OUR WEBLOG: EXCERPTS OF EXPORTS

Thursday, August 02, 2007

Build Trust … Learn the Culture

I got into international business because I love to learn. I am a lover of history, having taught World History, and a linguist having taught Spanish.

I love to learn about people and cultures. And just because you know the language doesn’t mean you know the culture or can understand the accents.  (For fun click http://www.collectbritain.co.uk/collections/dialects/ to hear different dialects and accents in the UK.)

Wherever I travel, I find that my knowing about the history and culture of another country is very well received and appreciated.

I don’t think that people from other countries believe that the typical American knows about their country. From the American point of view, that is understandable since the U.S. is larger than several countries combined. And with the exception of Canada and Mexico, we are removed from other countries.

But you can’t know too much about any target market. I have been accused of being a Hispanophile, a Francophile and an Anglophile, among others. Having lived in and learned about those countries, the descriptions are appropriate and welcomed.

Knowledge goes a long way in getting comfortable with doing business abroad. And it cements relationships. Learn about them first and then you can talk about yourself.

So learn about the country where you want to do business. Don’t act like them but know them and understand them. Attend their events, especially the national sport if you really want to gain understanding. It is fun, enlightening and a step toward international business.

And do some fun things, too.

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