Michael Soon Lee

If your business has Filipino customers or Filipino business contacts (meaning people from the Philippines), knowing some Filipino cultural norms can keep your business culturally sensitive. Common greeting: Men and women shake hands with everyone present at a business meeting or social occasion and when saying goodbye.

Service with a smile is always important for your business. To every customer you greet, your sincere facial expression should say, “I’m so glad to see you!” Walking into any store or office for the first time can be a frightening experience for any customer. This is your turf, not theirs. They’re unfamiliar with the products and services, where things are located, and the person with whom they’re dealing.

You may have the opportunity to do business with Mexican or Mexican-American individuals, a particular culture group that's common in the United States. Mexican business customs follow these cultural norms: Common greeting: Shaking hands or giving a slight bow. Shake hands with a Mexican woman only if she extends her hand first.

When dealing with a business customer who doesn't speak English (or doesn't know much of the language), you can overcome that customer language barrier in a number of ways: Show some emotion. Most emotions, such as excitement, joy, fear, frustration, and anger, are universal. Just remember that some cultures are more or less restrained in their expressions, so stay within your customers’ comfort zone.

People who don’t get to meet many U.S. citizens sometimes have a distorted view of Americans. By becoming aware of how people from other countries and cultures may perceive you, you have a better chance of breaking through those misconceptions to develop stronger and more meaningful relationships with your business contacts: Americans are ethnocentric.

African American consumers and businesspeople aren't all the same. You can differentiate the African American community with which your business interacts by factors such as economic status: Common greeting: Shaking hands for both men and women is commonly practiced. Be formal at the beginning and never call an African American by his or her first name unless the person invites you to do so because this could be extremely insulting.

Referrals to your business from satisfied customers don’t just happen; you have to have a plan to generate referral business. You can develop a systematic strategy for generating referrals by following some basic steps. Set a target. Set a clear goal with a timeline for referrals, such as a 10-percent increase in referral business over the next eight weeks.

Native Americans, also called American Indians, may play a part in your business, either as business customers or business contacts. Native American culture shapes the way that this cultural group interacts in business situations. Common greeting: A very gentle handshake. Personal space: Greater than for other North Americans at 2 1/2 to 3 feet.

Customers, especially customers from other cultures, love to haggle. They often revel in the negotiating process and look forward to haggling with a challenging businessperson. To put yourself on an equal footing with some of the world’s best negotiators, keep the following tips in mind: Haggle with the hagglers.