Chapter 2

Culture and Sales

Sales Management:
A Global Perspective
By:
Adil Adnan

Culture and Sales

Culture: All of the behavioral traits that
we acquire from and share with the
members of our society.
Acculturation: What is learned and
accepted by an outsider after exposure
to those within a cultural group.
Assimilation: When an outsider becomes
completely absorbed into a new culture.

Culture and Sales

Levels of Cultural Aggregation

Global Forces at work shaping similar expectations

of customers, but risky to treat all sales people the
same way
Regional Regional similarities may offer
opportunities for 3rd country nationals
National The key level of aggregation. The most
deep set and defining characteristics imprinted on
the individual.
Local Local community has its own culture, but not as
important in shaping the individual.

Culture and Sales

Hofstedes National Cultural Dimensions:

Power Distance The distinctions in the society

between the individual and their immediate
supervisor in terms of power and ranking.
Uncertainty avoidance The way in which the
society deals with the concept of risk.
Individualism/collectivism The importance of
the group as opposed to the individual in the
society.

 Masculinity/femininity The traits

valued by society which are identified in
terms of masculine (success, confidence,
strength) or feminine (nurturing,
compassion, quality of life).

Culture and Sales

National Cultural Dimensions:
The importance of a short-term versus a
long-term time orientation and
commitment.

Culture and Sales

Managerial Considerations:

The chances for cultural conflict should be

minimized to enhance the probability of
successful relationship building between
salesperson and customer.
Making the salesperson sensitive to cultural
differences is important.
Periodic cultural training for salespeople and
sales managers can be extremely beneficial.

Culture and Sales

Culture and Sales

Components of Culture:

Verbal Communication - Three problem areas

to consider:
Simple carelessness The inappropriate or
accidental use of a word.
Multiple-meaning words Using words with more
than one meaning where primary meaning is other
than was intended.
Idioms Using phrases with no literal translation.
.raining cats and dogs

Culture and Sales

Additional language concerns:
Use the correct forms of the language when
addressing a superior as opposed to a peer.
Developing countries often have many different
dialects which are used.
The language may be experiencing changes on a
regular basis
High context versus low context cultures have
different language uses and needs for
communications.

Culture and Sales

Types of Nonverbal Communication:

Appearance/Grooming
Tone of Voice/Speech Pattern
Timing of Verbal Responses
Posture
Use of Space in Communications
Sense of Smell
Use of Hand Gestures to Communicate
Physical Contact in Communication
Eye Contact in Communication
Body Angles

Culture and Sales

Communication Considerations:

The better prepared the salesperson is to

understand verbal and non-verbal
communication issues, the greater the chances
for building successful relationships with
potential customers. Some possibilities:
Identify and prepare for specific customers.
Cultural training/sensitizing is a necessity.
The key is to avoid actions and words that could be
considered to be offensive.

Culture and Sales

Components of Culture:
Religion Watch out for:
Religious holidays/celebrations/obligations may
affect salesperson performance.
Time for prayer may be important.
Consumption of certain foods may be prohibited.
Consumption of alcohol may be forbidden.
Gender relationships may be controlled.

Culture and Sales

Components of Culture:

Education be sensitive to:

Difficulties for customer dealing with someone less
educated.
Salespeople should have at least a university/college
education.
Sales managers must sell students in many countries
on the value of a sales career.
Salespeople may be concerned about educational
opportunities for their children if they are sent
overseas.

Culture and Sales

Components of Culture:

Aesthetics - Remember:

Salesperson appearance must conform with

expectations of customer (hair, jewelry,
smell, etc.).
The materials used by the salesperson
should also conform to customer
expectations (sales presentations,
product/promotional literature, etc.).

Culture and Sales

Components of Culture:

Social Organizations Areas to consider:

How well does the salesperson work in group settings,
especially when the company uses sales teams?
Problems arising from males in patriarchal societies
working for female superiors.
Problems arising from older individuals in hierarchical
societies working for younger supervisors.
Problems arising from affluent individuals working for
supervisors from lower income backgrounds.

Culture and Sales

Components of Culture:

Technology - Watch out for:

Customers who are more technologically

literate than sales people.
Sales people selling products way too
advanced technologically for potential
customers.
Technological literacy gaps between sales
manager and sales people.

Culture and Sales

Components of Culture:

Values and Norms - Consider:

Conflicts between sales manager and salespeople

reflecting differences in value orientations
(conservative vs. liberal, ethnocentric vs.
polycentric, egalitarian vs. male-dominated
decision making, etc.)
Conflicts between salespeople and customers
reflecting value differences.
Ethnocentric vs. polycentric perspectives.

Culture and Sales

Essential skills and abilities for multi-cultural
sales manager dealing with a global sales force:

Respect for others

Tolerance for ambiguity
Ability to relate to people
Being nonjudgmental
Ability to personalize ones observations
Empathy
Persistence/patience

Culture and Sales

Suggestions for the sales manager to
enhance their chances of clear and
meaningful communications with foreign
salespeople:

Speak slowly and clearly not loudly!

Avoid the use of idiomatic expressions
Try not to appear impatient or irritated
Periodically stop and ask what the salesperson
understood or whether clarification is needed

Culture and Sales

Culture shapes the behaviors and expectations of
human beings.

If sales managers understand the nature of culture and how

it is manifested, they can enhance the chances of success
for the sales force in the following ways:

They can choose the appropriate individuals given the nature of

their potential foreign sales territories based upon cultural fit.
They can arm the salesperson with a cultural sensitivity that
will enhance the chances of building a meaningful long-term
relationship with potential customers.
Culturally aware sales managers can be better prepared to
develop their own relationships with the various members of
their sales force.