Working In China: Getting The Job
China is one of the most exciting markets for the themed entertainment industry
. They have aggressively moved forward in experimental design with the implementation high-quality theme park design, museum design, expos and mixed-use developments. However, due to the culture barriers, doing creative business in China is difficult.
What do the Chinese mean when they say "we like your work and we will contact you soon? Why do they always bargain? When are they going to sign the contract, its been months! In most cases, potential Chinese clients dont intend to waste your time or money, it's just that they do business differently. And believe it or not, as different as the Chinese are, more often than not, they have adapted their work style to try and meet you halfway. To meet this important market the rest of way, here are some guidelines to consider when pursuing or working on a project in China.
Ask yourself basic questions, such as:
What are my peers and competitors doing to go after this market?
Are there local resources that can provide what I am offering?
Is my price as competitive as it can be?
Is there substantial demand for my services?
What is my specific target market?
How do I balance my short-term needs with my long-term strategies?
Getting the Job
1. A shift in mentality
Perhaps the biggest hurdle that one faces in entering a rapidly changing foreign market is that a lot of the knowledge and strategies that had been developed over many years in working in the industry dont seem to apply. This can be extremely frustrating and, therefore, it becomes all too easy to blame the client for their naivet and for not doing things the right way.
To properly gauge the situation, however, one must take a hard look at their own approaches to see if perhaps their work processes should be modified to best suit the needs and culture of the market. Its important to remember, more often than not, it is much easier to adapt oneself than to try to force adaptation unto a potential client or market.
2. Be accessible.
One of the best ways to bridge the geographical and culture divide that exists between East and West is to be easily accessible to your potential (and current) Chinese clients and to do so on their terms.
Look at your current marketing material and protocol in handling Chinese inquiries. Can potential clients easily contact you? Can they call someone who speaks Chinese or do you expect them to write to you in English via the email address on your website? What seems easy to you may be viewed as a barrier to them. Yes, you may have successfully conducted business in Japan, India, even Korea, and were able to do so effectively through corresponding via email in English. But the reality is that when doing business in China, communication is much more effective through phone conversations in Chinese than through emails in English. It is simply a function of the manner in which your potential clients prefer to communicate, and you can easily adapt to accommodate this.
3. Voicemail, email and texting
It may be frustrating, but many Chinese dont like to use voicemail, or email (even though it's printed on their business cards). So don't be surprised when days have passed and they haven't replied an important email from you. When that happens, the easiest way to get the information you need is to pick up the phone and call them (or better yet have someone that speaks Chinese call them if you don't speak Chinese).
Dont worry, your clients won't be offended because it's 9:00 at night. A lot of Chinese business is conducted around dinner tables and through mobile phones. And unlike Western business, where one refrains from calling in the evening or weekends, it is less of a concern in China.
You also may be surprised at how much business is conducted via text messaging. It's not unusual to see suit-clad businessmen and women tapping on their mobile phones like American teenagers. Theyre not typing an email, but exchanging a text message. If you need a quick, simple response and are having a difficult time connecting to your client, next time try to text them.
This is not to say that email doesnt play an important role in communication, as more and more people use email, especially the younger generation. And, of course, emails are used heavily after the project starts for day-to-day correspondence and document transmission.
4. Getting It Right: Accurate translation
Sounds simple, but are you sure your portfolio is properly translator or what you say in a presentation is accurately interpreted, so that the decision maker on the client side (who usually does not understand English) gets your message? Often, we all spend a lot of time writing an elaborate proposal or preparing a graphically beautiful package, but the only problem is - it's not in Chinese, or, even worse, it's poorly translated by a translation company that has as much insight into your business as they do with insurance, or banking. High quality translation or interpretation cannot be overestimated. It's worth the time to locate professional translators that have experience in working in your specific line of business, who understand what you do, who care enough to take the time and exert the effort to get things right.
5. Get A Guide
If you were to go scuba diving in new waters, chances are youll go with a guide. What about navigating the waters of business in China? Even if you have been there many times, it never hurts to have a local resource to help you guide through unfamiliar territory. The sooner you acknowledge the barriers and get help, the sooner you are off to a more efficient and enjoyable journey.
Hiring a guide allows you to focus on what you do best your business instead of worrying about how to hail a taxi or how to interpret broken English. It is a small price to pay to engage a consultant who is versed in the Chinese business environment and understands its unique set of subtleties and underlying minutia. Not only will this help you be more productive in your pursuit of qualified leads, but will also save you a lot of time spent in pursuing opportunities that are really wild goose chases. A knowledgeable representative can help you avoid potential clients just looking for free creative experimental design; will keep you away from participating in competitions in which you don't stand a good chance to win; and can protect you from clients who just want to use your proposals as bargaining chips against your competition.
by: Sundar K
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