Quick guide to avoid UK/French cultural confusion in your business 

If you are a UK person working or planning to work with French people, or a French person unfamiliar with UK office culture, here are a few key pointers to help you navigate some of the more frequently encountered cultural differences.

In the UK, you’re likely to assume a business meeting is about exchanging ideas, making decisions and agreeing a way forward. If the meeting comprises mixed cultures, this assumption could be a mistake and can cause a potentially damaging misunderstanding, particularly between UK and French partners! If you are French, you’ll leave a meeting having explored alternative ideas and possible outcomes, but you won’t think you’ve made a decision or agreed to anything binding.

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Country domain names are a key component of the marketing communications mix. But one that many businesses tend to forget. Yet there are many reasons why companies wishing to export should not only consider having a website in the local language but also securing a country domain name for their brand as well.

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A good idea? Proposed compulsory foreign languages in schools from age 7… mais oui!

It’s no secret that England isn’t really a nation of linguists. We probably shouldn’t be surprised. For many years, relatively little has been done so far across the English educational system to enhance the nation’s foreign languages skills. All too often the “We’re English, the world speaks English” (and American!) message has prevailed, potentially costing the economy millions of pounds in missed export opportunities.

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Growing your business through export may just be what you need to increase your sales. However it isn’t just the case of “going for it”. Whilst many businesses get away developing their business locally without a marketing plan, it’s critical to get your business export ready by creating an international sales and marketing plan. Any SME can potentially increase sales, compete in diverse markets and reach a global audience providing they follow the right steps… Or it could end up costing you your business.

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