LD Export Series: Master the Arab Business Partners

If you are selling your products or services in the Gulf Countries then you need to engage in face-to-face interaction. At first sight, locals don’t appreciate emails. However, when the relationship is engaged you can use this tool to communicate but always priviledge WhatsApp to ease the process. Personal communication will help you to gain the trust of your counterpart.

Do you want to meet amazing business partners in the Middle East? If so, you will be exposed to many ways that you never experienced before. Face-to-face meetings will give you a far better understanding of their way of working. Although, we are in the new Era of Teams and Zoom meetings you will have to engage face to face meetings. Arabs are still very traditional, and they are expecting you to be present in their office, face to face to discuss a future or existing partnership.

The direct visits will help you to build the trust that they need to buy your products or services. Somehow, during these meetings, the energy will flow between two parties, and it will ‘click’ or not. They will have to feel that they can trust you. They are very cautious and they would not take any risk of doing business with you without being completely certain that you are reliable too.

Arabs are proud and will certainly put all their efforts and energy in showing how relevant it would be for you to deal with them! Their job is also to showcase their market reliabily! But please, be prepared in allowing a flexible schedule. Arabs do minimaly use agenda. A last
minute change in the proposed scenario is common. On the other hand, if not changes occur in regards to your meeting, please be on time, tehy will certinly have a bunch of their team ready to welcome you!

And now Yallah, it is you time to succeed in the Gulf!

Check out the other blogs in the series ‘’Master the Arab business partners’’:

• “InshAllah” and the deal is closed!?

If you’re curious to know more about how to expand your business in the Gulf Regions, would it either be to check your potential, by completing a Market Study or having us to hook you up with the right partners, please feel free to get in touch with us at office@ld-export.com and we will be prompt to serve you best,

Francois-Xavier Depireux