Archive for January, 2010
Laminated Business Cards – Outstanding Features
Business cards are your most valuable and readily accessible tools in terms of marketing yourself and your business. That is why it is only fitting to spend money on the finest and most creative laminated business cards.
Make laminated business cards for your workforce and ask them to hand the cards out to whoever they meet – friends, acquaintances, a stranger on the street…the list goes on. You should take note of the fact that anyone you and your workforce meet is a prospective client! Having this kind of mindset will take your business’s employee-client relationship to the next level.
Your business card should act as your mini-business ad. Make it very unique and interesting in terms of fonts, color, and execution of message. Incorporating the logo of your company and your company name is not enough. You should also include all pertinent details.
It is extremely important that you remember to write more than five words of description about your business. By doing so, your prospective clients can particularly remember your company and what its principal nature is about. Additionally, business card deals are two-way streets. If you provide someone with your laminated business card and request his/her card in return, you will be provided with written details of that person’s business which would help you keep him or her in mind.
Since laminated business cards are very essential and functional, always be sure that they include relevant details about your company or business, such as: your name, company name, mailing and e-mail addresses, website, telephone and fax numbers, and all other data which you consider important to your company.
Do not request laminated business cards that are glossy because if you give them out, people will not be able to scribble their remarks about you on the card. Moreover, do not create atypical, double-sized, or folding cards because they look self-centered, and there may be problems on placing them in typical size cardholders. If this is the case, people will more likely dispose of them rather than keep them. Lastly, do not create cards that are made of plastic because their edges are sharp and can cause cuts.
Most of the business cards today are tinier than usual and use smaller-type fonts. This is something that you should not conform with because the last thing you want to do is damage the eyesight of the client reading your business card.
You want these people to be able to read the contents of your card. What you need to do is keep the most important details – your name and contact number – in larger fonts than the rest of the text in the card. Also, if you’re a big spender, you might take into account using raised ink for printing and letting an expert design your business cards.
Whatever you’re planning to do with your laminated business cards, always remember that they should be attention-grabbers. Through them, your business should be noticed and more likely to be “engraved” in people’s minds.
By: David Faulkner
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Doing Business in China
China is the only fastest major growing nation with an average annual GDP growth rate of at least 10%. In 2007, China was ranked 1st by current account balance of USD 262.2 billion dollars (9% of GDP).
China’s rapid development of its economy is no threat to any other country but an important opportunity for other countries to come into China and expand and expose their market internationally. China’s globalisation is becoming “the place to be” for exposure to multinational companies and organizations.
The Chinese business culture is very unique. Chinese like to talk about “guanxi” (relationships), and “mian-zi” (to give face).
• “Guanxi” means relationship, any form of relationship. Once “guanxi” is established, it means constant cooperation and support is exchanged with one another. Basically, it goes as far as exchanging favours on a regular basis. The Chinese believe that by knowing how to make the right “guanxi”, it minimizes the risks, frustrations and disappointments of doing business in China.
• “Mianzi” means to give face. If you “give face” to someone, you respect that one person, and you will not do anything to embarrass them. If you don’t “give face” it means you don’t respect them, hence, they should no longer be in any association with you. It can be as absurd as not accepting a cigarette, meaning you don’t “give face” and thus you don’t respect them.
Developing Relationships (Guanxi)
Once you have developed a mutual relationship and cooperation with a Chinese businessman, it literally means you will support each other. “Guanxi” and “mianzi” are very important in China, not only with networking and doing business, but also in everyday life. PRC Study can help you establish and open up your “guanxi” in China, as well as teach you the morality of “mianzi”, and various aspects about doing business in China.
Basic Understanding of Mandarin Chinese
When doing business in China, foreigners often come across the same problems over and over again. The language barriers between English and Mandarin Chinese are completely diverse. Even if you hire a translator, would it not be better if you have some understanding of the Chinese language to ensure that the translator is at least translating what you are really trying to say? Therefore, it is really recommended that those doing business in China have at least a basic understanding of the Mandarin Chinese language.
Chinese Business Protocol
As for business ethics, men or women should never wear bright suits (to the Chinese it seems very inappropriate), and must develop good “guanxi” and give a lot of “mianzi” to show trust, appreciation, honor, and cooperation.
Starting Up a Business in China
To start up a business in China takes anywhere from one month up to 1 year, depending on the type of business one wants to start. There are 13 procedures to go through till you finish setting up a business. To start up a business, you must be obtaining the following items below before you can open your business to the public:
• A notice of Pre-Approval of the Company Name
• Opening a preliminary bank account
• A registration certificate “Business License of Enterprise Legal Person” with SAIC or local equivalent,
• Approval of making the company seal from the police department
• Organisation Code Certificate issued by the Quality and Technology Supervision Bureau
• Register with the local statistics bureau
• Register for both the state and local tax with the tax bureau
• Open a formal bank account
• Apply for authorisation to print or purchase financial invoices/receipts
• Purchase uniform invoices
• File for recruitment registration with local Career Service Center
• Register with Social Welfare
By: Amit Salkar
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