabulary. Unless you are offering a unique service or product, such errors can easily give the impression that your service may also lack the same attention to detail and encourage potential customers to look elsewhere (you would probably do the same if placed in a similar position). Having your English proof read, or written by a Native speaker, is always a worthwhile investment.

Advertising on the internet has a distinct advantage over more traditional methods (like Newspapers, Radio and Television for example), in that you can target the visitors you want more directly. By using the right combination of "keywords" and "optimizing" your advert, you will attract visitors that have a real interest in what you have to offer, rather than spending a huge amount of money on an advert that will be seen by many, but be of interest to very few. In most cases an "optimized" advert (that is viewed by less people) usually obtains much better results and more sales.

In addition to providing the services already mentioned, we can also offer English lessons to you and your staff (at a location that is convenient to you). These are provided by Native English speakers (for those who already have an intermediate level), and by Russian teachers for pre-intermediate students and beginners. In the very near future we will be offering this very same service via internet (virtual teaching), which will enable students to obtain lessons in the comfort of their own homes (providing they have a fast internet connection).

Please check out the rest of our services in the column on the right. If you require further information, or have a special request, please send us an email at englishservice@profindsearch.com. To avoid having your email treated as spam, please place the following words in the subject area "English Language enquiry", and we will respond as quickly as possible.