Let the host or most senior person set the pace, they’ll typically open with some personal conversation before turning to the agenda. Match that energy rather than steering straight to the topic at hand.
This extends across the relationship, not just the first meeting: checking in personally before diving into a request (even by email) tends to land better than a purely transactional message.
A couple of formality cues that go with the relationship-first approach:
- Use titles and last names until invited otherwise — “Señor” or “Señora” plus surname, or a professional title like “Licenciado” or “Doctor” if someone holds one, rather than a first name by default.
- Expect the formal “usted” in Spanish-language business conversation rather than the informal “tú,” even once things feel warmer.