How To Address Cultural Differences In Expectations
November 24, 2008 by 
cindy
In previous articles on CindyKing.biz I looked at how different cultures have different expectations.
Where Expectations Can Be Different
Different cultural expectations can crop up in many different areas when dealing with international clients:
- General business process
- The information you need to give them
- The time they need this information
- The way they want this information delivered
- How price is given
- Who should speak to them
- Where you should communicate to make the sale
- When it is appropriate to discuss the sale
When you look at the list above, it is easy to understand how these differences in expectations can severely slow down your international sales cycles even in the best of situations.
There are many situations where your client’s expectations can be different from your own. It is very easy to not fully address the needs of your international clients.
So what can you do?
Verify You Are On The Same Track
When you are just beginning international sales you need to establish the different stage where you need to get confirmation from your international client that you are fulfilling his expectations.
The easiest way to do this is to make sure you are of the same understanding. As you get confirmation you can also evaluate and confirm whether you are meeting his expectations.
Now, this does not mean you should ask your international client whether you both understand the same thing from each sentence. This would quickly become annoying.
Identify Your Sales Process
Think about your sales process strategically.
- What are the logical steps in your sales process?
- What are the objectives for each of these steps?
- What do you need to know from your client?
- What does your client need to know at each of these steps?
- Both from your point of view and from his point of view?
Create An International Sales Guide
Once you have a very clear picture of each of these steps you will know when you need to ensure confirmation from your international clients.
There is an added bonus with synchronizing your sales process with your questions to confirm you are meeting your clients expectations:
- The next logical step is to create a country specific International Sales Guide
Many companies use Sales Guides, Sales Battle Cards or Sales Cheat Sheets. This is an effective tool for your sales team.
A Sales Guide is:
- Usually a very short document, it can even be on a single page.
- Gives your sales team all of the best sales arguments for each of your products and by market.
- Provides the main differences, good points and bad points, between your products and the competition… and also gives the best way to approach them.
An International Sales Guide is a valuable tool for your international business development.
- It gives you a tool to use as you adapt your marketing and sales to your new international markets.
- You can use the process of creating your International Sales Guide as a part of your international business accountability process.
- A well developed International Sales Guide gives your company a tool that brings everyone on board in using the best international sales tactics for your business.
If you need help in establishing your International Sales Guide email me at cindy@cindyking.biz
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This is part of the Core Business Guide 7 Run Your International Sales Strategy Be sure to check out the other elements you need to run your international sales strategy |
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Protected: Mind Map - How To Build Your Cross-Cultural Communication
November 14, 2008 by cindy
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Avoid Cultural Assumptions
November 13, 2008 by cindy
Assumptions are the source of many cultural blunders.
If you enter international business with wrong assumptions, and you do not correct them, then you have little chance of success.
If you make a wrong assumption during an international sales call, you can lose the sale.
Wrong assumptions lead to poor cross-cultural communication. They slow down your international sales process, and can even jeopardize your success.
The problem is that it is easy, almost natural, to make assumptions when you first begin international sales. It takes time get to know different cultures and to adapt your sales process. And before you learn to adapt your sales process, it is easy to make assumptions.
There are a few ways where assumptions seem to pop up more than others.
Lack Of Effort
If this is your first experience of international sales, you may not realize how important it is to get to know your new foreign markets. You need to adapt your business tactics to different cultures.
A lack of effort in getting to know who your international clients are leads you into all sorts of wrong assumptions. And your chances of making many international sales go slowly down the drain.
The difficulty is that we may not even know that our assumptions are misleading us.
False Perceptions
A more covert form of miscommunication pops up when we allow our own cultural perceptions to give reason to our assumptions.
When we base assumptions on our own perceptions meaningful communication is impossible.
The trouble starts here starts within ourselves. We perceive things, but interpret them wrongly.
Cultural Generalizations
Assumptions can also pop up due to accepted cultural generalizations.
We usually acquire these generalizations from our environment.
Avoid Cultural Assumptions
So, how can you avoid falling into the trap?
