A question came up the other day that got me thinking. Follow me through…
Here is the first question:
- Is it responsible of a company to send someone who only speaks English to conduct sensitive business discussions with people who do not speak English well?
Well first, to answer this question…
If the person did not have any international exposure, then, yes, the company is irresponsible.
Besides changing people on one side or the other, the company had another option…
The company could have used a tactic used often enough between Western cultures and Middle-Eastern cultures: Hire a third party to act as a cultural interpreter.
International Communication Online
But this question got me thinking about the websites I encounter online. And the desperate solopreneurs or very small businesses that contact me frantically looking for a miracle to get them international clients.
Business is based on relationships. Even if you don’t think the relationship aspect is significant for your current business, it is very important in international business.
Remember, prior to the web, companies always assumed they needed face-to-face meetings with international clients in order to develop an international business. And this is still a general principle held by many people.
You Still Need Relationships
Email marketing, global websites and even outsourced call centers can lead the younger generation, or the businesses wrapped up in saving money, to forget that you still need to cultivate relationships with real people to develop a thriving international business.
Of course, if you have a good offer and good online visibility you can make international sales.
Back to this question again…
…but with a twist.
- Is it responsible for a company to send out English communication, to market their wares and sell their products to countries, with different cultures who do not speak English well?
That’s fairly easy to answer…
Irresponsible maybe. Foolish yes. Income lost? For sure.
Another twist…
- Is it responsible for a company to send out English communication, to market their wares and sell their products, to countries with different cultures?
Well, this is where a little common sense comes in handy. And this question brings up a series of other questions.
- Is this company really interested in getting international business?
- Does this company understand the basics of good international communication?
- Does this company have a measurement system in place to see where it needs to improve communication?
International business today is cheaper than before thanks to international web marketing. But you still need to put in the time and effort to create the relationships.
Relationships start with your communication. Get it right. Be polite…to your foreign readers.
Even if you are on a tight budget you can adjust your communication for the people you are targeting.
You can even learn to do this yourself, just as people did prior to internet with face-to-face meeting.
- Start off slowly.
- Make connections, real connections with your prospects in one specific country.
- Build the relationship slowly.
- Learn how to communicate well.
There was something else I heard early this week…
- Most people today don’t want to learn to fish…they just want you to give them the fish.
Building international relationships and getting your communication right for your international markets is work. And it is work you need to learn how to do yourself.
Need a method? A step-by-step action plan to help you get started?
- Read the 8 step International Sales Road Map on Get International Clients.
- Sign up for the action guide with the Get International Clients newsletter.
More on Internationalizing Your English:
- A Multicultural Writer Gets More International Readers?
- Adjust Your Own English Communication To Meet Other Language Levels
- Americans Need International English Too
- Culture-Free Communication
- Customize Your Content For Different Cultures
- English For International Appeal
- Global English To Avoid Miscommunication
- International English For Better Communication With Global Audiences
- Internationalize Your Own Communication
- Is International English In Your Future?
- Translation Friendly International English
- What Flavor Is Your English?
- What Is International English?
- Where To Learn How To Write International Or Global English
What you need to know about International English:
More in these Get International Clients Business Guides
She is who I turn to when I have questions and you should too"
-- Chris Garrett, co-author of the "Problogger" book
