You are a western corporation and you have decided that you can not neglect the Asian market anymore. Maybe even your survival is at stake if you keep all your focus and resources in Europe and America. You are about to make your first trip to the East to meet a government body, or a key client or supplier, or a potential joint venture partner or a great company to be acquired. Mind how damaging are your first 24 hours if you don’t do right what is basic doing businesses in Asia.
Here is my top 10 tips for a successful first trip to Asia:
- Do your homework. Mind you are in front of one of the most strategic meetings of your live and one where you will be in an scenario completely different of what you are used to. Do not be obsessed reading and following books of what to do, but be fully equipped. Have clarity about the strategy and the objectives of your corporation and the objectives of your first trip to Asia. Since the scenario will be very different, to have a very clear strategy and objectives will help you not to loose focus.
- Adjust your body. No matter where you fly from, expect a long flight and a time difference of 6 to 14 hours ahead or behind. This is tough for any body. Do not expect mercy from the people you will meet because nobody is merciful to them when they fly west. You know your body. Be sure you are as rested and recovered before the first meeting.
- Get to start on the right foot. You are about to meet your host. They don’t expect you to master all the local manners, but do take note of the following ones: give and receive business card holding them with two hands and spend some seconds reading what’s on the card you have been handled, don’t be noisy, do not make jokes neither pat the back of the guys and, please, do not kiss any Asian business women.
- Language and IT support tools. Do not expect that the meeting will be in your language, even if the language is English and even if your counterpart can speak in English. Be prepared with your own resources for translation and use your own ones to be sure that translation is accurate. Your message will be appreciated and supported because of what you say, your body language and even your silences. Presentations can be done, but contrary to the west, they have a very marginal role in the impact you make.
- Strategy, objectives and … shot!. Your host will start, unless they ask you to start. Anyway it will be their choice, not your choice. Be a good listener and when your time arrives remember well your company strategy, your objectives and your objectives for this particular meeting, be confident and make your speech.
- Follow up schedule?. Do not stress your counterpart once the meeting is about to finalize asking for an schedule of detailed next steps. Of course, you want to figure them up. But be subtle. Find who can agree next steps and follow with him/her apart.
- Dinner basics. Almost certainly you will be host for lunch or dinner after the meeting. Follow some basics: do not say that you don’t like local food, do wait for your host to indicate you where to seat, do not drink alcohol unless they drink, too, do not be the first to make a toast, do not suggest to go for a drink after dinner if you are not suggested to do so by your counterpart.
- Post mortem. Sound terrible, I know!. In many parts of Asia they call post mortem to a quick exercise of discussing and writing the key outcomes just hours after the meeting has been held. Don’t wait till you are back in your country. You will forget some important details.
- Lessons learnt and what’s next. It has been a journey packed with new inputs. Think about what unexpected risks and opportunities you are facing and think what can be done better next time. Last but not least, do share with your teams back home your experience so that your organization and not only you will learn. Finally, plan next steps, contact the key guy I mentioned in point 6, work with him and be sure the decision maker is on the loop.
- Expert advice. There are consultants on site that can guide and help you not only for your first meeting but in general to enter Asia. Do not hesitate to ask their support.