Column | These are the basics for a Finn to do well in the US – Forget sarcasm and answer emails quickly, and don’t waste anyone’s time.

Nyt is at hand the moment when Finnish companies it is worth directing sales efforts to America. There are many reasons. Finland is joining NATO, the United States is recovering from the economic crisis faster than others, European crises are long-lasting, it is difficult to find a suitable export market in the East, and Finland’s own economy is chronically in trouble. However, we have good products and, on the other hand, customers in North America who are able to buy.

A foreigner can do very well in America, but only if he arrives there with an open mind and an overwhelming drive. Far too often a Finn thinks he knows the country. He brings his prejudices in a suitcase and offers them to the locals. There will be no trade. Another cardinal sin is impatience. Doesn’t procrastinate or procrastinate as much as necessary. In America, there is no appreciation for bottle-busting, excessive caution or lack of movement. There must be action.

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In Finland, everyone has the same baby clothes, rubber boots, washing-up liquid and student caps.

Main cultural difference in business life is a concept of time. In the United States, you can waste everything except time. A lost buck can be earned back, a lost moment cannot. Money, energy, raw materials and labor are available, but time is on the cards. Dinner starts at six and ends at eight. Emails are answered quickly. Meetings start on time and do not drag on. The moment the venture capitalist signs the investment agreement with the startup, the money is transferred to the company’s account.

Small talk is a precursor to deep conversations. Americans are not superficial, they are practical. With so many people out there, what’s the best way to find the few you really want to connect with? Confabulation. A few innocent sentences can tell a lot about a fellow human being. Now you can continue to the other person to throw a few sentences at them again. Or maybe it’s worth stopping at this person and going deeper. Within an hour you can talk to dozens and find one that matters.

Stateside we are purposeful and constantly make small quick choices. You don’t learn that in Finland, because we only have one of everything. One milk producer, one place where meats and sausages come from, one company that produces kitchen china and glasses, one company that produces telephones. In Finland, everyone has the same baby clothes, rubber boots, washing-up liquid and student caps. We really don’t understand diversity. In the US, we need to learn to look at options broadly and make quick choices.

All is bigger in America. We need to reserve more resources. Sales efforts must be targeted precisely. The game is selected according to the number of own game pieces. The geographical starting point should be chosen according to where the most suitable customers are. Tech companies are in Silicon Valley, but cloud platform companies are largely based in Seattle, oil companies in Texas, pharmaceutical companies in New Jersey, and medical companies often in the Boston area.

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For the practical and optimistic American, the lawyer is a useful counterweight.

Americans are generally not closed or protectionist. They are happy to buy from a stranger if the product is good. They do have exact requirements regarding the stages of the sales process, the word choices in the contract text, the delivery of maintenance and service, and the price. Deep down, Yankees have a real desire to trade and increase the well-being of all.

The American does not believe in a zero-sum game. He swears by American excellence, and through that he believes that the cake to be shared can always be made bigger. If for once we are so great, surely we will also be able to make the world better by increasing everyone’s well-being. This is how an American thinks. When he says “good for you!”, he really means it.

An American is not cynical or sarcastic. He doesn’t mind dark humor. He wants to achieve something and knows that optimists achieve more than pessimists. So he is an optimist. On the other hand, he also believes in authorities and punishments. If things don’t work out as expected, he can raise the mecca. Litigation is not the last possible solution, but one among many. For the practical and optimistic American, the lawyer is a useful counterweight.

With these with basic education, a Finn like a Finn can do well in the United States. As a bonus, Americans appreciate Finland and Finns. Honesty, reliability and guts are our strengths.