In this episode of the Selling in Asia Podcast, Managing Director Tom Abbott met up with friend Ashley Dudarenok, who is based in Hong Kong and does a lot of work in Mainland China.
Join Tom and Ashley as she shares her best tips about connecting and selling in China. Sales are all about connections and relationships, and China is no different. So without Facebook, here’s how you need to be doing to connect in China instead.
What Salespeople Should Be Doing Right Now
Sales are all about connections and relationships. However, you probably already know that generally, we are all about word of mouth in Asia and basically knowing people going propel your business forward.
China is the master network, and the Chinese are famously all about Guanxi, possibly best understood by the adage, “it’s not what you know, but who you know that’s important.” Therefore, it’s all about connections. So, when you’re making sales in B2C or B2B context, put many emphases, time and money into developing those relationships.
Modernised Connections
For example, Ashley finds that outside of China, she exchanges many business cards, but in China, “they look at my phone and say ah can I scan you? So they want to scan my WeChat, and they want to develop a personal connection.”
“They want to send me messages, share their thoughts, and follow my journey on WeChat. You will be surprised how many sales, such as corporate sales and even real estate sales, can be done through this platform WeChat.
However, another vital aspect to note is that when you grow your database of potential sales leads in China. It’s not about capturing emails because nobody is using an email! Additionally, people are not going to be happy if you start cold calling them. They’re going to report you, and you’re gonna get into a lot of trouble.
As a B2B or B2C salesperson, you still need to be on social media, which is a sharp difference compared to the rest of the world. Go on WeChat, be on platforms like Weibo, definitely check out LinkedIn because this is the only Western platform that actually works in China. Focus on building relationships, be authentic as a human being, and people are going to come to you. China is ready, and China in the future.
More About Ashley Galina Dudarenok
Ashley is a China marketing expert, entrepreneur, bestselling author, professional speaker, and vlogger. She was recognized as a LinkedIn Top Voice in Marketing in 2019 and chosen as an Asia-Pacific Top 25 Innovator by the Holmes Report. She is the founder of a China-focused social media agency Alarice and China insights and training company ChoZan.
More About SOCO Sales Training
SOCO/ is an expert-led, award-winning sales training company. We’ve spent decades working with some of the most innovative and forward-thinking companies across Asia and the world.
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