The Philippines are a diverse country with unique characteristics that makes it a solid choice for overseas expansion. The business culture, despite recent political turmoil, remains generally positive. With many bustling cities, the country is open for business.
To make your expansion a success, however, you will need to keep several things in mind in order to succeed. Not only does the country have some cultural distinctiveness that needs to be navigated but high-quality office space needs to be sourced, such as a virtual office in Makati. Here, we present a rundown of some of the key things to remember before buying your plane ticket.
Let’s look at five specific tips to successfully expand your business to the Philippines.
Choose A High-Quality Office Space
At the top of this list, finding a great location and space for your business needs to be a top priority. Premium providers of office rental spaces offer several options that can make the transition to a foreign land much more straightforward.
If you have an established team that will be transitioning with you, then consider a serviced office to get down to work as soon as you arrive. For those who want to meet with local professionals or other international entrepreneurs in the course of day-to-day life, then try out a coworking space to collaborate with people from many different industries. Finally, if you prefer to work from a remote location while reaping the benefits of a prestigious address to boost your reputation, then try a virtual office for a great value option.
Get To Know The Culture
The culture of the Philippines has some distinctive nuances that any business person who wants to succeed needs to be aware of. While studying the depth of this topic yourself is important, here we can provide a few key things to remember.
For one, remember that the concept of public shame is important. People generally behave in such a way as to avoid public shame and will go to great lengths to avoid embarrassment. Make sure to conform to the local norms of behaviour to avoid embarrassing yourself as this might influence your business dealings.
Another thing to consider in getting your international business marketing strategy right is to build translation into your strategy which would allow you to resonate better with your Filipino audience. While many Filipinos are fluent in English particularly in urban areas, most of them would still prefer to use their native language in everyday communication. And many international brands have made a more lasting impression in the Philippine market by choosing to use localized communications both for marketing and in-business purposes.
Make Sure To Stay Connected
Keeping track of what is going on in your home base is equally as important as establishing a solid footing in the Philippines. Make sure that you have the reliable technology necessary to know what is going on back in your home country. Premium providers of office rental space generally include high-speed internet connections as well as video conferencing equipment for meeting rooms that can make this process much easier.
Establish Yourself With Organic Networking
Coworking spaces are a great choice if you are looking to get to know the locals in your industry. By taking part in informal conversations over coffee or lunch or even attending one of several events put on by premium coworking providers, you are sure to meet your people. Be polite and follow the rules of etiquette outlined above. Before you know it, doors will be opening, and opportunities will be presenting themselves.
Set Yourself Up For Success
By keeping the above points in mind, you are setting yourself up for success in the Philippines business community. As a fifth and final point of advice, learn the language. Spend some time before you leave to be familiar with the basics, at least. Showing some respect in this way will allow you to integrate smoothly in your new country.
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