Courses › Sales skills, selling across cultures, and the objections per market
Selling to Chinese buyers when you are from Europe: culture, meetings, decision makers and the mistakes that lose deals
Your next Chinese deal depends on understanding cultural nuances now.
The moment it goes wrong
Your sales team misses subtle cues during initial introductions, leading to early distrust. Important emails go unanswered for weeks, stalling critical negotiations. This often results in lost opportunities and wasted travel budgets when a competitor secures the contract.
What changes after this course
Your team will confidently open dialogues and follow up effectively after this course. They will know how to present proposals and handle objections from Chinese partners. You will receive a full training record for your compliance documentation.
How long it takes, by who is listening
Nobody spends a day in a classroom. Every module exists in three lengths; a person takes the length their role needs, and every length ends with the same recorded questionnaire, so the training record is complete either way.
| Who takes this course | Length | Total time |
|---|---|---|
| Business development and export sales | Briefing | 1 h 20 min |
| Owner, CEO and board | Briefing | 1 h 20 min |
| Marketing and communications | Briefing | 1 h 20 min |
What is in the course, module by module
8 modules. Under each title are the three things the listener can do afterwards; the audio itself runs 10 to 50 minutes depending on the length chosen. Each module ends with a multiple-choice questionnaire whose result is recorded per person for your auditor. Your human-resources or quality manager decides what counts as passed and when a level is retaken.
1Understand Chinese Business Culture Basics
- Recognize the concept of 'Guanxi' and its role in business relationships.
- Learn the importance of face (mianzi) and how to manage it in interactions.
- Identify common cultural misunderstandings that can damage initial trust.
2Prepare for Your First Meeting with Chinese Partners
- Know the correct way to exchange business cards and what information to prioritize.
- Understand appropriate dress codes and non-verbal communication rules.
- Avoid common conversational mistakes during initial greetings that cause discomfort.
3Conduct Effective Meetings and Presentations
- Learn how meeting agendas are typically structured and who speaks when.
- Understand the importance of interpreters and how to work with them effectively.
- Recognize indirect communication styles to accurately interpret responses and feedback.
4Identify Key Decision Makers and Their Influence
- Understand the hierarchical structures within Chinese pharmaceutical companies.
- Learn how to identify the true decision makers beyond the apparent titles.
- Recognize the collective decision-making process and its impact on timelines.
5Navigate Negotiations and Contract Discussions
- Understand typical negotiation styles and common tactics used by Chinese buyers.
- Learn to present proposals that address their specific concerns and priorities.
- Recognize the value of long-term relationships over short-term gains in deal making.
6Master Follow-up and Relationship Building
- Learn effective strategies for consistent and culturally appropriate follow-up communication.
- Understand the role of small gestures and gifts in maintaining business relationships.
- Avoid common mistakes in post-meeting communication that can lead to silence.
7Address Common Challenges and Objections
- Develop strategies for addressing price sensitivity and quality concerns.
- Learn how to respond to requests for customization or unique terms.
- Understand how to handle delays or unexpected changes in the negotiation process.
8Ensure Compliance and Ethical Selling
- Understand the basics of China's regulatory landscape for pharmaceutical sales.
- Recognize the importance of transparency and adherence to anti-bribery laws.
- Learn to maintain ethical sales practices while respecting cultural norms.
Price for this title
One licence, 8 modules in all three lengths, included in every purchase, every employee of the legal entity, 12 months. Pick your company size.
Cheaper as part of a track pack or company library. Delivered within 72 hours of payment or the course is free.
Custom course or custom pricing? A course built on your own procedures and products, a mixed bundle, several legal entities, or a budget that does not fit a table: tell us on WhatsApp and you have a written quote the same day.
Ask about custom courses and custom pricingWho this is for
Roles: Owner, CEO and board, Business development and export sales, Marketing and communications,
Businesses: every kind of pharma company
Countries: Europe
What you receive
- Audio modules in all three lengths, included in every purchase. The briefing for the board and the sales floor, the standard run for regulatory and quality, the expanded walk-through for the bench. One price buys all three; each person takes the length their role needs. Listen on the commute, at the bench, in the car.
- Made to be listened to. A narrator with character, a story in every module and real examples from the buyer's side of the table. Not a read-out of the guideline that puts the room to sleep.
- Companion workbook. Exercises and checklists per module, ready to file.
- Full transcript. Searchable, printable, quotable in your procedures.
- Source for every fact. Each statement links to its guideline, regulation or paper, so an auditor can check it.
- Certificate per learner. Name, course, hours, guideline version, date.
- Auditable training record. Per-person export for your quality file, the document inspectors ask for under EU GMP Chapter 2.
English first. Other languages are available in test mode on request.
Request a free sample module