How to Communicate with Business Partners the Right Way?
How to Communicate with Business Partners the Right Way?
Hello. You’ll be seeing more posts like this (on business topics) — after all, affiliate marketing is a business in its own right. This will be useful to you, so take 5 minutes to read it. As they say, you can always pull something valuable from any piece of information. Let’s go through it in order:
How to greet people
If you enter a room, always be the first to say hello — regardless of whether you’re a man or woman, a top executive or an entry-level employee, older or younger. If the person you’re visiting has others in the room, acknowledge everyone with a general nod and greeting. Then shake hands with the person who invited you. When greeting someone, don’t stop at a simple “Hello.” Use their name.
When being introduced or introducing yourself, don’t rush to extend your hand. The person you’re being introduced to should do that first. Remember: in a professional setting, it is not customary to kiss a woman’s hand at a formal meeting (in social etiquette, hand-kissing is reserved only for married women, and only indoors). If you’re seated, stand up when greeting someone whenever possible. If you can’t stand up — due to limited space or other constraints — greet others while seated, but apologize: “Excuse me for not standing — it’s a bit cramped here.”
How to shake hands
If you approach a group of people and shake one person’s hand, shake everyone else’s hand too. It is considered poor form to shake hands across a threshold, across a table, or over the head of someone seated between you. Don’t shake someone’s hand while keeping your other hand in your pocket. One of the common questions in business etiquette: should you shake a woman’s hand? The answer is yes — unequivocally. A woman’s handshake is no different from a man’s. In social contexts, a woman extends her hand to a man first. In business settings, however, the senior person extends their hand first — even if the junior person is a woman.
A palm-up handshake indicates the person wants to give control to the other party. When someone covers your hand with theirs while shaking, they’re signaling dominance. If that dynamic doesn’t suit you, cover their right hand with your left. Business etiquette generally discourages two-handed handshakes, as that gesture is reserved for more personal relationships. Moreover, people may read it as condescension or an attempt to patronize. That said, be mindful of cultural differences — Americans, for example, love this gesture and consider it perfectly appropriate in business contexts.
How to introduce yourself
If you’re surrounded by strangers, don’t be shy — introduce yourself confidently without waiting to be introduced. At a business event like a conference or reception, there’s no need to immediately list your achievements and titles. Simply indicate what you do and why you’re at the event.
It’s equally important to know how to introduce others. The person you’re introducing someone to is mentioned first. The person being introduced is mentioned second. When introducing people of equal standing, introduce the person you know better to the one you know less. Men are introduced to women; junior people by age or rank are introduced to seniors.
When someone is introduced to you, focus on remembering their name — and use it frequently during the conversation. If you’ve forgotten someone’s name, soften the awkwardness by politely asking: “I apologize — I’ve been a bit forgetful lately. Could you remind me of your name?”
What a business card should look like
Business cards should ideally be clean and minimalist in design. Professionals who frequently work with international partners should have cards printed in their partners’ language — this is especially appreciated in Asian countries. If any of your details change, order new cards immediately — never cross out or hand-write corrections on old ones; that’s considered poor form. A business card in two languages — your native language and English — is a mark of good practice. However, avoid making a single card that’s bilingual — use separate cards for each language.
If you stopped by to see someone who wasn’t in but want to show respect, fold the top right corner of the business card you leave. Passing your card with a note through a third party is a widely accepted practice in international business.
How to end a meeting
When leaving a gathering of strangers, you don’t need to say goodbye to each person individually. If you’re leaving a large reception before others, say goodbye only to the hosts. Otherwise, your early departure may signal to others that it’s time to leave too. If a conversation is dragging on, offer to introduce your conversation partner to someone new, make the introduction, excuse yourself, and take your leave.
Farewells should be brief — a handshake, for instance, much like at the start. End conversations politely using universal phrases such as “It was great to see you.” If you need to leave a meeting early, wait for a pause in the conversation, stand, say your goodbyes, and express hope for a future meeting.