The easiest way to:
- First, refrain from reacting emotionally
- Then, get curious
- Turn to your international prospect, client or market
- Ask questions
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This is part of the Get International Clients Business Guide 5 Connect With Your International Markets Be sure to check out the other useful tips to connect with your international markets. |
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Cultural Perceptions Of Voice
November 12, 2008 by cindy
Differences in cultural perceptions are numerous. If you are in international sales, there are a variety of perceptions that may change when you start selling to different cultures.
Today, let’s look at the…
Sounds Of Languages
Volume
There are cultural differences in acceptable volumes. Some cultures seem to only speak loud enough for others to hear them. While in other cultures it is good to turn up the volume.
Intonation or pitch
Intonation is when we speak in a high or low pitch. Some cultures use a wider variety of intonations in their speech.
There are also cultural differences in perception here. If you are not used to lots of intonations in speech, how would you react to someone who does this naturally?
Another example: A man with a high pitched voice come across differently in different cultures.
Stress or emphasis
Different languages put different emphasis on different parts of words and sentences.
For example, in English we put extra emphasis on important words when we speak.
So what happens when a non-native English speaker emphasizes English words differently. This can come across as strange and influence your perception of this communication.
Pace or speed
Do you notice how some languages seem to go faster than others? Now, can you think of any languages that seem to go slow?
And what about the length of silences in a conversation? There are also differences in cultural perception here too. Some people get uncomfortable sooner than others with silence in a conversation.
Flow of words
This is a hard one to describe if you have not heard many foreign languages. There are languages where it is hard to identify the words. The words seem to melt together rather than merge.
Now when someone speaks English as a second language and tries to flow the words together a bit too fast, what is your perception?
Objectivity In Cross-Cultural Communication
All of the above differences are interesting to notice. But, as an international sales professional, there is little you can do about it.
Of course, you will always try to speak clearly with international clients, but even if you forget to do this, incomprehension on the other side, will make you slow down and take the time to speak well.
But, what about your own reactions? Are you aware of how your own perceptions to the cultural differences you pick up from your international clients? Does this influence your own communication?
The best line of action is to remain objective and tolerant to the differences you notice. And if you think you should react to any differences in the elements above, at least wait long enough to make an more intellectual evaluation.
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This is part of the Get International Clients Business Guide 5 Connect With Your International Markets Be sure to check out the other useful tips to connect with your international markets. |
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Easy Steps Towards Cross-Cultural Empathy
November 7, 2008 by cindy
Empathy with foreign clients can improve your cross-cultural communication and increase your chances of more international sales. So, let’s have a closer look at empathy.
What is empathy?
Empathy is the capacity of putting yourself in another person’s position and understanding his point of view.
Empathy is a key element of good cross-cultural communication.
First, let’s look at what empathy is not…
Empathy Versus Sympathy
Empathy is sometimes compared to sympathy.
But, there is a difference between the two. And from an international business perspective, in my opinion empathy does not have many similarities sympathy.
Empathy is about seeing the differences and understanding the other person, his situation, how he thinks, and how he reacts.
In business situations you usually empathize with someone without sympathy.
And this helps you to create stronger business relationships with international clients.
Objectivity In Cross Cultural Empathy
What happens when you have trouble finding empathy for your international clients?
Well, the reason why people encounter difficulties in understanding foreign markets is often linked to cross-cultural barriers.
In international sales, cross-cultural communication can bring in instant barriers making it difficult to empathize.
The problem occurs when your own cultural responses rush to the front. This is when you lose your objectivity.
To empathize with different cultures you need to make sure you do not have any of your own cultural filters blocking your cross-cultural connection. And if you are still having trouble working towards empathy, simply:
- Shift your mindset towards more objectivity - this is usually all you need.
Curiosity Leads To Understanding
Once you mind is open to understanding different cultures, it is easy to move along the path towards finding empathy with your international clients.
And what do you need to do to find empathy?
- Simply be curious
- Ask questions, lots of questions
- Keep your objectivity, so you can dig deeper until you truly understand what makes your international client tick.
