We have already spoken a lot about culture and business etiquette in Russia, but have never touched upon the issue of business gifts. Gifts to business partners are an important step in establishing further relationships and smooth work in the future. Gift exchange has become a kind of tradition in the business community. However, in order not to get into an awkward situation, one should know the national characteristics and choose presents in accordance with the Russian way of life.
When is it appropriate to give gifts?
- First acquaintance / business meeting / after negotiations
- Public Holidays
- Corporate and professional holidays
- Personal holiday in the private or professional life: wedding, birthday etc.
It is important to remember that the choice of gifts for partners is governed by business etiquette. Therefore, below we will list a number of things that
we do not recommend gifting to partners in Russia:
- Luxury items. Too expensive presents can embarrass a person or make him a "debtor". In addition, in some cases, an overly expensive gift can be perceived as a bribe.
- Clothing. A tie or cufflinks will always come in handy for a businessman, but gifting clothing and accessories is unacceptable.
- Cosmetics and perfumery. Even if you know a person's tastes and preferences, gifting cosmetics is not worth, just like any other items related to personal hygiene.
- Gifts with religious symbols. Russia is a multinational country; here it is worth mentioning objects of worship and souvenirs with religious symbols as unwanted gifts.
- Comic souvenirs. Gift shops offer customers comic souvenirs. The maximum where it can be applied is to present it to friends, if you are sure that they will not be offended. But for colleagues and partners, such presents are excluded.
- Clock. According to Slavic traditions, giving a watch is a symbol of transferring one's own time and destiny to another person.
- Knives and other thrust and cutting objects. In Russia it is perceived as a symbol of misfortune.
What else is important to consider?
Be sure to take care of the packaging - it is highly discouraged to gift unpacked items. When choosing packaging, we advise you to avoid black, in Russia it is the color of mourning.
Do not present gifts at the beginning of the meeting / negotiations, it can be cobsidered as a bribe. If possible, find out in advance about your preferences and interests of your partner and choose a gift based on them.
If a delegation arrives, take care of gifts not only for the leader, but for all members. These can be sets of inexpensive souvenirs and even just flowers.
When meeting with foreign partners, gifts are presented only in person. The courier delivery option is only possible if the present is sent to the partner's country.
Never forget what was given earlier, so as not to present the same thing again. The only exceptions to this rule are sweets, alcohol and flowers.
Remember, a business gift is a gift that should contribute to a cause. That is, to strengthen cooperation, to show your loyalty and openness to your partner. In our next article, we will make a selection of the best business gifts for partners from Russia!
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Maxim Kuznetsov - vice-president of the RAUIE
investment@raspp.ru
WeChat: maximkuznetsov
