Topic: The importance of cultural awareness for business people. Give example.

Global marketing presents a tremendous opportunity but is also a challenge. Most world trade either originates-or is purchased-in North America, Europe and the Middle East, and Japan and the Pacific Rim. To succeed in these markets, sales managers and sales teams need to understand how such factors as geography, culture, technology, and legal systems impact on business.

The subtlest of these influences is culture because we each perceive our own culture as normal and are puzzled when we meet unexpected behavior that stems from different cultural standards. By developing cross-cultural awareness we can begin to understand different perspectives, to adapt our own behavior so that we respect local cultures, to suspend judgment of what is normal or better and, using this knowledge, adapt our sales campaigns and business interactions to specific localities and situations instead of assuming that one approach will work everywhere.

Sales people need to:

o Understand how culture affects behavior and business

o Understand the key cultural dimensions

o Raise their awareness of their personal culture

o Understand how their cultural preferences can clash with others' behavior.

o Identify key skills and competencies for international sales success

o Be aware of the major traps and how to avoid them.

Sales management is heavily influenced by culture, and in the global business environment it is important to understand the cultural forces that shape and affect the interactions between salespeople and customers. Sensitivity to cultural differences can enhance the chances of success. If a salesperson approaches a meeting with knowledge of the customer's cultural background, then their words, actions, and body language can all be adapted to enhance the likelihood of a positive reception and the development of a long-term profitable relationship with that customer.

Global salespeople can, however, easily meet resistance from customers in different cultures. Often this is simply due to not understanding the 'dos' and 'don'ts' of interacting with different cultures. Understanding how to act in most cultures may be the difference between closing a sale and losing a customer. For example, gestures, facial expressions, the way you greet or address somebody can all have a negative effect as can not understanding how sales literature, advertising and branding are perceived.

Here are some specific mistakes to avoid in certain cultures. Of course, your hosts will probably make allowances for you as a foreigner, but if you can show that you have taken the trouble to learn and respect their standards of behavior, you will create a much more positive impression:

Greet people and use your right hand when eating and drinking. Do not use your left hand to hold, offer, or receive materials. Do not cross your legs when

sitting or show the soles of your feet. The thumbs-up sign is rude. Do not inquire about a man's wife or female relations.

China. Never refuse to drink tea during business meetings, even if you are offered dozens of cups each day. Present materials in black and white because colors may have special meanings. Never eat or drink before your host.

France. The French normally do not meet until after 10:00 a.m. Do not offer to meet for a business breakfast. Meals are a ritual and should not be rushed.

Germany. Do not address a business associate by their first name unless you are invited to do so. Do not chew gum while talking to somebody. Don't be late as it is considered an insult.

Latin America. The clock is not taken seriously, so do not schedule more than two meetings during the day.

Japan. Do not blow your nose in public. Do not point. Do not raise business issues on the golf course unless your host initiates the conversation. The Japanese do not like to say 'no' directly, so even if they say yes', they may mean no'. Do not pour yourself a drink. Take special care in handling business cards that are given to you. Do not write on the card. Do not put the card in you pocket or wallet, as either of these actions will be viewed as defacing or disrespecting the business card. Examine the card carefully as a show of respect.

Mexico. Do not send red or yellow flowers as a gift; these colors are associated with evil spirits and death.

Philippines. Rather than disagree with someone, people will say 'Yes', but this can have many meanings. Criticism should never be direct, but should be offered as softly as possible.

Cultural gaffes can occur at any point in a sales campaign. Sales literature, advertising and brand names can be danger areas and can easily cause your product to fail:

Mitsubishi Motors of Japan tried marketing their popular Pajero car in the Spanish market but were baffled by their lack of success. Pajero is slang in Spanish for masturbation.'

Fiat found that they had to rename their Uno when selling it in Finland. Uno means garbage in Finnish.

When Toyota Motor Company released their popular MR2 sports car in France, they encountered a problem MR2 was pronounced as em er deux', which loosely translates to you little little shit'.

FORD also learned the hard way when they introduced the Pinto car in Brazil, which was replaced by a different name when they learned that Pinto is Brazilian slang for tiny male genitals.'

Pepsi Corporation's marketing slogan Come Alive with Pepsi' was first translated into the Chinese as Pepsi brings your dead ancestors back to life'. The same slogan was also translated into German as: Come out of the grave with Pepsi.'

Scandinavian vacuum manufacturer Electrolux used the following in an American campaign: Nothing sucks like an Electrolux.Using animals for product imagery is risky:A U.S. deodorant found great success in the U.S. with their advertisement showing an octopus using the product under each of its eight arms. When shown in Japan, however, it was a flop; the Japanese consider an octopus to have eight legs rather than eight arms.

A U.S. marketing firm found that while a deer was a sign of masculinity in the U.S., it conveyed a different image in Brazil, where deer' is slang for homosexual.

Another company erred when it chose an owl as part of its promotional efforts in India. Indians view the owl as a symbol of bad luck.

When we see the mistakes others have made we may well laugh, but we are not amused if we are the ones with egg on our faces. It is essential to research the culture before you localize your product information.