Two weeks ago, I posted a blog intended for executives called Ten Tips for Doing Business in China. I got a phone call from a CEO (who I will call Hal) after posting this, who said he was off to China to pull off a major billion dollar deal, and he told me that he had read the tips in my blog and wanted to discuss them a bit further.
Last night, I got another call from Hal saying that his trip had been a huge success and that my ten tips and conversation had helped him “pull the rabbit out of the hat.” The deal was approved by the Chinese and their government. It would be signed pending approval by the USA government.
“One of your tips,” Hal said “was that the Chinese like long-term relationships, where there is confidentiality and trust, and a win/win spirit. That was the first thing I talked about, and it really worked.”
Hal went on, “Another tip said that the Chinese like the whole idea of taking on the ‘impossible’ when it comes to being a global player, and so the deal I put forward was very bold and ambitious, and they really went for that.”
Yet here was the deal maker. A third tip I mentioned had to do with the fact that in both romance and business, the Chinese don’t like sweet words, but prefer actions that demonstrate true feeling. One way that comes across is through gifts, especially those that involve brand name luxury items.
Hal said, “I went out and bought three Mont Blanc pens. Then I took two gift cards I had brought with my company’s name on them and handwrote a message on each. The message said, ‘This gift marks the beginning of a great partnership between ourselves and our two companies. The next time we use these pens, we will be signing this deal.’”
The Chinese were enchanted. Their hearts and minds had been won over.
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