Communicate Better with Clients from Foreign Cultures

Should female professionals (married or single) invite male clients to lunch? "Of course," most Americans would say. But that's not necessarily so obvious in other cultures...

Exactly two weeks ago I was pondering this while driving to the Caracas airport--fresh from speaking to some Venezuelan professionals about how to develop more clients. A lot of women in the audience had asked me, "Is is appropriate for me to invite a male client to lunch--or will that be misinterpreted?" The answer? It really depends on the business culture in which you're operating.

Sometimes the answer is crystal clear--like in Saudi Arabia, where women can't drive, much less invite male clients to lunch. Other times, it's less clear. There can be "unwritten rules", and social taboos at play. So, before working with clients abroad, research the other cultures' values, customs and expectations. Even if you just want to do business in the US with clients from other cultures--you still need to do your
cross-cultural homework.

There are lots of good books on business customs around the world, like Roger Axtell's many hilarious books in his "Do's and Taboos" series. Googling terms like "doing business in [insert country name]" will pull up helpful information about local business customs.

Pay attention to issues about business communication. For starters, note the forms of greeting (such as a bow in Japan; a "kiss" in many Latin countries; and right-handed only handshake in most Muslim countries (do not extend your left hand, which is considered unclean)). Also research negotiation and business communication patterns, which will vary. For example, business in many Latin American countries is very "relationship oriented", so expect a longer lead time when developing new clients. (In the US, we usually move faster--we might hire someone that we really like, as soon as we've checked out his/her credentials and references.)

For hard data (facts and figures) about foreign countries, like their population and economic stats, go to the US State Department's website, the CIA's website, and websites maintained by the countries themselves.

Success at international business takes extra effort--but in today's global market, developing clients abroad can be exciting AND really boost business returns.