Respect my personal space - Please!

Ever meet someone who gets so up close and personal with you that you keep backing up to get away from them - and they keep coming forward to get closer again?

It's awful!

And you could be doing it to your own clients, if you don't understand that different cultures require different degrees of personal space. The average American wants and needs about 2 1/2 feet between them and a casual acquaintance. That's where we feel comfortable, and the space we try to maintain.

But some cultures, the Japanese for instance, want more space - about another foot. So, they might shake your hand, but then step back. If you step forward into your comfortable space, they'll back up. And unless you catch on, you're apt to back them right out your door, never to return.

You know how much you like to avoid people who crowd your space - so do they!

On the other hand, some cultures are more comfortable up close - way too close for your comfort. And just as you feel a bit slighted when someone backs away from you, they'll feel slighted when you back away from them. So try to resist.

You can learn "who is who" when you take the quizzes at ethnoconnect.com - a wonderfully informative site that will help you learn to connect with customers from a wide variety of cultures.

Something else to remember - each of us is an individual, no matter what our culture. So tune in to your individual customers and their need for personal space. Some folks are just more private than others, so make it your goal to let them feel comfortable when they're with you.

I'll be back tomorrow with more on marketing to multi-cultural customers. In the meantime, I wish you a productive day!

Yours for prosperity,
Marte

Marte Cliff, Copywriter
www.marte-cliff.com

Your clients need a little privacy - so give it to them!

Yesterday I re-listened to a CD about selling to a multi-cultural market. This segment of society is growing by leaps and bounds - it was already at about 1/3 of the population a year or so ago when the CD was recorded. And, according to studies by NAR, was purchasing 70% of the homes. Other businesses also need to be aware that 1/3 of their customers - more or less, depending upon location - will be from a culture different from their own.

That means, unless you're in a small town like mine, where almost everyone is either of Scandinavian or Italian descent, you need to be acutely aware of cultural differences.

This week I'll bring you some of the highlights from that CD...

But one thing covered on the CD seems to me to apply to everyone - every culture, every gender, and every age. That is the need for people to talk privately, without a sales person hovering over them saying "What do you think?" "Are you ready to order?" "Shall we write an offer on this house?" ... and on and on.

NO! Sometimes they aren't ready. Sometimes they need to talk to each other without anyone listening!

Multi-cultural customers often use a different language to accomplish this in front of the sales person - and sales people are insulted by the practice. But the truth is, they should feel encouraged by it. When buyers want to talk privately, it's one of those things called "A buying sign."

So, to best serve your bank account, let your customers have a little privacy.

Yours for prosperity,
Marte

Marte Cliff, Copywriter
writer@marte-cliff.com