If you are going across the border, consider promoting your products a bit more strongly with terms like best, strongest, test winner, most reliable. Just plain isn’t good enough there.
Rituals
Rituals are collective activities, technically unnecessary to achieve the goal, but considered socially essential within a culture. Rituals are done list to data because they are there. These rituals differ per culture.
Direct versus indirect communication
An example of a ritual; in Asia, people prefer an indirect communication style. The salutation of an e-mail is very different in Asian countries compared to Western European countries. Getting straight to the point (considered very efficient in the Netherlands) is considered very rude. The example below shows that the greeting ritual by e-mail is culturally determined. But it comes across as very cumbersome to Dutch recipients.
Dear Manager,
Good day, my friend. Thanks for your time to read my email. This is Sandy from H&C Printing Center Ltd in Xiamen, China. From your company web, we got to know that your company is an influential company in your business. We are pleased to approach you in the hope of developing business for mutual benefit….. etc. after which the offer will follow.
The Dutch are known for addressing people directly
For example, when we ask them to donate money to a good cause.
A the Dutch campaign will most likely not work or even not be able to work at all in other countries, because of the too direct caseno email listcommunication about such a sensitive subject. In China, for example, they will never ask directly, but rather use symbolism that is understood by the readers.
In countries with a high power distance, a clear hierarchical navigation structure is desirable. You often see that websites clearly put the the diverse spectrum of services offered(power of the) organization first. The organization guarantees the quality. An example; in places with a high power distance, such as Hong Kong, more attention is generally paid to who the leaders of the university are and how the power structure is put together. There is often a prominent place in the communication for the seal of the university and for the university buildings. For example, compare the website of the Hong Kong Baptist University with a website of a Dutch university.