The Art of Selling to the Chinese: Opportunity and Reality

Today marks day two of the 2017 The Australian Financial Review Business Summit. As a speaker at this year’s summit, I took pride sharing the stage with senior political and policy leaders, The Australian Financial Review’s top writers and editors and a number of esteemed risk takers, growth makers and wealth creators.

The two day event was held at Hilton Sydney and included speakers from government and major industry sectors including finance, resources, technology, property and food. We each shared our own experiences and insights on the state of Australia’s economic position and the opportunities available to businesses in the present market of a globalised business world that is being profoundly reshaped by China, digital disruption and politics.

This morning session at which I spoke, was chaired by Angus Grigg, China Correspondent for The Australian Financial Review. I’ve much respect for Mr Grigg. A specialist in Asia, World and Trade journalism, Angus is based in the Shanghai newsroom and a two-time Walkley Award winner with over 15 years experience. Considering English is my fourth language, I applaud Angus and thank the audience of 400+ for comprehending my Chinglish.

The topic of my panel discussion was a recurring theme so near and dear to my personal and entrepreneurial heart;

SELLING INTO ASIA – OPPORTUNITY AND REALITY

Having grown two multinational companies from the ground up, both of which boast impressive turnover and a tidy profit and both of which deal daily with both the East and the West, discussing the reality of selling into Asia was an opportunity I was very happy to share my lifetime of business insight on.

Throughout the panel, I touched on the West’s low context communication style within business dealings verse the East’s high context communication (which features a broad sub-text the West must learn to navigate).

I shared examples of growing relationships with clients from the East verse the Western short term, customary mentality of a quick turn around and a transactional business meeting.

I spoke about the Chinese hierarchy, an ever-present social status that is so evident in China and how to utilise a comprehensive understanding of this structure to benefit you and your business in the board room.

But perhaps most notable, I shared my thoughts and opinions on a current trend within the Australian workforce for placing a Chinese face on the front desk.

It is a common misconception within the Australian business communities, that by simply integrating a Mandarin speaking employee, the company will have the ability to communicate clearly to a Chinese clientele. 

Unfortunately, this is not the case!

Yes, there is noticeably a much needed opening for Mandarin speaking staff within Australian companies who aspire to progressing good business with the oriental East. However, let’s be transparent, to clearly communicate with anyone in the business world, you really must invest far more than simply speaking a native language.

At The Australian Financial Review Business Summit 2017 I shared with the audience exactly where I learnt the art of selling and negotiating with the Chinese. In 1986/87 I spent an intense 18 months as the official Mandarin/German interpreter on the negotiating table between the German brewery Kingway, Shenzhen’s factories and the Chinese government. It is here, at the negotiating table of a 1980’s China, that I learnt first hand, precisely how to navigate the polar opposite business dealings and cultural traits that create such a void and so many challenges when negotiating business between the East and the West.

….. but those 18 months on the negotiating table are a whole different blog!

Congratulations to The Australian Financial Review, BHP Billiton and all participants in the 2017 Australian Financial Review Business Summit. I was humbled to share the stage with the risk takers, growth makers and wealth creators of yesterday, today and most importantly….. tomorrow!