10 Tips for Business Trips

We have been helping food and beverage exporters expand into key Asian markets for a decade. In the first five years Incite’s founders Cameron Gordon and Nada Young toured Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Korea virtually non-stop. It’s this kind of immersion that has been crucial to establishing the trade networks that we rely so heavily on today.

After much trial and error, here are our top ten practical tips for a successful business trips to Asia:

1. Plan ahead

Avoid clashes in schedules, public holidays and festive season holidays by having your meetings lined up at least four weeks in advance.  

2. Give yourself enough time.

Set a sensible schedule. You need at least two or three full days in each city to conduct your meetings and get a feel for the market by checking out the competition and visiting key accounts. Expect delays - traffic can be unpredictable and you may need to allow at least one hour to travel to each meeting.

Also factor in some down time. Use your travel days as an opportunity to recoup. Traveling in Southeast Asia can be hot and exhausting and you need to bring your best to every meeting.

3. Focus on the capital cities

Most business is conducted in the major city of each country, so plan accordingly and choose the location of your hotel wisely. Look for something central that is close to amenities, with good transport. For example, getting around the CBD in cities like Bangkok is easier and faster on the train, so choosing a location close to a BTS or MRT.

4. Meet at their office

Choosing suitable meeting locations is often a trade-off between convenience. It may be easier for you to meet at the Starbucks near your hotel but most will agree that it’s well worth the long cab ride to meet in the relative calm of an office. It also has the added advantage of providing a first-hand appraisal of the nature of the company and it’s operating environment.

Don’t  be too quick to judge because looks can be deceiving in Asia!

5. Ship samples later

If your samples are bulky or temperature-sensitive you can always take your meetings first, then offer to ship samples after the meeting if you like what you’ve seen.

6. Get on the grid

Local call and data plans are inexpensive, so use a VOIP tool like Skype forwarding and pick up a local SIM-card from a 7-Eleven in each city so you’re on local networks.

7. Pack a medicine kit

Don’t leave home without a good supply of medical essentials. It’s common to get a touch of ‘Delhi Belly’ if you’re not a frequent visitor to Southeast Asia.

8. Set clear goals

Without some form of structure, precious time can be wasted as the conversation wanders from point-to-point, briefly touching on important issues before moving on to the next topic. A professional approach might involve sending suggested meeting agendas ahead of time and asking for, and walking away with, a set of action points and agreed deadlines for deliverables.

9. Speak clearly

Slow down and avoid colloquialisms. It’s easy to be misunderstood and, out of politeness, people in Southeast Asia will often nod along to what you are saying even if they aren’t quite following you.

10. Deliver a great pitch

Be prepared with a well polished sales pitch. You’ll want to deliver a concise and captivating spiel that clearly articulates what it is you are offering and why it will work in that market. Leave time for discussion and cover off the key questions you need answered to determine whether they are a good fit for your brand.

Originally written for and published by Exporter Today