Doing Business 做生意

Are you shaking hands firmly?

China is the biggest market in the world, and many countries such as Germany, the USA, the UK and Russia do a lot of business there. Let’s have a look at some important tips to help you be successful with these nationalities.

Firstly, you must be punctual with Germans. Even 5 minutes late makes a bad impression. Being punctual is also very important in the USA. In the UK, it’s important to be punctual for business meetings, but nobody expects you to be on time for a social event. Half past seven really means quarter to eight, or even eight o’clock! With Russians, always be on time, but don’t be surprised if your Russian contact is very late! It is not unusual for them to be one or even two hours late!

In all four countries, it is best to dress formally and use dark colours. In Russia, designer clothes are very common. Don’t be surprised if you go to an office in the UK on a Friday and find everyone wearing jeans. Many companies have ‘dress down Friday’, when people wear casual clothes.

In Germany, first names are only used with family members and close friends, so be prepared to use titles and last names. In the USA you will usually be invited to use first names almost immediately. The British are quite informal and using first names in business is more and more common, especially among younger people. In Russia, however, nobody uses first names, so use titles and last names.

In conversation, the British and the Americans value humour, and both like to talk about sport. The weather is also a good topic of conversation with the British, but avoid talking about politics. In Russia, say positive things about their country, but avoid making complaints. The Germans, however, prefer to get straight down to business!

Finally, when doing business in all countries make sure you have a lot of business cards. Remember that in Germany, once a deal has been agreed, you can’t change it! In the USA, money is more important than relationships, whereas in Russia it’s important to get to know your contact well. Finally, don’t be surprised if a British meeting seems like chaos, with everybody participating and giving opinions!

So, use these tips, and you will be on your way to a successful international business career!

GLOSSARY 詞匯表 (收聽發(fā)音, 請單擊英語單詞)

market 市場
tips 技巧

punctual 準時的 makes a bad impression 留下不佳印象

contact 聯(lián)系；聯(lián)系人 formally 正式的

designer clothes 名牌服裝 casual 休閑的

titiles 職稱；官銜 informal 隨便的；非正式的

humour 幽默
avoid 回避

complaints 抱怨 get straight down to business 開門見山談生意

business cards 商（業(yè)）務名片 deal 合同

chaos 混亂 career 事業(yè)

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