What is the issue?

Even though it is close to France, Germany has remained, for French investors and exporters, a difficult market to approach. English has remained a third language, rarely adequate when it comes to ensure a full comprehension and the development of valuable business relationships; Contrary to France, business relationships in Germany are formal, distant, somehow rigid and not convivial at all. This is no less true that it is for the Germans a sign of mutual respect and does not indicate any hostility.

Approaching a German company requires therefore an in-depth preparation and a certain sense of diplomacy. Moreover it is recommended to favour a direct and personalized approach.

In order to conquer the interest of your German business partners you have to speak to them on a concrete level, be concise so as not to lose time, avoid what is left unsaid and understatements, and describe the activity of your company while backing it up with technical or commercial documentation …. in German. A successful professional meeting with a German business partner implies, as a consequence, that you master the German language and business culture perfectly.