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This is part of the Get International Clients Business Guide 5 Connect With Your International Markets Be sure to check out the other useful tips to connect with your international markets. |
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Prequel To Empathy
November 5, 2008 by cindy
Good cross-cultural communicators usually have a good store of empathy up their sleeves.
What is empathy?
Empathy is the capacity of putting yourself in the other person’s shoes and understanding his point of view.
This is why empathy is often an element of good cross-cultural communication.
Now some people appear to be more capable of empathy than others, especially when it is empathy for people from different cultures.
Curiosity Opens Understanding
This leads to the question:
- How can you improve your capacity of understanding different cultures?
Well, obviously curiosity plays a role. Empathy is understanding other people. In order to understand different people you need curiosity.
- Curious about what they think differently. How they think. Why they think differently.
- Curious about why they do things differently. How they do things. Why they do things differently.
Questions Lead To Understanding
Let’s take this one step further.
Curiosity means asking questions:
- Asking questions directly to the person concerned.
- Questions to other people around you.
- And many more questions to yourself.
When you ask questions, you look for answers.
When you ask a series of questions you are looking for answers to tell a story.
With a series of questions you can find the answers that will help you to understand.
And if you continually ask questions this will even help you understand a different culture.
Questions, Curiosity And Empathy
Your international success can start simply with questions. Questions and curiosity in cross-cultural communication develops empathy with your international markets.
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This is part of the Get International Clients Business Guide 5 Connect With Your International Markets Be sure to check out the other useful tips to connect with your international markets. |
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Your International Mindset
October 23, 2008 by cindy
Successful international business development is a question of mindset. Yes, there are also many other key components too. Such as:
- Identifying the right product to sell abroad
- Choosing the right market
- How you position your product in that new market
- The marketing you use
- Your communication
- How you adjust to your new market needs
Your mindset influences each of these steps. And your international success depends on your mindset
Your International Mindset
Your international mindset is the foundation on which you can build your international business development. Your mindset fuels the actions you take.
This is why the right international mindset takes you farther. It has a direct impact on your international success.
When you begin the process of acquiring an international mindset you will make progress.
How To Adjust Your Mindset
And, when you first start to develop international markets most people need to adjust their mindset. You need to open your mindset to:
- Curiosity
- Flexibility
- Change
- Different logic and thought processes
- Different ways of doing things
- A quest of understanding
- Put aside your own personal prejudices long enough to see “reality” from another culture’s perspective.
This last one is often the most difficult. And this is why it usually takes a little time to acquire an international mindset.
Not Easy For Everyone
Another interesting thing to factor into your international business development…
Different people can struggle differently with adjusting their mindset. And even if they come from the same culture.
- Some people will do this so naturally that it is almost unnoticeable. This is a question of personality, upbringing, environment. A general openness to personal change.
- Most people will experience a shift in mindset as they start taking action. They respond and learn as their world touches a different world, a different culture.
- And there are some people that will resist a change in mindset… This is also a question of personality, upbringing, environment, culture and a general rigidity to personal change. These people will usually blame others for their lack of success. Or they might think that their reality is everyone’s reality too. If they are lucky, they will later wonder why they are not making any progress, and they might progress to make the shift in mindset.
I often notice how the different cultural behavior scales seem to influence the speed and capacity of acquiring an international mindset.
Looking at these scales has a certain appeal.
But, remember, cultural generalizations can lead you down the wrong path.
The process of international business development can be put on paper. It is a strategy. It is actionable. It is easy to put in place once you know what to do.
What can be more difficult than this? The difficulty is in:
- Acquiring an international mindset.
Mindsets Are Challenged Today
But international businesses today have their mindsets challenged on several fronts. Let’s look at some examples.
First…
A marketing mindset is required for online success. The technically minded web professionals need to acquire a marketing mindset for success. There is no way around it.
Second…
The social web is a new mindset. There are those that are active in social media who do not get it and they stick out like a sore thumb. When new comers take the time to identify the right mindset, and adopt it, they become successful in social media.
Adapt To Different Environments
So how do you adapt your mindset?
It comes down to:
- Get to know the different environments you interact with.
- Understand the people in these environments.
- Understand the conversation going on in these environments.
