← Smartling
Smartling role-play cheat sheet
For the mock cold call at the end of most SDR interviews.
What they sell, in one line
Smartling is an AI-powered platform that translates and localizes a company's content for customers in other languages.
Who you'd be calling
Localization managers, heads of international/global content, marketing and product leaders at large global brands
Your opener
“Hi, it's [Name] from Smartling. I'm calling because teams that sell in several countries often struggle to keep translated content fast and consistent. How do you handle translation today?”
Problems you solve for them
- Translation is slow and delays launches in new markets
- Translation costs add up and quality is inconsistent across languages
- Content lives in many tools and is hard to keep in sync
Discovery questions to ask
- Which languages or markets do you publish content in today?
- How does content get translated now, and how long does it take?
- What happens when you need to launch something fast in a new market?
Objections they'll throw at you
“I'm busy right now.”
→ Of course, I'll be brief. Is there a better time this week for a quick 10-minute call?
“We're not interested.”
→ Fair enough. Out of curiosity, is translation speed or cost ever a headache for your team?
“We already have a translation vendor or tool.”
→ Makes sense, lots of teams do. How well does it connect to your content systems, and would it help to compare?
“Just send me an email.”
→ Happy to. Who else on your team handles localization, so I can include the right person?
Competitors worth knowing
Lilt, Phrase, Lokalise, RWS, TransPerfect
Interview tips for this company
- Learn the words localization, translation memory and machine translation, and explain each in plain English.
- Remember the buyer is often a localization or marketing leader at a big company, so be polite and well researched.
- Prepare to say how AI changes translation without overpromising.
Written from public information about Smartling to help you practice. Ask an insider what their role play looked like; it's the best prep there is.