Cross-border relationships are built slowly and lost quickly. Consistency of communication is worth more than the terms of any single transaction.
Expectations around timing, formality and decision-making vary considerably between markets. Recognising that difference — rather than treating it as an obstacle — is usually the difference between a stalled discussion and a working relationship.
Written clarity helps. Confirming understandings in writing, in plain language, reduces ambiguity without introducing unnecessary formality.
The businesses that succeed internationally tend to be those that treat each introduction as the beginning of a relationship rather than the end of a search.