- Adjust your own conversation and style of communication to fit in with this new environment.
And this involves your personal conversation. Your personal communication in this environment.
That is why it is difficult to adjust your mindset. It requires an openness and a personal commitment to change.
Mindset In Business
Following a set of actions and going through a process is easier for a business than adjusting individual mindsets.
And why does a business need to question the mindset of the people involved in their international business development?
Because if you do not have the right mindset, you cannot develop a strategy that works. Your whole international business development strategy could:
- Take you longer
- Cost you more
- Or be wrong
International Business System Develops Your Mindset Too
This is why I developed the 8-step International Sales Road Map here on Get International Clients. It is designed to help you acquire the right international mindset while taking action to get more international clients.
- Get International Clients is a business directory with how-to and strategy articles that feed your international mindset.
- The Get International Clients weekly newsletter is an International Sales Action Guide that also helps you acquire your international mindset.
This 8-Step International Sales Road Map is for businesses committed to:
- International business expansion
- Real communication with foreign markets
- The use of international web marketing
- International business opportunities
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This is part of the Get International Clients Business Guide 1 Discover Your International Business Be sure to check out the other useful tips to discover your international business. |
| 2.9 |
Cultural Differences In Standard Work Schedules
October 6, 2008 by cindy
When conducting international business you need to be aware of cultural differences in how business is carried out in other countries. One of the first things you should not overlook is that some cultures have a different definition for their standard work week. Unfortunately, it is not that simple. The differences in standard work weeks are varied. There are two advantages to reading further:
- You can easily annoy prospective clients by not respecting their standard work schedules.
- You can get more value out of adjusting the time, or day, or even the week you choose to communicate with your foreign clients.
Different Days Of The Week
Some countries do not have the same work week. Monday through Friday is common in English speaking countries. In Muslim-majority countries the legal work week in the Middle East is not the same as many other countries.
- It is Saturday through Wednesday in Algeria and Saudi Arabia, so their weekend is Thursday and Friday.
- It is Saturday through Thursday in Iran so their weekend is Friday (however, many government offices and private companies are closed on Thursdays)
- It is Sunday through Thursday in Egypt, Syria, United Arab Emirates so their weekend is Friday Saturday
Shorter Work Week
Fridays are not always a good time to schedule international telephone conferences. In some countries employees traditionally work an hour or a half day less on Fridays. The time difference between participants can create bad feelings, or low attendance. The American state of Utah , state employees started following a “TGIT” experiment earlier this year. As in: “Thank God It’s Thursday.” In a yearlong experiment aimed at reducing the state’s energy costs and commuters’ gasoline expenses, Utah is about to become the first state to switch to a four-day workweek for thousands of government employees. They will put in 10-hour days, Monday through Thursday, and have Fridays off, freeing them to golf, shop, spend time with the kids or do anything else that strikes their fancy. They will get paid the same as before.
Government Employees And Local Customs
The example above is about state employees. In many countries government employees work slightly different work weeks compared to people in the business sectors. And the professional categories of “government employees” is not the same in every country. Some countries have very strict laws about working on the weekend, where everything is closed.
Lighter Work Months
And don’t forget cultural differences on when people traditionally take their annual vacations. In France many people take their annual vacation in August. In a not so distant past, business in Paris was considered as coming to a total standstill in August every year. Although this is not 100% true across all industries today, you still need to factor this in. And driving in Paris in August is still different than the rest of the year. And there are also countries where the work schedule is influenced by religious events over several weeks in a year.
Develop Your Basic International Skills
Of course the list above can be useful. But do not rely solely on this list, or any other list you may find, when planning your calendars. It is always best to ask the people concerned yourself. In fact, the key to this article is something else. It is important to develop your international awareness to different lifestyles and different business environments.
Imagine if you want to develop your client relationships with someone whose weekend is different than yours.
- How would he feel if you called him on his weekend?
- How would he feel if you called him during his work week, but it was your weekend?
You can symbolically meet your client on his ground, by going out of your way to call him on his day at work and your day off.