Body language
Non-verbal communication falls under both psychology and good manners. For instance, when speaking with people, don’t stand with your legs spread wide, slouch, or keep your hands in your pockets. Some gestures have well-established interpretations. For example, the “fig leaf” pose (hands clasped so the arms form an inverted V shape) signals shyness and lack of confidence. Fidgeting, swaying side to side, or touching your face or hair increases your own nervous tension and distracts those around you. Excessive hand gestures during conversation are also frowned upon. Keep your gestures restrained — overly expressive body language can make others uncomfortable.
Respect personal space: maintain at least an arm’s length of distance from your conversation partner. Business communication doesn’t call for hushed tones or whispers. Don’t step forward if your conversation partner steps back — they may be unconsciously signaling that you’re encroaching on their personal space. During a meeting, avoid checking the time — it gives the impression that you’re bored or eager to leave. Avoid crossing your legs, especially in a deep chair. If the chair is deep, you may extend your legs slightly.
How to conduct negotiations
Preparing for negotiations involves two dimensions: working through the business protocol accepted in diplomatic and business circles, and preparing the substance — the topics to be discussed. Invite partners to negotiations no less than two weeks in advance so they have time to prepare as well — this saves time and creates conditions for productive communication. When it comes to delegation composition, parity is key — equal numbers of participants on both sides, with matching seniority levels of representatives. Only invite the team members whose presence is genuinely necessary. The venue is proposed by the inviting party, but the invited party has every right to accept or decline. Avoid scheduling negotiations for early mornings or late evenings.
If there are many participants and they don’t know each other, place name cards on the table. Parties sit across from each other in order of seniority. Representatives of the hosting party should sit facing the door. Leave roughly 1.5 meters of space between participants. The host’s leader sits down first.
After greetings, all participants should be introduced. Clarify their roles and authority in the negotiations. The host leader introduces themselves first, followed by the leader of the invited delegation. They then introduce their respective team members: hosts first, then guests. Exchanging business cards is appropriate if no more than seven people are present from each side.
When negotiating with a foreign delegation, agree on the language of negotiations in advance and arrange for interpreters. If the meeting is being recorded, inform the guests. At the end of negotiations, the record is finalized and appended to the previously approved agenda.
The optimal meeting length is two hours. If negotiations run long, a thirty-minute coffee break is appropriate. If you have gifts for meeting participants, they are presented after negotiations conclude.
Receiving business partners
Guests should be met at the airport by a delegation leader of equivalent rank. They usually arrive with two or three accompanying people. The host company’s leader doesn’t necessarily need to accompany guests on all outings. There is an unwritten rule (not mandatory, but considered good form) — if a guest brings their spouse, the host leader should bring their spouse to the initial meeting as well. The host is introduced first, then their spouse, followed by other team members in descending order of seniority.
Plan your vehicle seating arrangements in advance to avoid any awkward fumbling. The most prestigious seat is the rear seat diagonally opposite the driver. The visiting delegation’s leader takes this seat, gets in first, and gets out first. If the host leader arrives in their own car, the guest’s seat of honor is in the front passenger seat. It is expected that someone will open the door for the leader — the driver, security detail, or a colleague, but never a woman.
When accompanying guests to the hotel, say your goodbyes in the lobby — not on the street. You can also arrange the next formal visit there.
Mobile etiquette
Call on mobile phones for business matters only during business hours — on weekdays that means between 9:00 AM and 9:00 PM. Always switch your phone off during negotiations and shared meals. Your ringtone should be neutral — a classic phone ring, a soft melody, or just silent vibration. If you call someone and get voicemail, don’t hang up. Introduce yourself and ask them to call you back when convenient. If your call went unanswered, wait at least two hours before trying again — the person will have seen the missed call and will call back. Waiting for more than six rings is considered rude — hang up after the fifth. There’s no need to ask whether someone has time when you call during business hours for a specific, brief matter.
The person who initiated the call ends it. If the line drops, the person who called originally calls back. Answering after the second or third ring is ideal — picking up immediately can catch the caller off guard. Don’t decline a call — that’s rude. Answer and politely ask if you can call back (or promise to do so) at a specific time, say in two hours. Don’t apologize at the end of a call for taking up someone’s time — simply thank them for the opportunity to discuss your matter. Never share someone’s mobile number without their consent.
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