How to Practice Business Etiquette in Spain
People who are doing business in the European country of Spain, it is much more complicated than usual. You have to remember that the people of Spain do business in a different way compared to Americans. Here is just a few business etiquette rules that you might want to remember whenever you are dealing with Spanish people.
One should remember that the Spanish have good taste in fashion and because of this, they wear apparel which might be much more formal than most people would expect in a meeting. The business attire that one would expect that Spanish would wear could be described as well-made, traditional coat and ties.
If you would like to be presentable when conducting business with people from Spain, you should be try to avoid flashy colors in your suits or tops. It is quite unfavorable for people to stand out with the colors of their dresses or tops. One should also know that it is not acceptable for shorts to be worn in public so that makes them quite unpopular for the Spanish people.
One of the things that you should remember is that you can make a good impression to your business associates by crossing your fingers. This has a good meaning to the Spaniards which denotes good luck or "protection". This is one of the nice gestures to be friendly in Spain. Another thing that you should remember is that gift-giving is another vital part of doing business in Spain. This is how you are able to earn good favor in the minds of the people you do business with in Spain.
Time is of the essence whenever you are dealing with Spanish people. It's important to not that you should be mindful of time whenever you have an appointment with Spaniards especially if you are a foreigner. The Spaniards do not really put an emphasis to time but if you are conducting a business meeting and you are not from the country, then it would be prudent of you to simply come early or on time.
Even though the Spaniards do not necessarily consider deadlines as important as Americans, it would be good for you to still stick with your convictions of coming to a meeting on time. It would certainly impress your Spanish clients and give them the idea that you are serious in making this particular deal push through.
One of the more considerate things you could consider when meeting up with your business partners for the very first time is that you could probably have your proposals, business cards and other materials printed in Spanish. That way, it would give the idea that you are really serious about making this work not just for you but for both of you.
It's a matter of how considerate you are appearing to your business associates. Even though a good number of Spanish business people speak the English language, it would still be a good impression for them if you met them at their own level instead of asking them to come up to yours.
