Frequently Asked Questions - Arabian Business and Cultural Guide

What is the "Arabian Business & Cultural Guide"? A book about the Arab countries culture, business, and business culture. The book guides you how to successfully obtain market data, get connected, and trade with the Arab countries such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Yemen, and other Arab countries. Through it you will have a comprehensive understanding of the Arab market and culture.
I don't need to understand the culture of the end users/customers of my products because my overseas agents will be dealing with them. Yes, but how about your overseas agents? They belong to that foreign culture and to you they are your end users/customers. Do you know their culture? Do you know how to gain their trust and loyalty? Do you know how they prefer to do business? Do you know what is insulting to them (the do's and don'ts)? Even the smallest simplest thing (but non the less crucial) like correspondence, is done differently. Do you know what words you should use and what to avoid? You need to know about the culture of your agents in order to succeed in doing business with them.
Why business and cultural information are mixed together? Because one without the other will only yield very narrow and limited knowledge. Understanding the business and the culture in which the business exists, guarantees maximum success for your goals and ventures. Most books written as guides to doing business with an overseas market concentrate on the business side and you end-up learning about the foreign culture through the mistakes you make along the way, which will prove to be costly and time consuming. Do you want to learn about the ins and outs, the do's and don'ts of your targeted market through your mistakes or do you prefer to know about them earlier and save yourself and your business money, time, effort and possibly your reputation. "The Arabian Business and Cultural Guide" saves you time, money, effort and guides you to a successful business venture that is based on a comprehensive understanding of the Arab market and culture.
On the business side, what do I learn? The guide provides you with information on the complete export cycle. You will know:
- How to get connected to the Arab market (locating agents and distributors).
- If you are or want to be an exporter, you will know how to locate USA and foreign manufacturers.
- How to get market data (includes sources of free market information and advice)
- How to advertise your business and services (includes pointers to sources of free international advertising)
- How to make your literature (advertisements, catalogs, etc.) more effective and more suitable for the targeted market.
- What type of agents/distributors you should choose, how to select them, and how to successfully communicate with them.
- What are the weaknesses of the Arab companies and how to transfer these weaknesses into profit.
- If you are meeting/visiting with your Arab clients, things you need to know/do before the meeting, during the meeting, and after the meeting.
- How to set your prices and how to negotiate.
- How to detect and handle rejections.
- How to win their trust, business, and loyalty.
- The business circumstances that surround your Arab agents and distributors.
- How to choose your international staff.
- How to handle letters of credit.
- Best time to do business.
- and much more.
On the cultural side, what do I learn? You will learn
- Verbal communication etiquette
- Written communication etiquette
- Non-verbal communication etiquette
- What is considered insulting.
- What subjects to avoid.
- What cultural values they believe in.
- Cultural do's and don'ts.
- What are their customs.
- When is it appropriate to start business discussions.
- How to handle invitations and what to do when you invite them.
- Cultural customs that you might misinterpret and how to best handle these situations.
- Body positions you should avoid.
- Social structure, responsibilities and priorities.
- Dress code for men and women.
- Eating and drinking habits and customs.
- Common sayings and their English translation and pronunciation.
- Conflict resolution.
- and More
How is the "Arabian Business and Cultural Guide" different from other trade/culture books? The guide is different because
- It was written by an Arab (Mohammad Al-Sabt) who was born and raised in the Arab region. He is able to provide an accurate look inside his culture.
- Mohammad Al-Sabt has studied, lived and worked (in international trade) in the US for the past 8 years. He is able to look at and experience both business cultures (Arab and American). He has presented his valuable experience and knowledge to others through this guide.
- The guide was written in a direct, easy to understand business language.
- The guide delivers entertaining education by employing real stories and interviews.
- The guide provides the reader with specific resources and how to benefit from these resources.
- The guide brings you the valuable input you need from inside the Arab market. To obtain this information on your own, you need to travel to the Arab countries and do business with them for a number of years. This guide delivers crucial insiders knowledge to you now.
How many pages is it? Over 200 pages (Eight Chapters and extensive appendixes).
Can I view some parts from the book? Yes. We have provided some sample parts/excerpts from the book. Check "Excerpts from the book" index at top left corner of this page.
Are the sample excerpts you provided on this website the only cultural information you have in the "Arabian Business and Cultural Guide"? No. This is just a small part. Business and cultural information are presented throughout the guide. The sample excerpts we are providing here are actually what can be considered common cultural situations. The guide provides you with the interactive version of the culture-business relationship (i.e. how to act and react depending on the situation, the goals, and the timing).