Tips for
doing business with different countries
和不同国家做生意的技巧
Are you shaking hands
firmly?
China is the biggest market in
the world, and many countries such as Germany, the USA, the UK and
Russia do a lot of business there. Let’s have a look at some
important tips to help you be successful with these
nationalities.
Firstly, you must be punctual
with Germans. Even 5 minutes late makes a bad impression. Being
punctual is also very important in the USA. In the UK, it’s
important to be punctual for business meetings, but nobody expects
you to be on time for a social event. Half past seven really means
quarter to eight, or even eight o’clock! With Russians, always be
on time, but don’t be surprised if your Russian contact is very
late! It is not unusual for them to be one or even two hours
late!
In all four
countries, it is best to dress formally and use dark colours. In
Russia, designer clothes are very common. Don’t be surprised if
you go to an office in the UK on a Friday and find everyone wearing
jeans. Many companies have ‘dress down Friday’, when people wear
casual clothes.
In Germany,
first names are only used with family members and close friends, so
be prepared to use titles and last names. In the USA you will
usually be invited to use first names almost immediately. The
British are quite informal and using first names in business is
more and more common, especially among younger people. In Russia,
however, nobody uses first names, so use titles and last
names.
In conversation, the British
and the Americans value humour, and both like to talk about sport.
The weather is also a good topic of conversation with the British,
but avoid talking about politics. In Russia, say positive things
about their country, but avoid making complaints. The Germans,
however, prefer to get straight down to business!
Finally,
when doing business in all countries make sure you have a lot of
business cards. Remember that in Germany, once a deal has been
agreed, you can’t change it! In the USA, money is more important
than relationships, whereas in Russia it’s important to get to
know your contact well. Finally, don’t be surprised if a British
meeting seems like chaos, with everybody participating and giving
opinions!
So, use
these tips, and you will be on your way to a successful
international business career!
GLOSSARY
词汇表
market 市场
punctual 准时的
contact 联系；联系人
designer clothes 名牌服装
titles 职称；官衔
humour 幽默
complaints 抱怨
business cards 商（业）务名片
chaos 混乱
tips 技巧
makes a bad impression 留下不佳印象
formally 正式的
casual 休闲的
informal 随便的；非正式的
avoid 回避
get straight down to business 开门见山谈生意
deal 合同
career
事业
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