of the letter. You can find assistance for translations at certain service providers such as banks, freight forwarders, or commercial translators who are hired on a fee-basis. Other sources could be colleges or universities or even your own company’s translation department. If English is not your native language, using the help of translators on your side would be advised.
Most countries, including Europe, have a very formal and traditional tone and writing style, whereas U.S. letters are less formal. Keep in mind that when the tone and style of the writer differ greatly from those used by the recipient, an intended positive message could be received in a more negative way.
3.1.2 Content
If you would like to contact customers, an introduction letter is common. It is especially effective if it comes from a third party that knows the recipient and has some influence on him. This letter should be written as a letter of recommendation. The company should draft the letter to make sure it contains the necessary information. It usually starts with the profile of the firm, followed by reasons for contacting and finishes with the hope that an appointment for a meeting can be made. In the profile, details may be included, for example the number of employees, products, references, and in some cases C.I.F. prices in U.S. dollars at the nearest port to the recipient. If you want to include more details, particularly technical ones, do this with an attachment.
3.1.3 Reactions to your first letter
After the first letter has been sent, you should remember that failure to answer does not always mean a lack of interest. In some countries it might take a long time to receive an answer because they have a lot more problems with communication, transportation, etc. Having received an answer, it is again your turn to reply promptly, completely, and clearly, even if it is a rejection.
3.2 Making an appointment
After you have successfully introduced yourself and your company, you will start planning an appointment. Although the telecommunication revolution permits quick correspondence with business partners and enables you to stay in constant touch, as mentioned above personal contact is absolutely necessary to build a good relationship. When making appointments the following should be considered.
4 Getting prepared for the first visit
It is highly recommended to visit prospective business partners in order to make personal contacts and build trust. Like in domestic business, face-to-face meetings with partners are the best form of business contact. By traveling abroad, you can also examine the markets where you are considering selling your products, and your company can familiarize itself with the foreign culture. This might impact the design and advertising of a product. Moreover, additional new partners can be located and communication with existing business partners can be improved.
It is not uncommon for this initial trip to result in no finalized business and little chance of closing sales in the future. However, the expenses incurred for such a trip are well worth the money since further steps cannot be taken without this initial trip.
4.1 Learn about the laws and regulations
As in every country, the government influences foreign business by its own laws and regulations. It is crucial to be knowledgeable of the limitations in a country before visiting. For instance, in a centralized economy, direct contacts to companies are difficult, as the decision making is centralized. Initial contact is made via intermediaries (foreign trade organizations or foreign trade corporations) who evaluate the commercial aspects of a potential import like price, payment terms, quality, etc. Before contacting a company it is very important to find out how much authority it has.
A business trip can be turned into a major success for your company if it is well prepared. For example, general knowledge of the country and business practices researched ahead of time will not only facilitate the visit, but a good impression of your company will be left behind. Research material is available for every country (e.g. at embassies or in the Internet), so there is no excuse for entering international business unprepared. In general, flexibility and cultural sensitivity should be the guiding principles for traveling abroad on business. More detailed information for various countries on social etiquette and business practices will be covered later in this book.
4.2 Prior scheduling
Appointments need to be scheduled before traveling to the country. It is not advisable to try to get an appointment after you have already arrived in the country. Even if the right people are available, which is unlikely, they prefer appointments. Once you have sent your introduction letter, you can ask for an appointment in another letter. Try to follow up this letter and get in touch with a secretary to remind her of the letter and to ask for an appointment.
4.3 Meeting the right person
When asking for an appointment, you have to know whom you would like to meet. Too often, a visit is wasted because the counterpart does not have enough responsibility to make decisions. In general, compare the contact company with your own one. Get to know the hierarchy of the company and choose the highest manager possible. However, beware that there is a problem with going too high. The problem of going too high is that the highest managers have the power to make an early rejection, which cannot be changed later.
Many countries are very status-conscious even for first appointments, which means that all participants of a meeting should have the same status. It would be an offense to send someone beneath the counterpart’s position, as that would mean that the meeting is not very important.
In some countries, especially in Asia, an intermediary may be necessary for a successful contact. One possibility is to hire a contact from your industry to introduce you. The contact adds credibility and security to the first meeting and the right contact may even be all that you need for a positive outcome.
5 Travel preparation
A successful business trip requires months of planning. Start planning your trip at least one month in advance. It is never too early to reserve flights and hotels. The reservations can always be changed. Otherwise you might be in a situation where you have arranged all your meetings abroad and then cannot get a flight. As you plan your business trip, you have to consider the following:
5.1 Planning the itinerary
Travel plans should reflect goals and priorities. What does your company want you to achieve with that trip or project?
Pay attention to local holidays and work hours. For example, in some countries, Fridays are non-working days, and everything may close down during “siesta” time. Not having this information could mean time wasted by planning poorly.
Try to plan meetings with several business partners to make the trip more cost efficient. Arrange two or three meetings a day and try to vary them, for example one breakfast meeting, one meeting in the office etc.
Before you start planning various meetings, look at a good map of the area and check how much time will be needed to get from one point to the other in order to plan your meetings efficiently. The meetings should be arranged in a way that does not keep you “zigzagging” around the country. You should also find out if good public transport facilities are available and check transportation schedules. If possible, you can arrange transport in advance.
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