Tips to prepare for your first negotiation China

The system is set to enter the Chinese market, are done with your market research and now is the time to meet with potential Chinese business partners. However, before you meet them, you should familiarize yourself with some negotiation tactics and knowledge to protect themselves a greater chance of success.

If you do not understand Mandarin, take a good interpreter to ensure your message is delivered accurately and not misinterpret any of their messages. You should expect the interpreter to be familiar with your work and the industry to be familiar with both their language and Chinese language industry jargons. Remember to give the interpreter the information that is necessary for him to perform his job effectively. If possible, before each meeting, spend some 'time to discuss with your interpreter what you want to achieve from the negotiations.

As a foreign company to enter the Chinese market, will be beneficial for you to make things as convenient as possible for local partners. For example, if you have any information you could want potential partners to understand, remember to translate it into Chinese for their convenience and that includes your business cards.

For starters, you may want to consider the tape recording of meetings openly or in secret. Although it might be an ethical taboo in your culture, it has the advantage of helping you or the interpreter to retrieve all the information that was lost in the meetings.

Leverage on your interpreter to collect Chinese easy to use in meetings. It can be a good or a good ice breaker closing. Words like "Thanks", "How are you?", "Welcome", "Please to meet you" or even some candid phases like "You are handsome or beautiful!" can be used to create a good impression.

Since this is the first meeting in person, some of the discussions may be held during lunch or even a session of drinking tea. Therefore, using chopsticks effectively or some knowledge of simple tea can help improve their impressions on you.

Sometimes you can find potential partners reacting negatively during the meetings. Do not be alarmed - it may be that some Chinese, according to their provincial jargon, can speak with a stronger hand movements. Not clarify with the interpreter.

Depending on the level of communication before the first meeting, you may find you do not go on much in terms of business discussions. Do not be discouraged, as the Chinese believe in consensus decision-making process and may need to report to his superiors on the findings before any decision can be made. Moreover, to do business with the Chinese, "Guan Xi" or a relationship is important. So this relationship must be built over time and can not be of immediate effect after the first meeting.

Therefore, you must be ready to make return visits later to finalize the details and build the "Guan Xi". Do not rush to send e-mail after the meeting to finalize the details, as it could be misrepresented as potential partners who have the bargaining power. And 'right to return to their country and then decide how you should play your cards right in choosing partners. However, if the company is willing to invest heavily in China, a local representative office will be a long-term benefit to help your company to facilitate business operations.

As a foreign company, it can also be a part of their "Mian Zi" or a building face. Therefore, taking pictures with these partners can help to provide evidence of small and medium enterprises to display their Chinese counterparts that their business is of value to foreign partners. In addition, you can request your interpreter for the meeting minutes written, but do not leave or she knows in advance of this request so they can prepare for it.

The entry Finally, if you are not sure to enter the Chinese market or source for the right Chinese partner, a good Chinese market research firm should be supported to perform market research, organize your business travel in China, and finally interpreting services in China .......