doing business with aboriginal people
TRANSCRIPT
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Doing Business with First Nations is Our Territory ©g y
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Doing Business with Aboriginal CommunitiesAboriginal Communities
CCAB Aboriginal Business ForumLee Ahenakew
March 30th, 2010
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Overview• Strategy• Cross Cultural Communication• Common Success Factors• Common Errors• Deal Making• Deal Making
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Strategy• You need a business plan• Market Differences from Mainstream:Market Differences from Mainstream:
– NGO’s delivering community servicesLarge Community Owned Businesses– Large Community Owned Businesses
• Corporate Aboriginal Relations• Consider geography: sales channels
and service• Leverage community political alliances
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The Communications Iceberg:Traditional AboriginalTraditional Aboriginal
Communication Characteristics
Low tone of voice Soft spokenVi ibl Avoid eye contact
Sense of humour
Avoid small talk
Passive
Visible
Employment vs. Profit
C d i i ki
Sharing wealth
H ilitNot
Consensus decision making
Process vs. time
Respect for elders
Humility
Relationships/trust
Oral tradition
VisibleRespect for elders Oral tradition
Protocol
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Common Success Factors• Commitment from senior levels to do
things differentlythings differently• Develop a strategy and resource
l h i iproperly across the organization• Focus on long term relationships• Cross-cultural training for front-line staff• Cross cultural immersionCross cultural immersion• Culturally appropriate marketing
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Common Errors• “All we have to do is hire an Aboriginal
lsales person• Pow-wow marketing• Selling the big deal to the Minister or
Grand Chief• Minority approach• Aggressive sales targets will lose senior• Aggressive sales targets will lose senior
level support
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Deal Makingg• Respect and Recognition• Find out what the decision making
process is• Understand the “technicians” role• Hold Chief to Chief (Executive Officer)Hold Chief to Chief (Executive Officer)
talks
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Meeting Issuesg• Traditional vs. Mainstream communication characteristics• Time – Slow it down
Ph d k i• Phone correspondence – takes time• Group meetings – difficult to organize• Meeting Time - “Indian Time” – leave some extra time around
your meetingyour meeting• Call ahead to confirm the meeting – can be cancelled quickly
due to funerals and emergency issues or political meetings• Flow of meetings – Visit a little first• Verbal Communication – Pause and leave silence to wait for a
response• Be aware of election cycles!!!!
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Promotion and Advertising• It’s all about the networking: Get to know your regional
organizations• Regional Political events are the best place to be find out what• Regional Political events are the best place to be – find out what
hotel everyone is staying in• Aboriginal people love their conferences! (i.e.. Get me off the
rez)• Approx. 28 major newspapers: AMMSA.com• 149 radio stations• Television stations: APTN
Di t k ti i th b t t h t t d di• Direct marketing is the best way to reach a targeted audience• Advertising to Aboriginal market requires a culturally appropriate
message
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Thank You