Trying to make contact with mainland Chinese by telephone is difficult unless you already have a networking source of some kind in Mainland China, such as an EB-5 Agency. Even then, many Chinese businessmen may prefer not to conduct serious business over the phone. They prefer to deal face-to-face.xxxiii Potential Chinese EB-5 clients are in their 40s or 50s. Many of them don't speak English and don't like strangers contacting them by phone. Many of them have children who attend US Universities, speak English, and are much more open to new contacts. In most cases, parents rely on their children's opinion, and delegate their children to obtain information and negotiate the terms.
Do not underestimate the power of contacting Chinese students by telephone. Allow me to speak in traditional terms before I suggest that you are probably underestimating the power of the device.
The Traditional Approach If you are using the telephone, you have only a couple of seconds to differentiate yourself from telemarketers. That can be a daunting task in itself. You should not always expect a warm response to your call. It will be very important that you are able to document your expertise and your experience for them, with examples of how you have helped others. Only when they realize that a relationship with you can help them, and that you are truly qualified to help them, are they likely to want to discuss your EB-5 project. Chinese students are typically difficult to approach and engage. In fact, the most common complaints about Chinese students in American universities are that they do not interact with other students and that they rarely contribute in class discussions. One must understand that, although cultural differences are to be expected with any foreign student, the cultural differences, especially social mores, of the Chinese are so vastly different that it can almost seem like they have never met another human being before.xxxiv It has been observed that “Americans tend to put their trust in numbers and logic, while Chinese tend to put their trust in human relationships.”xxxv
When you do connect, demonstrate that you respect their time. Be specific about your project’s benefits in order to gain their attention, then follow up with a concise, but detailed, description of your specific project. At the same time, you must ensure that you are ready to share exactly the same details with them as you will with their parents, because, if they talk about the project and detect any discrepancy in the nature or accuracy of information relayed to them, they may think you cannot be trusted. Seriousness and consistency will help to win their confidence.
Answer all their questions carefully, courteously, and precisely. Include the following details:
Expansion and growth opportunities available
Availability of resources like skilled labor
Competition posed from large established businesses
The general performance of businesses in that industry
How federal, state, and local laws affect the business
The ability to create more and more employment opportunities
Tax advantages
Risk versus returns
“Chinese thinking sometimes goes that opportunities are rare and they must be pursued aggressively when they occur. Whole families will sometimes invest great sums of money on the chances of one member to get ahead. And, there is often an emphasis on getting rich while you can. Chinese businesses have been criticized for going after quick profits rather than looking out for the long term interest of their companies.”xxxvi Understand that you are not just showing them a business plan or prospectus; you are offering them an opportunity to immigrate to America and obtain a reasonable return on their investment while doing so. They should be able to A Practical Guide for Regional Centers, Attorneys, Developers & Businessmen easily see that the project will create the minimum required employment opportunities that guarantee access to an EB-5 visa.
The Technological Approach
We are so accustomed to telephones that we still call these high-tech mobile devices telephones, even though we really know that they are much more than that. The reality is that most people use their mobile devices less as telephones than for the other services they provide. The most often missed benefit of mobile phone technology – because it is not considered a user convenience – is advertising. During the first half of 2013 Facebook increased its mobile advertising revenue by 41%, helping to boost it total core advertising revenue by 61%.xxxvii This information ought to open your eyes to the untapped possibilities of keeping your project in front of eligible Chinese students and their parents via their mobile device, even if you still think of it as a telephone. Explore the opportunities to advertise on apps that are already common on mobile phones. If Facebook can do it, so can you. You don’t have to create your own app (although you might consider it); all you have to do is advertise on an app.
Assuming that you have developed a website for your project, Regional Center, or other EB-5 related business, provide them a link enabling them to easily find and browse through your site. Your website should be easily adaptable to iPhones, iPads and other mobile devices that are increasingly common amongst university students. Having this kind of multiplatform connectivity helps to demonstrate that your company is tech-savvy and provides the convenience of viewing and investigating the project at virtually any time or any place. Consider having an option on your site to read in Chinese as well as English. While I am not offering expertise on how to best utilize the increasing power of mobile technology, I am trying to point you in the right direction. And I am telling you that if you want to see a mobile device as nothing more than a portable telephone, you can expect to miss out on the opportunity to reach How to Find Chinese Investors, Agents & Clients For Your EB-5 Projects & Services out and touch the crowd in ways we never dreamed of when our phones were attached to the wall. Once you properly understand mobile marketing, you can use it to tap into an enormous and valuable base of potential customers.