Tips When Going to the Canton Fair
In my last blog, I wrote about what to consider before embarking on a visit to the Canton Fair. If you believe you are one of those who can significantly benefit from a trip to the fair, your next step will be to plan your visit and make the most of your stay.
Here are a few useful tips:
Cut the fair down to smaller bites.
The Canton Fair is the largest in China, and covers just about all types of consumer products that China can offer. Being the largest trade show in such a large country and economy like China, it’s easy to imagine how labyrinthine the place can be. It is best to go with a plan and a focus on which type of goods and suppliers you wish to deal with.
Be aware of Guanzhi or relationships.
For people who have no experience with Chinese culture, it’s easy to think that it is all just about business. In Chinese business culture, there is more involved than just dollars and cents. The Chinese base much of their dealings on trust. Relationships are important to the Chinese, so it shouldn’t surprise you if some decisions are made based on the smoothest relationships, rather than the best deals that can be made.
Bring plenty of business cards and know how to pass them out.
If you have done your homework, then you probably already know the proper way to exchange business cards. Besides observing etiquette, you should also determine who to give cards to. While business cards are required by some exhibitors in exchange for brochures or catalogs, you should also be conscious of who to give them to. Not only is this an environmentally friendly practice, this also prevents the flood of unwanted email. One way to avoid this is to bring two sets of cards. One of them will be for immediately needed suppliers, while the other will be for suppliers considered for the future.
Make the most of your trip.
You can also insert plant visits to your itinerary. Some exhibitors keep their best products out of the fair for fear of exposing them to competitors. For those who already have suppliers in nearby locations, take the opportunity to visit their factories as well.
Negotiate later but be clear about your expectations.
I suggest you leave the negotiating until after the show to save time. If you have an assisting company, you are better off letting them handle negotiations after the show.
I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I did composing it for you. The Canton Fair can show the best of China’s exports, especially to those who are best prepared.