Greeting

A (fairly firm) handshake is a common form of greeting in business situations. It is important to maintain direct eye contact with your communication partner.

The man should wait for the woman to take the initiative to shake hands first during the greeting. This, however, is not a strict etiquette rule in Bulgaria.

In social situations, Bulgarians who are relatives or close friends hug each other upon meeting and exchange kisses. This is usually a short and light kiss on each cheek.

Introduction

It is customary in Bulgarian business practice to mention the partner's academic degree or professional qualification, if any, when addressing. Otherwise, use polite forms, namely: Mr - to a man, Ms/Mrs - to a woman, after which the person's surname is indicated.

In recent years, the practice of addressing each other by their first names has become more common, especially in the private sector and in multinational companies. This applies even to persons holding fairly high positions in the company.

However, you should still wait until your Bulgarian partner suggests that you call him by his first name.

Exchange of Business Cards

The exchange of business cards in Bulgarian business practice usually takes place during the first meeting with a potential partner (or possibly a colleague) in that country. As a rule, business cards are exchanged immediately after the introduction of the meeting participants.

The business card contains a standard set of data, namely the name of the owner, his/her title, the name of the company or organisation, its logo, postal and email addresses, telephone numbers (landline and mobile) and fax numbers.

Your business card should contain text in two languages - Bulgarian on one side and English on the other.

For a business trip to Bulgaria, it is important to prepare business cards on good quality paper, this will make a good impression on your partner.

There is no special ritual for exchanging business cards in Bulgaria. However, when you receive a business card, treat it with respect. Do not mark it or put it in your pocket. In such cases, it is better to use a business card holder or to put the card in front of you when you are at the negotiation table.

Small Talk: Overview

Small talk is an important element of business communication. It can take quite a long time.

At the beginning of the conversation, your Bulgarian partner will probably be quite reserved. However, as business contacts develop and trust relationships are created, communication will become more friendly and emotional.

In general, the level of formality in communication is determined, on the one hand, by the position/position/rank of the partner and, on the other hand, by the long experience of working together and the relationship developed over time.

In general, Bulgarians can be described as expressive and emotional conversationalists, and eloquence is valued in this culture. Pauses in conversation are poorly perceived and a taciturn interlocutor is seen as an unfriendly person.

In Bulgarian society, humour is highly valued and the exchange of jokes is accepted in any setting. However, jokes on your part should not be directed at any category of citizens or group of people.

The idea of political correctness, accepted in many Western countries, is interpreted differently in Bulgaria. Many Bulgarians have a different attitude towards topics such as sexual relations, racial issues, the status of the disabled and other “inclusive” issues.

Preferred Topics

Sports, especially football, will be a good conversation topic when speaking with a man. However, for women it may not be an interesting issue to discuss.

In Bulgarian business practice, in small talk situations, people often talk about mutual acquaintances.

Family is a popular topic, but personal matters should be avoided at least until a certain level of trust has been established in the relationship.

Tourism, holiday plans, places you have visited or are planning to visit both in Bulgaria and abroad.

Bulgarian nature, national cuisine and food are good and safe topics of conversation. Your Bulgarian partner will be happy to keep the conversation going on these topics.

Current events, especially top news (preferably not of contradictory or conflicting character).

Taboo Topics

Political topics are absolute taboo. Any value judgments, such as those relating to Bulgaria's socialist past, should be avoided as they may be misinterpreted by your partner.

Religious issues, corruption and corruption scandals are not appropriate small talk topics.

Comparisons between the Bulgarian capital Sofia and other regions of the country should be avoided, especially in favour of the former. Your partner, who is not a native of Sofia, may find this hurtful.

Any topics that might embarrass or confuse your partner should be avoided. It is especially important to avoid personal issues, at least until the relationship has become more trustworthy.

Personal Space

Depending on the relationship between the speakers, the distance between them may vary. For example, when speaking to business partners or even to members of the opposite sex, an arm's length distance is the accepted norm.

With friends and relatives, communication is warmer and more emotional. When people meet, they hug and kiss each other; consequently, the distance of comfortable communication becomes shorter.

While communicating people are usually closer to each other than in other countries, particularly in Western Europe. Try not to take a step back if your Bulgarian partner is standing too close, this can be seen as a sign of disrespect.

When communicating, it is important to maintain direct eye contact with the person you are talking to. This is seen as showing sincerity in communication.

Bulgarians are active and expressive communicators famous for their impressive body language.

Communication Specifics

Bulgarians tend to adjust their communication style to the situation. For example, during the first meetings with their colleagues they are likely to be reserved and rather formal, and in discussions, especially at the beginning, they will refrain from direct and categorical statements.

Communication with Bulgarian partners will change as relations develop, and in discussions they will begin to make critical, and sometimes harsh, judgments.

Context and background information are important factors in Bulgarian communication style. Brevity, consistency and clarity are unlikely to be appreciated by your interlocutor. It is more important for them to learn more about the situation, its circumstances or any relevant background. In turn, they are ready to share such information with their partners.

Bulgarians can be very expressive when communicating; they tend to show emotion in their speech. In a discussion, they may argue passionately while using body language to support their arguments.

Bulgarians often communicate with each other too emotionally, trying to prove something. There may even be a feeling that they are quarreling. This, however, is often not the case at all, but rather an expression of the emotional intensity in a conversation or a manifestation of the speaker's conviction in his or her position.