Many delays happen in international business development simply because business are unaware of the local work week schedule. Imagine if you need something important from someone minutes before the end of his work week or the beginning of his month long vacation?
- Is it a good idea to schedule an important cold call on September 1st to someone who has probably been out of the office most of August or who is trying to catch up with colleagues for the first time in a month?
As you become familiar with different work habits you will begin to acquire basic international business skills. Respect for differences in standard work schedules is one of the first steps. This respect also leads to maintaining an open mind and the flexibility to deal with different business environments.
More From Cindy
Interested in reading more on my personal opinions and experiences with cultural communication and international sales?
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Read the whole story
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This is part of the Get International Clients Business Guide 5 Connect With Your International Markets Be sure to check out the other useful tips to connect with your international markets. |
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Need to see where this fits in?
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| 2.9 |
When International Phone Negotiations Go Bad
October 3, 2008 by cindy
Cross-cultural communication blunders happen. They are part of doing international business. Fortunately it is easy to improve cross-cultural communication skills through practice.
And one of the first skills you will probably get to practice first is your international phone negotiation skills.
When a cross-cultural communication blunder happens, phones are often faster to reach for than an airplane.
Emails have their place. But if you are handling a cross-cultural communication crisis don’t start with an email. It is usually also best to avoid the one line email to schedule a phone call.
You just pick up the phone.
But, if you need to navigate through a crisis situation…
…and, even if it appears to small from your point of view…
Here are a few things you need to think through first, before you actually pick up that phone.
Prepare This Next Call
Get all the information you can on what happened.
Find out everything your company has communicated to your international prospect or client.
Everything.
You need to see what your international prospect went through. You need to understand his point of view. Why is there a problem or an issue? …from his point of view.
Set The Parameters
Then, just like you would do before any negotiation, you need to set the parameters for your call.
What You Want
- What do you want to get out of the call?
- what are your minimum requirements?
- What is your ideal outcome?
- What can you accept?
What They Want
- What does your prospect want?
- What does he really want?
- You need to find the key to your continued relationship.
The Real Reason Why You Are Blocked
- Is there one?
- Is there a real reason why your communication got blocked in the first place?
- Is there more than just cross-cultural communication difficulties?
- What could any communication difficulties be covering up?
Choose Your Speaker
Now, give a few minutes thought.
- Can the original player call back?
- Should he?
- Should someone else be called in to call back?
With experience and good team work you will find the right answers to these questions.
If the situation is very difficult the person you choose to have call back can both make or break the outcome of this call.
Now Call Back
Do not let too much time go by between the communication incident and your calling back.
Yes, some people need to cool down.
But in cross-cultural communication it is not always a good idea to let someone simmer in miscommunication.
Yes, you will need to call on all of your communication skills here.
Remember clarity and consistency?
Keep these two things in mind. Be sure your communication throughout this call is always clear and consistent.
This is why you need to remain concentrated and focused on your conversation.
Here are some extra tips to keep in mind when calling back:
Smooth Navigation
You do need to address the incident that caused the crisis in the first place. But you must quickly identify the reason behind the barrier.
Once you identify the reason for the communication crisis, you need to address it while moving forward.
Remember the parameters you outlined in your preparation?
Well you need to lay out these parameters as soon as you can during your call.
Give your prospect a reason to continue to build a relationship with you.
Most people will recognize their own part if there is an element of cross-cultural miscommunication. Even if they may not admit to it.
Identify options
During your call you need to be mentally agile.
This is because during the call itself you will have to evaluate the best options for you and lead in that direction:
- Can this crisis be resolved in 2 or 3 more steps by phone and email by yourself or other team players?
- Does this crisis need a face-to-face meeting
- Who are the best players?
Nurture Good Relationships
One word about whether you should or should not call the same person involved in the original miscommunication. Some people think they can resolve problems by contacting a person above. For example, your boss calling his boss. Wait a moment. This can be too much, too soon.
The only situation where this might be an option, at this stage, is if the two people involved already have a personal relationship. And if your company had such connections before, why didn’t you use them first?
In my experience it is always best to call the person involved if you think their may be an issue somewhere, and when you know there is one.
