Courting Business

You Don’t Have to Be Bilingual to Speak Your Prospect’s Language

In a recent training program, we discussed the importance of finding a common denominator with prospects. We also discussed how easy it was to establish common ground with individuals from abroad.

One of our Seattle workshop participants mentioned that she went to Bali for business. Each time she rode in a taxi, she asked the drivers how to pronounce a particular phrase she found in her Balinese language guide. Before long, she became comfortable with simple phrases such as “good morning,” “good afternoon,” “please,” and “thank you.” This person did more than learn a few words in another language—she also ignited smiles on the faces of many people throughout her trip. The effort ...