Doing business means creating relationships. You need to have business partnerships all over the world for most companies, in order to ensure that your business thrives. Making the right connections in Singapore can be complex, but there are lots of great opportunities out there that you can make the most of if you know how.
Giving corporate gifts in Singapore can be a great way to make connections and ensure that the people that you are interested in working with remember you fondly. There are also some other good business tactics while you are in Singapore, and we will go over them in this guide.
How to Stand Out When Doing Business in Singapore
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Corporate Gifts
Corporate gifts show that you care and that you are capable of adding that little extra something to each interaction that you have with your business partners. People love to get useful items that make them smile, and corporate gifts can come in all shapes and sizes. You might want to create helpful swag items like bags and tumblers, or maybe you want to have T-shirts on hand to give out to potential business partners.
Whatever kind of corporate gifts you decide to give, you will want to be sure that they are well-made and durable. Working with a skilled custom swag and T-shirt printing company is a must if you are using this kind of tactic to generate great business opportunities. You will want to have high-quality corporate gifts in hand, as Singapore businesses will expect to be given useful, quality gifts.
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Be Punctual
Being on time is essential in Singapore. Cultural norms mean that being early to meetings is the same as being on time. Don’t ever make potential business partners in Singapore wait for you. You should be sure that you plan the route you want to take to meetings and that you leave a large bubble of time when you head out just to ensure that you are not late.
Business partners who are consistently late will seem like an unacceptable business risk to those who are used to doing business in this busy place.
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Understand the Chain of Command
In Eastern cultures, the elders in society are always given a lot of respect. This means that most major business decisions will be made with the assistance of older higher-ups. These decisions might also be made behind closed doors. For Americans, in particular, this is a very strange thing to adjust to.
After all, Americans value youth and dynamism and rarely want to wait around for older people to consult and make choices that suit all of them at the same time. This is one of the big cultural adjustments that you might need to make before you start thinking about doing business in Singapore.
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Remember, Singapore is Filled With Diversity
For many people, there are just a few ways to greet a business partner before starting to work on business deals. A handshake, a hello, and then you are off to work out a business deal. However, in Singapore, because there are so many unique cultures who call this place home, greetings might vary wildly.
You might be offered a handshake and a hello, or maybe someone will choose to bow to you instead. Whatever kind of greeting you are offered, you should be sure to follow suit and provide the same response. Being prepared with a list of phrases that are common to these kinds of professional meetings is also important.
Consider taking the time to learn please, thank you, and basic greetings in Malay so that you can put people at ease from the moment they meet you.
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Have Business Cards
In Singapore, business cards are essential for business. Many other places around the world have pretty much quit using business cards to help people remember who they are and what they do. In Singapore, however, business cards are tied to proper social behaviors that are based on tradition.
You cannot afford not to have business cards to hand out to the people that you meet, whether you are chatting with a potential client or a potential business partner. Be sure that you have high-quality and well-thought-out business cards in hand so that you can make that valuable first impression when meeting with business partners or future clients.
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Wear Proper Attire
Singapore has a very formal culture, and there is a great emphasis on your appearance. You should never go to a business meeting without wearing a suit and looking your best. Women are also expected to dress in formal business attire before appearing at business meetings or discussions. Be sure that you have quality, tailored clothing to wear to your business meetings, or you will risk putting your potential business partners off.
When the season is too hot for suits, it is accepted that you will wear lighter-weight clothing, but this clothing should still be formal and fit very well. Well-fitted clothes are a must, no matter what the weather is like or where you are headed. No one in Singapore is excited about sloppy clothes, as this is linked to an attitude of laziness.
Getting Noticed in Singapore Means Thinking About the Details
When you head to Singapore to do some dealings for your business, be sure that you are not neglecting the small details that indicate respect and passion for your work. These kinds of observations of a more formal way of living life are key if you want to create lasting business partnerships in this part of the world.
Be sure that you have quality swag gifts to offer to your potential business partners, and ensure that you have the right clothing and the right phrases in mind to greet your partners. You will be welcomed with open arms if you are able to observe the social norms that surround traditional business activities in Singapore. A couple of quality gifts also will not go amiss in this kind of business environment.
