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Lesson 4.3: Building trust before terms

About 15 minutes

Learning objective

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to plan the relationship steps that should come before price and contract terms with a new West African partner.

Many U.S. sellers lead with the offer. The first email carries the price list, the payment terms and a request to order. It is meant to save everyone time.

In many Nigerian business settings, trust is personal and built over time. Your partner is not only buying a product; they are deciding whether you are someone they can rely on for years. They want to know who you are, whether you keep your word, and whether you will still answer the phone when something goes wrong. Price matters, but it usually comes after that judgment, not before it.

Why it matters

A price sent before trust exists is easy to ignore, compare or forward to a competitor. The same price, sent after a good call and a kept promise, is read as an offer from a partner.

A practical trust sequence

There is no fixed formula, but many successful relationships follow a pattern like this:

  1. Introduction: a warm first message that introduces you and your company, with no price.

  2. First conversation: a phone or video call to learn about their business and needs.

  3. Follow-through: you send what you promised, when you promised it, with a written recap.

  4. Deeper contact: a video meeting with more people, a trade show meeting or a visit.

  5. A small step together: samples, a pilot order or a trial shipment.

  6. Terms: pricing, payment and contract, discussed in conversation first and then in writing.

Expect more than one conversation before price. Calls and visits carry weight that email alone does not. If you can visit, even once, it often changes the tone of the whole relationship.

Small talk is not wasted time

Opening a call by asking after your partner's family, health or week is not filler. It is how many people check that the relationship is in good order before business. Good topics include family well-being, travel, the weather, football and your partner's industry or city. Remember details and ask about them next time: "How did your daughter's exams go?" Early in a relationship, avoid politics, religion and security news unless your partner raises them.

Say it this way

"Before we start, how are you and your family? I hope the rains have not made the traffic too difficult this week."

Consistency is the proof

Trust grows from small promises kept. If you say you will send a brochure on Tuesday, send it on Tuesday. If you cannot, say so before Tuesday. Reply to messages promptly, even if only to say you will answer fully later. These habits tell your partner more about you than any company profile.

Hospitality and gifts

If you visit, you may be offered food, drink or a meal. Accepting where possible shows goodwill. Small gifts are common in many settings. Follow your company's compliance policy, and remember the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) when dealing with government officials or state-owned buyers. This course is not legal advice; consult qualified counsel on any gift or payment question.

Watch out

Warmth is not a contract. A friendly call does not mean terms are agreed. Keep putting agreements in writing, and keep following your verification steps (company registration, bank detail checks). Verification is standard practice on both sides, and most partners expect it.

What if you are under time pressure?

Sometimes your partner moves faster than you expect, especially if they have an urgent need. Follow their pace, but do not skip the relationship steps entirely. Even a single video call before the first order is worth the time. If a contact pushes very hard for speed with no conversation at all, that is a reason to slow down and verify, not to rush.

The transferable principle

In relationship-first markets, earn the right to discuss terms. Lead with interest in the partner, prove reliability in small things, and let price follow trust. This applies in Ghana and across much of West Africa, and in many other markets your firm may enter.

Good practice

Use the templates "Request for an introductory call," "Thank-you after a first meeting" and "Proposing a pilot order" to structure your first weeks with a new partner.

Worked example: A first message to a distributor in Abuja.

Before

Hello,

Attached is our 2026 price list and payment terms (100% in advance).

Minimum order 500 units. Let us know if you want to place an order.

Sales Team, Midwest Filters

After

Good morning, Alhaji Musa,

I hope this message finds you and your family well. My name is Dana

Price, and I lead export sales at Midwest Filters, a family-owned manufacturer in Ohio.

A colleague at the trade fair spoke highly of your distribution network.

Before sharing any proposal, I would value the chance to learn about your customers and what matters most to them. Would a short call next week be convenient for you?

With best regards,

Dana Price

Export Sales Lead, Midwest Filters

Why it works: it greets the person by title, names a real person behind the company, shows interest in the partner's business and asks for a conversation before any terms.

Check yourself

  1. 1. A new Nigerian distributor replies warmly but has not asked for prices. What is the best next step?
  2. 2. Which is the strongest evidence of trustworthiness to a new partner?
  3. 3. On a visit, your partner offers you lunch and a small gift. What should guide your response?

Apply it

Complete your decision map. For each person, add the date of your last contact and one relationship step you will take before discussing terms (for example a call, a video meeting, a promised document sent on time). Your finished map should show names, titles, roles, influence and next steps for every person involved in the decision.

From DealDialect (dealdialect.com) by Ayomide Adeyeye, licensed CC BY 4.0.