International Sales Best Practices
Here is another one of last month’s tips on getting extreme with clarity to improve your cross-cultural communication skills.
 |
CCCC Tip #4 – Listen carefully do not read any meanings into what the other person says. |
This month’s series takes last month’s tips to get extreme clarity in cross-cultural communication and brings them into an international sales perspective. Remember to download the free calender for an easy reference to all of the 30 Cross-Cultural Communication Challenge Tips on clarity. Get the complete International Sales Best Practices series here.
Have you noticed how the last 3 tips were about listening? Listening is an important tool in bringing clarity to a conversation, if you listen carefully and do not add anything in the process. How does this tie in with international sales best practices?
Cross-Cultural Communication Skills & Sales Best Practices
Let’s have a look at a quote from Jeffrey Gitomer’s Little Red Book Of Sales Answers.
|
|
“The object of a cold call is to set an appointment.” – Jeffrey Gitomer |
Yes, on the surface it might appear that I was a little cheeky with this quote from Jeffrey. The truth is that many people read much more into cold calling than it really is. The reality of setting an appointment puts things back into perspective. In cross-cultural communication the same thing happens. I have often encountered people new to international business who spend lots of time reading up and researching cultural differences and they bring this baggage into their cross-cultural encounters. Now, I am not saying that research is bad, but there is a limit to what you can do with it. You do need common sense in applying the things you read into real world situations. And I have often encountered the opposite, when someone does no research and has no experience in international business. It is also easy in this situation to add in extra meaning where there is none. There is a balance to find… and some great people skills to develop. The key is to stay focused.
In addition to this, and looking at my own experience, I like to double check any of my assumptions. In fact, the word “double” in “double-check” is not accurate. In important business situations, I will try to get 3-dimensional vision to look at the assumption. This means that I will look for confirmation of my understanding from three different points of view. This may seem extreme, but I am conscious of my own cultural baggage and in some circumstances this gives me a better feeling that no extra meanings have been added.
What Is Your Experience Of This In International Sales?
- Have you ever realized that you added additional meaning into a cross-cultural communication?
- Are you aware of the personal cultural baggage you bring into a cross-cultural conversation?
- Have you ever felt frustrated when a person from a different culture adds more meaning to what you have said?
If so, please share your comments below. I’d love to hear your stories!
Want To Get The Cross-Cultural Communication Tips?
Two Cross-Cultural Communication Challenges are currently available:
Get all of the tips from these 30 & 31 day challenges, and learn more about the other planned later this year:
All International Sales Best Practices
You can find the complete list of International Sales Best Practices published to date here:
She is who I turn to when I have questions and you should too"
-- Chris Garrett, co-author of the "Problogger" book
