Whenever you decide to open a new business in a certain place or just have business partners from that place it is very important to make sure that you know what you are getting yourself into. The business world is not the easiest one to walk around so you might consider twice before making a new business meeting appointment if you are not ready for it.
Business in South Korea
When the place where you are planning on making business is South Korea things get even more serious and you must necessarily start by becoming familiar with all there is to know about the business etiquette in South Korea. Only once you get to know what to expect and how to behave in every situation you can actually start thinking about being successful in business in a country like South Korea.
Make a nice impression
When you plan on meeting a future business partner from South Korea the first time you must necessarily make sure to make a nice impression from the very beginning because it will influence your business in ways you cannot even imagine.
Get an introduction from a common contact
When you meet a Korean business man for the first time it might be best to be introduced by a third party because they are not quite open to meeting new people especially in the business field. Introducing yourself is not the best way to go. It is highly recommended for you to find someone who could introduce you to your South Korean business partner.
A proper hand shake means a lot
Furthermore, the simple gesture of shaking hands can take you a long way especially now that is it common among Koreans as well. They see it as a sign of respect and you definitely need to be seen this way if you want to have a chance at doing business with them.
Make an appointment well in advance
If you want to do business in South Korea, you must make an appointment way in advance so as to have a chance at getting it and the necessary time for getting ready for your business meeting. You will definitely need all the time you can get and they will perceive you as a serious business man and offer you the attention you need if you do things this way.
Punctuality is the key factor
Do not ever imagine that you could be late for a meeting with a South Korean business man. This would make you look so bad that you would actually bear no chance of getting something from that business meeting. Punctuality is a must in the business world of South Korea and you must keep that in mind when you plan your next business meeting with a South Korean business man.
Offer gifts to get favors
It might sound strange but you should know that offering gifts is a common practice in the business world of South Korea. The gifts that are offered at the first business meeting with a South Korean are used for getting you favors and building proper business relationships so it is definitely not something that you should forget about at this point.
Contracts are the way to go
Contracts play a very important role in the South Korean business world. They are seen as an important starting point and not the final goal of a business agreement. They are important because they feature the way in which your working relationship will function. They are flexible in terms of adjustments as long as you manage to earn their trust by following the rules that make up their business etiquette.