I came across this video about British accents this week, which I find awesome. You see, I lived 13 years in the UK, mainly in the North East (Durham), Yorkshire and Edinburgh. My husband’s from Suffolk and my in-laws from London. So although imitating accents is not my party trick, I have a very good ear for them, and I love them.
However, also this week, I had a chat with a former client’s distributor in Ecuador, who said they really struggled to understand my (beautifully Geordie) client. I had that before with clients from Liverpool, Glasgow and even London.
So how can you make sure your accent is an asset and not a barrier when exporting?
Here are some thoughts from my experience in Latin America, please free to add yours, too!
First of all, let’s state what is obvious to me: your accent makes you who you are and adds colour and interest to your whole business persona. Do NOT, please, by any means, try to sound like the Queen if you sound more like Peter Kay. But you can definitely try the following:
1- Be mindful of what to expect. In Latin America, most of us tend to be exposed to very few accents when we learn English as Foreign Language (if we are lucky enough to). Fawlty Towers was a preferred teaching tool at my school, not listening to Steven Gerrard (ok, he was probably at school during that time, too, but you know what I mean). For the huge majority of people, English is a tricky language and regional accents make it so much harder.
2- Just take a bit longer and speak slowlier, find more ways of expressing the same thought. Use hand gestures, plenty of them, also drawing, graphics, simple sketches. Give it time. They will get used to you.
3- Use your accent in your favour. I find that Latin Americans are too London-centric and when you say you come from Liverpool, Edinburgh or Manchester, or a rural village in the Midlands, they are fascinated. You’ve suddenly opened up a whole new world to them. This makes you interesting and sets you apart. Make the most of it.
4- Laugh. “Yeah, I know” – said my client to a Chilean partner – “most people in England find my accent hard to understand, so no wonder why you find it, too”. The Chilean guy laughed out loud, entering a conversation about regional accents and, without noticing, forging stronger links and starting off what then became a great business relationship.
5- It’s not just you. There will be regional accents in most Latin American countries you visit, too. Take Colombia, for example. Coastal Carribbean accents vary a lot from the prevailing accent in Bogota and from that in Medellin. Open up to learning about this diversity, too. And, believe me, there are huge differences in accent (as well as in grammar and vocabulary) across Latin America. While it took a while for Chileans, Colombians and Peruvians to get used to my client’s Scouse, it also took them a while to adjust to my strong Uruguayan accent, too.
Two very strong accents.
6- You can get the support of interpreters or bilingual business people (like me) but make sure language is not an issue so that your business can take off self-sufficiently at some stage. This applies to any English speakers, not just those with regional accents. I continue supporting my clients over the years at the odd times when they get stuck, which tends to be because of a mixture of language and cultural issues. They can cope well without me, but they know I’m there to double check the odd comment or text. Other clients prefer me to be involved long-term and very much hands-on, but that’s hardly due to language issues, it’s mainly a question of in-country business/cultural resources.
Although I speak five languages (plus Geordie and Tyke!), I see languages as a tool, just that. As fascinating as language and accents can be, you are in Latin America to do business. These tips will help, but ultimately, it’s all about what you put into it and about your capacity to build relationships, sell and be trusted. And, in whatever language and with whatever accent, business means business.