- Cultures react differently
- Your big crisis could be something minor on the other side.
- Your minor issue may be something huge the other side.
If you want to create good business relationships between two companies, it is best to cultivate good feelings throughout all relationships.
A simple phone call usually nurtures relationships.
This is part of the…
Cross-Cultural Negotiation Business Guide
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Cross-Cultural Negotiation Guide• Would you like an easy guide to keep you away from the big first time blunders? |
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Guide 7 - Run With Your International Sales Strategy• Do you need help setting up your international sales strategy? |
| 2.9 |
Phone Negotiations
October 2, 2008 by cindy
Twenty years ago, when I first started in the world of international sales negotiations in business-to-business, it seemed that all of my colleagues would seize the slightest opportunity to jump on a plane. This was always true for the men around me. And not always true for the women.
Differences In Phone Skills
Women seemed to evaluate the whole negotiation process from a different point of view. And this had nothing to do with children to look after.
I could say that women seemed to have a more balanced approach. But I won’t.
Because…
What I really noticed was an apparent masculine need to immediately organize a face-to-face meeting and jump on a plane.
…a little bit like how men liked to control the television remote control in those days.
This does make me wonder whether women are better at carrying out negotiations over the phone or not.
When I was in international sales, I personally did not jump on the plane at every opportunity. I enjoyed playing with all of the different steps in international sales negotiations. And getting as much as I could out of each step.
Very early on I honed my telephone communication skills to include telephone negotiation skills.
But, I have to confess, I did have a head start. I had already acquired a good level of cross-cultural communication skills by the time I started international sales negotiations.
Similarities With Face-To-Face Negotiations
Of course, just like face-to-face negotiations you need to be fully prepared.
This is critical for all cross-cultural negotiations. If you wing it and get what you wanted out of the negotiation, you were lucky… or did not aim very high.
Keys To Good Phone Negotiations
One of the things I got very good at was interpreting what was not said. And how things were said. I actually enjoyed phone negotiations with international clients…
Because I concentrated fully on what was said, how it was said, and what was not said.
Another very important point is you need to identify the key points that will make your client sign. If you do not get this right you will not get results over the phone. And you will not have the time to maneuver out of any difficult spots. In other words, you can easily blow it.
And, if you do blow it over the phone. Don’t panic. Good strategy will get you out of the mess.
People have often turned to me to help them get out of these situations. More on that in another article…
Advantages Of Phone
There was one very big advantage to sales negotiations done by phone…
It was easy to create solid international relationships. There were less cultural differences to deal with and adjust to… this goes both ways.
As a woman, you need to adjust your communication for certain cultures to the fact that you are a woman.
When Phone Negotiations Are Suitable
Of course, phone negotiations can only go so far.
It is all about building relationships…
And there will always be times when you need face-to-face contact.
But there are many times I found it much more effective to take full advantage of the phone.
Phone negotiations produced faster signed contracts. And I also got them faster than my male counterparts who could only schedule so many clients into their trips.
On two different occasions I had a backlog of qualified leads to follow up with, I cannot remember the number of leads involved - there were dozens and dozens if not over a hundred.
But I do remember the total value.
Over $10 million on each occasion.
Flying around to meet everyone was not physically possible.
So, what did I do? Used the phone.
Six months later over 95% of the qualified leads were signed deals. And the others followed before the end of the year…
All by phone.
Once you have had a face-to-face meeting you can usually follow up extensively by phone.
Not For Everyone
You need a combination of skills to get good at phone negotiations for international business-to-business sales:
- Cross-cultural communication skills
- The ability to build relationships over the phone
- Good sales and marketing preparation
Of course, just like many cross-cultural communication skills, you can learn much more if you have the opportunity to practice.
If you have good phone skills for your domestic market, it is well worth investing a little time to practice phone negotiations in international markets.
This is part of the…
Cross-Cultural Negotiation Business Guide
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Cross-Cultural Negotiation Guide• Would you like an easy guide to keep you away from the big first time blunders? |
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Guide 7 - Run With Your International Sales Strategy• Do you need help setting up your international sales strategy? |
| 2.9 |
