April 13, 2018
With today’s technology, expanding businesses internationally has never been easier. Factors such as culture, traditions, religion, etc., are just a few of the myriad of challenges that come with working with different international markets. When working with individuals from different backgrounds, negotiations can become difficult. Here are a few tips that can help you negotiate internationally successfully: Be prepared and research beforehand
Dealing with conflict, disagreements and skillfully negotiating internationally requires a lot of preparation in order to become successful. Research the country you are negotiating with and learn about their culture, social norms, language, business practices, etc. For example, some cultures prefer to get to know one another personally first before negotiating. By jumping straight into negotiation, you could lose your shot at making a great deal. Do your research and be prepared before walking into an negotiation. Know cultural cues
By not knowing different cultural cues, you might be offending someone without knowing it. Be aware of body language and gestures by researching the culture beforehand. What may be innocent in one culture, may be rude and offensive in another. For example, a thumbs up in America symbolizes a job well done. In the Middle East and Australia, however, the thumbs up, has an offensive meaning. Realize other cultures perceive time differently
Always be punctual to any meeting but also realize that time may have a different meaning to other cultures. For example, punctuality is considered a virtue to Dutch people. Showing up late without notice, could cost you the meeting. Besides being punctual to meetings, time is also important throughout the negotiation process. In Japan, for example, they see negotiation as a long-term relationship and like to take their time in a negotiation, while Americans generally negotiate quicker. Trying to push a negotiation quicker could be misinterpreted as being rude. What tips do you have when working and negotiating deals internationally? Comment below and share with us. If you are needing any translators or interpreters to help with your international negotiations, please reach out to us at [email protected], we’d love to help! Tags:
business tips,
Culture,
international business,
negotiation tactics