6 practical tips for doing business with Italian companies

By Sue Guillory

Our world is getting smaller. Thanks to technology like video conferencing software, email, and instant messaging, we can now conduct business anywhere in the world. If you're considering Italy as your next target audience, get some tips from Americans living in Italy on how to do business in the country. Dolce Vita.

6 Tips for Doing Business with Italians

1. Understand that Italians are not transactional by nature.

Americans tend to have a very straightforward style when it comes to business. They don't want to waste time or money, so they tend to be direct in business meetings.

Italians… not so much. In a country where a single espresso can take two people to start a conversation that lasts hours, understand that here it's about relationships, not transactions.

This means we need to calm down a little bit. Let's have a little personal conversation. Let's talk about how they Nonna We made pasta by hand every Sunday, and if you love soccer, bonus points, because soccer is what Italians love to talk about (as much as what they eat).

If you're planning a business trip to Italy, plan on a few extra days. You're not going to fly to Milan, pitch your product, and sign a contract that same day. You might spend a few days just discussing business and still come home empty-handed. Accept this as part of the culture.

Think of it this way: if you're married, you don't propose marriage on the first date. You want to get to know the other person and decide if they're right for you as a long-term partner. Italians feel the same way when it comes to business. They want to get to know the other person as an individual before deciding whether to enter into a long-term business relationship.

If someone invites you to dinner at their home, especially a business acquaintance, by all means accept — you're inviting them into their world, and it would be rude of them to decline and eat reheated pizza in your hotel room.

2. Make a little effort to learn Italian

If you're dealing with a large corporation, the representatives will probably speak English, but it doesn't hurt to pick up a little Italian. Italian isn't very common, so people here are impressed if an American speaks even a little Italian.

Starting with words like “please” and “thank you” will go a long way, and if you're traveling to and from Italy on business (hopefully all goes well), learning a bit more Italian might help you in other ways, too, and it'll save your acquaintances from having to translate every joke.

3. Be flexible when it comes to contracts

This isn't always the case, but some Italians prefer to at least start with a verbal agreement. While an American mentality might rebel against a verbal agreement for lack of substance, understand that culturally it is acceptable. And Italians (again, I'm generalizing here) tend to keep their promises.

Of course, a written contract is possible, but if you express any reservations about a verbal agreement, your Italian counterpart may hesitate as they may feel that you do not trust them. This is also part of the culture.

If you receive a written contract, be sure to review it with an Italian-speaking lawyer. Like American contracts, it often contains fine print and you will need to understand the policies for dissolving the partnership, fees that may be incurred, and other policies that you may not be familiar with as an American businessman.

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4. Make it look good

Italy is known for its fashion, so this goes without saying, but don't show up to a business meeting in chinos and flip-flops. If you live in a city where business casual is the trend (such as California), wearing a suit and tie may seem out of place, but do so if you want to impress an Italian.

Plus, if you don't have the right clothes for the meeting, Italy is the perfect excuse to go shopping for some new clothes!

5. Be prepared for lengthy negotiations

Again, Italians are thorough and don't rush, so don't expect to be able to sign the contract right away – you may have to negotiate and haggle over the price and details multiple times over days, weeks or even months. This doesn't mean you won't sign the contract eventually, but be patient and take the long-term view.

6. If you're a woman…

Italy has made great strides in gender roles and politics over the past few decades, but prejudices about women and their capabilities persist.

What would that be like? At a meeting, men might be expecting to meet a man from your company, so they might be a bit surprised when you show up. Only 22% of Italian businesses are run by women.

Don't be surprised if a guy calls you. Kara (“Dear”) or a comment about your appearance. In the US, a knee to the stomach might get you a call from HR, but in Italy, it's not that uncommon.

I will say this again and again: it's part of the culture, you can't change it, so just try to accept it (within reason).

The key to successful business transactions in Italy

In summary, successful business transactions in Italy require patience. America's ExpectationsFor example, things happen quickly or in the order you expect them to happen.

If you can win the hearts of your Italian contacts, they will be happy to sign the contract (or the verbal equivalent) and you will be successful in expanding the reach of your business to Italy.

About the Author

Sue Guillory Sue is a spiritual coach and business content creator who helps women discover what it means to live authentically after traumatic experiences like divorce, the end of parenting, or the loss of a loved one. Sue's published articles in AllBusiness, Forbes, SoFi, Lantern, Nav, and more, and she writes about entrepreneurship, finance, and marketing.

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