Do’s and Don’ts

“Coming to America” Peter Laanen

“The business of America is business” – Calvin Coolidge

Calvin Coolidge

30th President of the United States

In officeAugust 2, 1923 – March 4, 1929

The small stuff• Tipping• A glass of Coca-Cola?• Ice breaker• Red Light• Fun with cops• Spanish anybody?

The small stuff

• A glass of Coca-Cola?• Ice breaker• Red Light• Fun with cops• Spanish anybody?

The small stuff

• Ice breaker• Red Light• Fun with cops• Spanish anybody?

The small stuff

• Red Light• Fun with cops• Spanish anybody?

The small stuff

• Fun with cops• Spanish anybody?

The small stuff

• Spanish anybody?

Navigating Cultural Differences

American Values in Business

Time is Money!

*Get to the point

*The elevator pitch

American Values in Business

American Values in Business

Time is Money!

*The elevator pitch

American Values in Business

American Values in Business

Results count

* What is the “Bottom Line”

* What’s in it for me?

American Values in Business

American Values in Business

Results count

* What’s in it for me?

American Values in Business

American Values in Business

American Values in Business

Networking – a necessity

*Meet a wide variety of contacts- and, you can do it anywhere!

American Values in Business

• Business attire: casual vs formal

• Be assertive: being modest doesn’t do well• Be persistent: somewhat aggressive follow up• Business gifts: only after closing deal (VCs)• Do not: discuss politics or religion

American Values in Business

American Values in Business

• Be assertive: being modest doesn’t do well

• Be persistent: somewhat aggressive follow up• Business gifts: only after closing deal • Do not: discuss politics or religion

American Values in Business

American Values in Business

• Be persistent: somewhat aggressive follow up

• Business gifts: only after closing deal • Do not: discuss politics or religion

American Values in Business

American Values in Business

• Business gifts: only after closing deal

• Do not: discuss politics or religion

Since we are on the subject

American values in Business

No flowers or bottles of champagne

Get a warm introduction

No business plan

Make sure you have a good one pager

American Values in Business

• Do not: discuss politics or religion

American Values in Business

• Sell yourself and your company; active selling is not considered excessive

• Quality doesn’t speak for itself – promote the benefits of your solution

• Long hours are the norm• When negotiating, US executives expect you

to “work with them”, i.e. show flexibility to explore options

American Idioms in Business

• “Touch base” – to casually follow up• “Slam dunk” – to be fully successful at a

venture• “Throw a curveball” – something unexpected• “Ballpark figure” – estimated price/cost• “Jump the gun” – an activity before the

appropriate time• “Test the waters” – to evaluate a situation

Misconceptions and Assumptions

• Our firm is well known in –country where you live-, our name will carry weight in the USA

• “This is the way it is” – our way is the right way entitlement

• We will launch easily in the USA (scalability, range, infrastructure)

Do’s when doing business in the US

• Prepare carefully www.hollandinthevalley.com

• Develop a marketing plan• Enlist help from local partners like business

development, legal and media coaching• Attend network events• Sell yourself and your company• Follow-up on any opportunity

The Pitch

• Useful to quickly explain what your company does

• Serves to capture your audience’s attention• Mention a problem your service/product

solves• Show competitive advantage• Maximum 60 seconds!

Art of Networking

• Networking is:• About establishing a mutually beneficial

relationship• “what can I do for you”, not “what can you do

for me”• Not limited to events; can be done during

business gatherings and certain social events

Don’t whine about……

Don’t whine about……

And hey!

Be happy that…….

The Extras!

• Confirm appointments• Use all relevant social media• Make sure you don’t cook the books• Build your credit status• Be smart and creative• Decimal point = comma• No liters, kilometers and Celsius or Euros• S = Z

Are you ready to do the USA?

• Financial requirements for a USA market entry• Identified an appropriate niche?• Do you understand your US competition?• Can you clearly and concisely present your

competitive advantage?• Committed to maintaining a long term

presence?• Do you understand US tax laws?