Doing Business Abroad    Brazil By Terri Morrison © Copyright 2004, All Rights Reserved Greetings Greetings can be effusive, from extended handshakes at the first encounter, progressing to embraces once a friendship has been established. Women often kiss each other on alternating cheeks: twice if they are married, three times if single. The third kiss is for "good luck" in finding a spouse. Appointments Make appointments at least two weeks in advance. Never make an impromptu visit. Schedule meetings from 10 a.m. to noon, and 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. If your business runs into lunch, be prepared to spend at least two hours. The lack of punctuality is a fact of life in Brazil. Become accustomed to waiting. Etiquette Brazilians resent being spoken to in Spanish. Be sure all your documentation - including business cards - is printed in both Portuguese and English. Brazilians consider themselves to be "Americans" - as all North and South Americans rightly may. Do not use the phrase "in America" when referring to the United States. Negotiating Sometimes Brazilians find U.S. aggressive business attitudes offensive - do not expect to get right to the point. Avoid confrontations and hide any frustrations. If you change your negotiating team, you may undermine the entire contract. Brazilians value the person they do business with more than the firm name. It is normal for a conversation to be highly animated, with many interruptions, many statements of "no" being interjected, and a great deal of physical contact.