1) Cultural awareness is important for business success globally as culture influences behaviors and business interactions. 2) Not understanding cultural differences can lead to resistance from customers from other cultures due to misunderstandings of social norms and etiquette. 3) Examples of cultural mistakes in marketing, such as poor translations of slogans, show the importance of understanding cultural meanings to avoid product failures in foreign markets.

1. Topic: The importance of cultural awareness for business people. Give
example.
Global marketing presents a tremendous opportunity but is also a challenge.
Most world trade either originates-or is purchased-in North America, Europe and
the Middle East, and Japan and the Pacific Rim. To succeed in these markets, sales
managers and sales teams need to understand how such factors as geography,
culture, technology, and legal systems impact on business.
The subtlest of these influences is culture because we each perceive our own
culture as normal and are puzzled when we meet unexpected behavior that stems
from different cultural standards. By developing cross-cultural awareness we can
begin to understand different perspectives, to adapt our own behavior so that we
respect local cultures, to suspend judgment of what is normal or better and, using
this knowledge, adapt our sales campaigns and business interactions to specific
localities and situations instead of assuming that one approach will work
everywhere.
Sales people need to:
o Understand how culture affects behavior
and business
o Understand the key cultural dimensions
o Raise their awareness of their personal
culture
o Understand how their cultural preferences
can clash with others' behavior.
o Identify key skills and competencies for
international sales success
o Be aware of the major traps and how to
avoid them.

2. Sales management is heavily influenced by culture, and in the global
business environment it is important to understand the cultural forces that shape
and affect the interactions between salespeople and customers. Sensitivity to
cultural differences can enhance the chances of success. If a salesperson
approaches a meeting with knowledge of the customer's cultural background, then
their words, actions, and body language can all be adapted to enhance the
likelihood of a positive reception and the development of a long-term profitable
relationship with that customer.
Global salespeople can, however, easily meet resistance from customers in
different cultures. Often this is simply due to not understanding the 'dos' and 'don'ts'
of interacting with different cultures. Understanding how to act in most cultures
may be the difference between closing a sale and losing a customer. For example,
gestures, facial expressions, the way you greet or address somebody can all have a
negative effect as can not understanding how sales literature, advertising and
branding are perceived.
Here are some specific mistakes to avoid in certain cultures. Of course, your
hosts will probably make allowances for you as a foreigner, but if you can show
that you have taken the trouble to learn and respect their standards of behavior, you
will create a much more positive impression:
Greet people and use your right hand when eating and drinking. Do not use
your left hand to hold, offer, or receive materials. Do not cross your legs when
sitting or show the soles of your feet. The thumbs-up sign is rude. Do not inquire
about a man's wife or female relations.

3. China. Never refuse to drink tea during business
meetings, even if you are offered dozens of cups each day.
Present materials in black and white because colors may
have special meanings. Never eat or drink before your
host.
France. The French normally do not meet
until after 10:00 a.m. Do not offer to meet for a
business breakfast. Meals are a ritual and should not
be rushed.
Germany. Do not address a business associate
by their first name unless you are invited to do so.
Do not chew gum while talking to somebody. Don't
be late as it is considered an insult.
Latin America. The clock is not taken
seriously, so do not schedule more than two
meetings during the day.
Japan. Do not blow your nose in public. Do not point. Do not raise business
issues on the golf course unless your host initiates the conversation. The Japanese
do not like to say 'no' directly, so even if they say yes', they may mean no'. Do not
pour yourself a drink. Take special care in handling business cards that are given to
you. Do not write on the card. Do not put the card in you pocket or wallet, as either
of these actions will be viewed as defacing or disrespecting the business card.
Examine the card carefully as a show of respect.
Mexico. Do not send red or yellow flowers as a gift; these colors are
associated with evil spirits and death.

4. Philippines. Rather than disagree with someone, people will say 'Yes', but
this can have many meanings. Criticism should never be direct, but should be
offered as softly as possible.
Cultural gaffes can occur at any point in a sales campaign. Sales literature,
advertising and brand names can be danger areas and can easily cause your product
to fail:
Mitsubishi Motors of Japan tried marketing their popular Pajero car in the
Spanish market but were baffled by their lack of success. Pajero is slang in Spanish
for masturbation.'
Fiat found that they had to rename their Uno when selling it in Finland. Uno
means garbage in Finnish.
When Toyota Motor Company released
their popular MR2 sports car in France, they
encountered a problem MR2 was pronounced
as em er deux', which loosely translates to
you little little shit'.
FORD also learned the hard way when
they introduced the Pinto car in Brazil, which
was replaced by a different name when they
learned that Pinto is Brazilian slang for tiny
male genitals.'
Pepsi Corporation's marketing slogan Come Alive with Pepsi' was first
translated into the Chinese as Pepsi brings your dead ancestors back to life'. The
same slogan was also translated into German as: Come out of the grave with Pepsi.'
Scandinavian vacuum manufacturer Electrolux used the following in an
American campaign: Nothing sucks like an Electrolux.
Using animals for product imagery is risky:
A U.S. deodorant found great success in the U.S. with their advertisement showing
an octopus using the product under each of its eight arms. When shown in Japan,
however, it was a flop; the Japanese consider an octopus to have eight legs rather
than eight arms.
A U.S. marketing firm found that while a deer was a sign of masculinity in
the U.S., it conveyed a different image in Brazil, where deer' is slang for
homosexual.

5. Another company erred when it chose an owl as part of its promotional
efforts in India. Indians view the owl as a symbol of bad luck.
When we see the mistakes others have made we may well laugh, but we are
not amused if we are the ones with egg on our faces. It is essential to research the
culture before you localize your product information.