8 Tips For Doing Business In China

China presents a massive opportunity for British entrepreneurs setting up a business – but where do you start? World First offers some tips for success from those who know…

1. Do your research

"You have to look beyond the newspaper headlines," says David Martin of the China-Britain Business Council. "With a country of 1.4 billion people, a single figure for GDP is almost meaningless." As a result, it's better to drill down into individual sectors and regions – the media sector in Beijing isn't necessarily going to be in the same shape as the retail sector in Hangzhou. A good way to begin your intelligence-gathering is with organisations such as the newly created Department for International Trade (the new UKTI), individual Chambers of Commerce here in the UK, or indeed Martin's own organisation. But you'll want to schedule a visit to the country too, to get your feet wet. It's the best way to learn.

2. Then, go for it

"Do not let any negatives you may have heard put you off at first base," says Shaun Pulfrey, whose grooming product, the Tangle Teezer, was turned down by investors on the Dragon's Den in 2007 but is now on sale in 60 countries. "China is the most exciting consumer market that we are working in," adds Pulfrey. "By the end of 2017, it will be our biggest global market, and it has also helped make us more dynamic as a business – sharper, agile and more focused." Going to China could help you be better everywhere else.

3. Partner up

"No matter how much research you do or how many times you visit, you will not understand China's market like the Chinese." So says Pulfrey, who admits that his company's grasp of local consumer behaviour was limited when Tangle Teezer first entered the Chinese market. But, warns David Martin, it's not as simple as just finding a local contact. It's also wise to establish a relationship where payment or compensation is linked to the success of the venture. And, he adds: "Don't believe the unlikely. Because of the scale of the opportunity, it can be tempting, but show the kind of acumen you would when dealing with people at home."

4. Be patient

"Deals go at different speeds," says Martin, "so be prepared for the ebb and flow. The decision-making process is different, the hierarchy is different." The concept of 'face' – as in saving it, and not losing it – is integral to business in China, too. "Haggling is important," says Michael Greene, vice president of product strategy at digital advertising management firm AudienceScience. "Chinese people like to feel that they have done something important for their company and are going back with a good deal." It's often useful to draft in senior figures to move deals along or rubber-stamp them at the end.

5. And be prepared to re-assess

Just because a business is successful in one market doesn't mean that it'll work in China. "Uber is dominant elsewhere," says AudienceScience's Michael Greene, "but in China it struggled against a larger rival, Didi." For some companies, this will mean tweaking a product slightly. For example, some Jaguar Land Rover models sold in China have a longer wheelbase and larger back seats, and says Martin, "In China, the people who buy those cars are likely to have a driver." This means you need to be flexible and prepared to make adjustments to maximise your business.

6. Pin your colours to the mast

"We make much more of our Britishness in China than anywhere else in the world," says Pulfrey. "Take every marketing opportunity to stress you have a British brand, are made in Great Britain, or have British heritage. To the Chinese, 'Made in Great Britain' means design, quality, cool, expertise and trust. It opens doors, it gives you a competitive advantage and it supports a premium proposition."

7. Beware the 'Great Firewall of China'

The Chinese government's method of censoring the internet and preventing sites such as Facebook and Twitter from operating, means that social media – which is so crucial to consumers' buying decisions – works very differently. But it has other consequences too, says Greene. "It can even prevent innocuous e-mail attachments from opening." Being a technology-dependent business, AudienceScience worked with a specialist company to make sure it had the servers and other infrastructure and systems in place to deal with the constraints.

8. Think local

Doing business half-way across the world might be daunting. However, don't forget, says Pulfrey, there are 90,000 Chinese students in the UK – often young, bright, ambitious and, crucially, well versed in WeChat and the Twitter-alike Weibo. Martin notes that football club Aston Villa took on a Chinese intern, locally-based in the West Midlands, to look after its social media for the Far East, with great results. And, he adds, for other companies, there's every chance that a person who starts off as an intern could one day prove to be a very useful contact if they ever decide to head home. As ever with China, it's a long game.

Conclusion

Globalization does affect China in a way. However China is taking action to maintain the economic growth such as laying out some policies related to the foreign investment to boost the national economy. This CEO survey report comes from PWC which comprehensively reveals that China could be the main stage for market entry. Moreover CEOs emphasize the recent problem about talent gap which can be solved by man and machine work together and it could be a long way to go. Yet finding an agency can be one of the best ways to narrow the talent gap. Talent Spot can help you with your HR solutions in China as well as Asia Pacific Region includes Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Thailand and Vietnam.