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| Moving to the Close |
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O.K.—your team has identified, qualified, and met with a prospective U.S. partner. You've avoided the pitfalls and faced the challenges. Now it's time to leap from the "dating" phase of the relationship to the "marriage" phase.
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| See the View from the States archive for Mark Dollinger's view on aspects of doing business in the United States.
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The following observations will help you assess whether you are ready to walk down the aisle or if you need to ask for the ring back.
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| |  | Assess the level of interest. During the early stages of the courtship, the U.S. partner tends to be overly polite and nonconfrontational. Now the rules change. If the U.S. partner is interested, the sense of urgency in the discussions will increase and the real negotiating will begin.
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| | | Understand the signals. If the partner is interested in pursuing a relationship, the signals will become easier to read.
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| | | Calls will be returned promptly.
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| | | Questions will become more pointed.
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| | | Challenges will be tendered.
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So, if your phone calls go unanswered and there's no reply to your e-mails, it might be time to look elsewhere.
| | | Listen carefully. Understand the concerns of the partner. Identify the potential deal breakers and address them. Do not ignore an issue because you do not think that it is relevant. If the partner thinks the issue is important, it is. Deal with it carefully, effectively, and respectfully.
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| | | Respond appropriately (and urgently, if necessary). When the U.S. partner asks for a sample, they want it now. If they ask for document, respond as if the deal depends upon it—it may.
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| | | Face the "Israel in crisis" issue head-on. There is 24/7 coverage of the geopolitical situation in Israel on the U.S. medial. Many Americans think that all of Israel stops during any type of attack or military action. Explain that it is business as usual. (If the conversation goes further, remind your U.S. partner that the country has successfully dealt with security threats for the entirety of its 54 years.)
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| | | Bridge the time, distance, and language gaps. Retain a U.S.-based associate—an employee or a consultant—to help maintain the proper sense of urgency in the negotiations, to respond to requests on a timely basis, and to avoid the misinterpretation of information. A U.S. presence also reinforces the issue that you are serious about doing business in the States.
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| After — not before — you have set the proper tone in the relationship, established the confidence of the partner, provided the requested materials, and answered the objections, it's time to offer the "ring" (contract) and pop the question.
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| | | If you have handled the process properly each step of the way (from identifying to qualifying and to negotiating)...
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If you have been sufficiently sensitive to the cultural differences...
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If you have listened carefully and effectively...
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| | | If you have responded with the proper sense of urgency...
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| | | If you have been properly counseled by a native English speaker...
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| | | If you have established the confidence of the American partner...
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Then...you will be ready to walk down the aisle. I'll see you at the wedding!
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If you have any marketing questions that you would like me to address in a future column, or have a comment about this column, drop me a line.
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Mark Dollinger
President
Trendlines America
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