Replies to This Discussion | 이 토론에 대한 답글들

Permalink Reply by Rich DeBourke on June 19, 2010 at 7:00pm

Steve - nice eBook (I read it on the way home from Friday's KBC Networking Event). You mention that Koreans are quite willing to hand out their business cards "at the drop of a hat", which is true, but they do avoid exchanging cards with someone they have previously met, even if they are exchanging cards with everyone else in the meeting. They will, of course, shake hands and say hello to the people they have met before. In the US it is common to give everyone in a meeting a business card, whether you have met them before or not, if for nothing else, so they know who was at the meeting (and just in case they forgot your name). In Korea, offering a name card to someone you met before implies you don't remember them. The exception to this is if you have a new name card (new title, new phone number, etc.). In that case, I've found it's okay to offer a new card, so long as it is pointed out right away that the card has a change. This has the added benefit of showing that you remember them, that you remember exchanging cards, and that you think they are important enough to you for you to make them aware of the change.

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Permalink Reply by Steven S. Bammel on June 19, 2010 at 7:34pm

Thanks, Rich. Yes, everything you've written here is absolutely right. Thanks for pointing that out.

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Permalink Reply by Istvan Medvigy on June 21, 2010 at 12:45pm

Hey Steve,
Had the change to read your book(let) on my way home last Friday - really helpful stuff. Was glad it also contained some good broader material on business etiquette (which reminded me Boye Lafayette De Mente's book on Korean business etiquette).
PS: Had a great time last Friday evening on the KBC-event!

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Permalink Reply by Matt Strum on June 22, 2010 at 5:24pm

Very nice guide! I'm definitely going to reference this when I make mine soon~

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Permalink Reply by Dave Woods on June 23, 2010 at 2:01am

Coincidence?
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One of our 3 principal partners called everyone into the conference room this morning to discuss an introduction technique that should help us differentiate ourselves from the competition and show our sincere interest in our prospects and clients. I was unaware of the meeting until I walked into the office mid-morning. I walked into the all-glass conference room late…ugh…and that partner handed me his business card in front of the entire office (40+ professional sales folks, I’ve worked here 2 months, commercial insurance sales organization in north Dallas, Texas).
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So he presents his card to me and everyone stared at me to see what I’d do next (he'd already spoken with them). He was expecting me to stick it in my pocket like 99% of Westerners would do. I did not know I was being setup, but I knew something was going on with that card.
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Trying to cover my bases, I held the card with respect in both hands and briefly reviewed it. Then I mentioned different environments prompt different handling of business cards. And off he went on what a wonderful, personal, sincere, practical, respectful, etc., etc., etc., process of introduction it is to work with someone’s business card in such a manner. He has insisted everyone follow this protocol for the next 6 weeks and report back on what the response is from prospects and clients.
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I forwarded Steven’s etiquette guide to all the partners. Steven and KBC are now impacting commercial insurance sales in north Texas and across the US.

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Permalink Reply by Steven S. Bammel on June 23, 2010 at 4:50am

Now THAT is interesting. So the "Asian" way communicates in the West too.... We should start "Korean Business Etiquette for Texans" seminars....

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Permalink Reply by Ivo Spanjersberg on June 25, 2010 at 4:19pm

This really is great! I really needed this type of information, going on a trip to Korea very soon. Most of the business etiquette books I found are "updated" versions of much older books. That means that the information is often rather outdated, often only the layout is new. But this is great.

Also, beautiful layout! I like this style a lot, very readable and very good looking.

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Permalink Reply by Steven S. Bammel on June 25, 2010 at 6:09pm

Thanks, Ivo. I appreciate the kind words.

As for layout, that's thanks to my designer, Catalin, who's also the guy behind the KBC site design.

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Permalink Reply by Istvan Medvigy on June 25, 2010 at 6:16pm

Ivo,
Without any intent of taking away any benefit from Steve's (and Catalin's) work, Boye Lafayette De Mente's Korean Business Etiquette, to my opinion, is a good book(let) on the subject. It is not new, either, but very true and helpful.
Good luck with your trip,
Istvan

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Permalink Reply by Steven S. Bammel on June 25, 2010 at 7:22pm

Thanks, Istvan. Sure, never hesitate to share additional good resources that are out there!

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Permalink Reply by Jure Grant Majnaric on July 2, 2010 at 10:18pm

I have yet to see a business card in Korea printed on hard paper, almost cardboard stock. My colleagues and friends in the states all had think cards. Why are most, if not all, Korean business cards flimsy and printed on what seems like paper just slightly thicker than printing paper? Does anybody here have cards printed on thicker stock paper?

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Permalink Reply by Simon Hoggett on July 5, 2010 at 10:24am

I am not sure of this, but I would guess it is due to the sheer number of business cards dispersed and collected by Korean businessmen. Thicker cards would present a problem for carrying a large number of cards. I have one of those nice lacquer finish metal card holders and it can barely hold 15 business cards. A leather holder can hold probably about 50 cards, but if the cards were thicker, that would drastically cut down on the number of cards thawt could be handed out and stored at networking events, trade shows, meetings, etc.

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