PR communication design

Author: Huang Meiqin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-01-01
Features:
3. Seating Arrangement: The host sits on the left, the main guest on the right, the interpreter and stenographer behind the host and main guest. Other members of both sides sit in order on the left and right sides, with the host's side on the left and the guest's side on the right. In bilateral talks, a rectangular table is usually used, with both sides sitting on opposite sides. The host and main guest should sit in the middle. If a multilateral meeting is held, the seats are arranged in a web or square shape to eliminate hierarchy.
4. Service and Communication: Public relations personnel are the "behind-the-scenes negotiators and planners" in meetings and talks, playing a role in service and communication. When meeting foreign guests, they should proactively introduce them to our leaders. If foreign guests participate in a formal meeting, too many other activities should not be arranged, and visits to relevant projects can be organized. In short, the arrangement of activities should help achieve the goals of our talks and create a harmonious atmosphere.
5. Group Photo: If a group photo is arranged for the meeting or talk, it should be taken after the host and guest shake hands. The two sides should then take their seats. The main guest may be asked to sit first, or both sides may sit together, but the host should not sit down first. In both meetings and talks, participants should be good at listening to the other party's speech and should not interrupt easily. When talking, one should maintain eye contact to show attentiveness. When the main speaker is talking, others should not whisper, look around, or appear distracted; nor should they close their eyes to rest or gaze elsewhere, showing impatience. Nor should one make casual movements unintentionally.
(III) Order of Ceremonial Protocol
Order of ceremonial protocol refers to the arrangement of the positions of participating countries, groups, or individuals in certain rules and conventions in important social occasions. This reflects the host's courtesy to the guests and the equal status granted to them by this courtesy.
1. Scope of Application
The scope of ceremonial protocol is relatively broad, generally applicable to major social events. Examples include various celebration activities, international conferences, international sports competitions, opening ceremonies, signing ceremonies, investiture ceremonies, foreign affairs banquets, visits, diplomatic congratulations, (unveilings), (foreign mourning), and watching cultural performances, taking photos, etc. Even in private exchanges, ceremonial protocol is important, though perhaps not as critical as in official interactions. In China, we follow the principle of "three steps of yielding," and even when taking a group photo, the person in the middle often hesitates to sit down, which is unacceptable in foreign affairs.
2. Basic Content
It includes two aspects: the size, seniority, and order of the positions themselves, and the order of the objects of the positions. Generally, the right is considered senior, longer, and more honored, while the left is considered junior, secondary, and less important. For example, when taking a taxi, the senior person enters from the right, while the junior person enters from the left. When going upstairs, the first person is senior; when going downstairs, especially on steep stairs, the senior person follows. The order of the objects of the positions themselves varies depending on the nature of the event. For each specific public event, a suitable object must be found for a fixed position, which usually has objective basis and standards.
3. Arrangement Methods
In China, the following methods are generally used for ceremonial protocol in foreign affairs:
- Arranging the order based on the status and ranks of the guests. This is the main basis for arranging ceremonial protocol in official activities.
- Arranging the order based on the alphabetical order of the names of participating countries, organizations, or individuals. Generally, the English alphabetical order is used in international conferences and sports competitions.
- Arranging the order based on the date of formation of delegations or the time of arrival at the event location. This method is often used for ranking groups.
The above three methods are not mutually exclusive and are often used in combination in most cases.
4. Specific Requirements
In practice, ceremonial protocol is a highly policy-oriented and sensitive issue. Some additional requirements include:
- Optimal Solution: When arranging ceremonial protocol, thorough and careful preparation should be made, and several options should be drafted to choose the best one. Major foreign affairs ceremonial protocol should be arranged under the guidance of foreign affairs and ceremonial departments with caution and attention to detail.
- Avoiding Conflicts: Arranging ceremonial protocol according to the above three methods is not enough; other relevant factors must be considered to avoid conflicts, unnecessary misunderstandings and disputes, and even damage to national relations. These factors include age, seniority, reputation, closeness, language differences, religious beliefs, customs, and professional nature.
- Follow-up Work: In foreign affairs, unpleasant situations may sometimes occur due to inadequate arrangements or other reasons. In such cases, public relations personnel should act in the principle of unity and the implementation of public relations goals, use certain skills to explain and alleviate tense atmospheres, and help everyone quickly move past negative feelings.
II. Business Etiquette
As a successful entrepreneur or public relations professional, one should be familiar with international business etiquette to better promote economic work.
(1) Business Etiquette
Conventional etiquette refers to the daily etiquette used frequently in social interactions. Appearance and demeanor reflect a person's level of civilization and culture, leaving a good impression and making others willing to interact more deeply. This is even more important in foreign affairs. Special attention should be paid to:
- Attire in foreign interactions varies by country's customs and traditions, with formal and casual dress. Men usually wear dark formal suits in formal, solemn, and serious occasions, while in general settings, they wear casual clothes. Women's attire varies with seasons and activities, generally wearing blouses with pants or skirts, or qipaos and dresses. In short, it should be simple, elegant, and neat.
- Generally, foreigners are more outgoing, with lively facial expressions and often accompanying gestures. Some gestures and body language convey specific meanings, but they differ across countries. It is essential to accurately understand the meaning of foreign guests' expressions and use them correctly.
2. Daily Reception
When doing business with foreigners, there are many aspects of etiquette in daily reception, in addition to the previously mentioned greetings, introductions, and forms of address. The main ones include:
- Arranging necessary visits: To show hospitality, when foreign guests visit a factory, national flags of both the guest's country and China should be raised at appropriate places. The interior layout and preparations should focus on practicality rather than exaggeration.
- Warm welcome: It should be simple yet enthusiastic, without the need for excessive luxury.
- Appropriate entertainment: Entertainment is an essential part of receiving foreign business clients. First, one should be familiar with the guest's country and "tailor the entertainment to the guest"; second, one should clarify whether the guest is visiting China for the first time and their schedule during their stay; third, one should pay attention to the etiquette of entertaining foreign clients, such as when hosting clients with spouses, the host's wife should greet the guests at the entrance of the banquet hall and pin a small flower on the chests of the guest's wives.
- Business cards: Business cards are one's "" (key to opening doors) and are indispensable in business activities. However, many countries abroad differ from us, treating business cards as mere flyers. They do not exchange business cards lightly, as it may give others an impression of being informal. Additionally, foreign guests generally distinguish between business cards and social cards. Business cards include the company name and position, while social cards only have the person's name.