USA is one of the largest and currently viewed as the most powerful country in the world. Although hit hard by the global economic crisis it is still very present in the global market. More often than not the counterpart in your business endeavors might be an American so it would be wise to know at least the basic principles of American business etiquette.
Although the population of USA consists of mix of people from various races and heritage and they have no real nationality, we can use the term ‘’Americans’’ Actually everybody already uses it and there are no misunderstandings so lets stick to this. More often than not when we think of an American businessman we imagine a cocky man with an leather jacket, cowboy hat and boots. Well this might apply to a businessman from Texas, but in general an average American businessman looks and acts like his European counterpart.
Americans also prefer dark business suits although also more relaxed attire is appropriate if the situation suits. In more rural areas an informal wardrobe is allowed. Nevertheless the wardrobe should be clean and neat. If the situation is appropriate men may wear jeans. Women prefer business dresses or maybe a skirt and a blouse.
In some countries gifts may be an ordinary part of a business encounter, but not so in the USA. A gift might be misconceived as a bribe and that could cause some serious implications. Business meetings can take place at a public establishment or during the meals, but more often than not during a meal a conversation is more of a social kind. Remember that USA has very strict laws about smoking in public places.
A firm handshake is an appropriate greeting. During conversations eye contact is vital. Smiling is conceived as a sign of friendliness so use it. An American businessman has a generally more relaxed style of communications. So business meetings are not so stiff as compared to West Europe. In general an American businessman is very friendly and more often than not will introduce you to his family which is not that common for businessmen from other countries.
No matter what is your viewpoint towards USA the general idea behind a successful business deal is respect! If you will respect your partner he will do the same to you and a successful business deal means more profit for both.
Jul 25
