Episode #138: Be Careful Of Friendly Fire When Selling

Ever walked into a client meeting and watched your deal get destroyed by someone on your own team? In Japan, sales meetings often involve multiple sellers and multiple buyers—so if your meeting roles and pricing rules aren’t crystal clear, one careless comment can erase your value in seconds.

In many Japanese companies (日本企業 / Japanese companies), going to a client meeting as a pair is normal. The same is true on the buyer side: consensus decision-making (合意形成 / consensus building) and on-the-job training (OJT / on-the-job training) mean more stakeholders often attend.

That “inflation of people” can be helpful—if the sales team is aligned. But it becomes dangerous if roles are unclear, especially when pricing comes up.

Mini-summary: In Japan, multi-person meetings are standard, so alignment before the meeting isn’t optional—it’s survival.

A lot. Here’s a real example: a newer salesperson brought a more experienced colleague from another division to a first meeting. Without pre-discussion, the colleague offered 70% off in exchange for volume.

That single statement caused multiple problems:

• Commission sabotage: Two commission-based sellers now fight over a discount neither agreed to.

• Irreversible anchoring: You can’t “walk back” a discount once it’s said out loud.

• Relationship damage: The buyer learns to devalue your list price instantly.

Mini-summary: Unplanned tag-team selling creates pricing chaos, internal conflict, and a buyer who expects discounts forever.

The first meeting in Japan has a different purpose from many Western sales cultures. It’s rarely about price. Instead, buyers expect you to:

1. Build trust (信頼 / trust): They need to assess if you’re credible, capable, and likable.

2. Diagnose needs: Through questioning—current state, desired state, obstacles, and personal impact.

3. Gather insight quickly: You often only get about an hour, so you must maximize learning.

If pricing or discounting appears too early, you signal desperation or lack of value. Worse, an extreme discount trains the client to ignore your real price.

Mini-summary: In Japan, meeting one is for trust and diagnosis—not price—so early discounts undermine your value before you’ve even built it.

When should price be discussed in Japan—and how?

Price belongs in the second meeting, after you’ve crafted a tailored solution. The rhythm usually works like this:

1. Meeting 1: Questioning, trust-building, needs discovery.

2. Internal work: Design the best solution back at your side.

3. Meeting 2: Present the solution live, not just by email.

4. Pricing approach: Start with the set price as your anchor.

5. Discount only with a trade: For example, volume—never as a starting move.

Sending a full proposal by email without you present weakens its power. You want to explain value alongside the price and handle objections in real time.

Mini-summary: In Japan, anchor with full price in meeting two, then negotiate only in exchange for clear value.

How do you prevent a partner from destroying your pricing?

You set ground rules before you meet the client. Be direct. Your livelihood may depend on it. A simple pre-meeting script could be:

“When we reach my product explanation, I will make the offer and state the price. Please don’t speak when I do. The price will create tension—don’t release it with comments. Stay silent.”

This isn’t harsh—it’s professional. Especially if the accompanying seller represents a different product line and has no stake in your margin.

Mini-summary: Pre-meeting role clarity protects price integrity and prevents “helpful” partners from wrecking the deal.

What’s the core lesson for sales teams in Japan?

Common sense isn’t common. In Japan’s multi-person sales environment, alignment beats improvisation.

If someone blurts out a discount, the horse has already bolted. The only defense is preparation: roles, pricing authority, and meeting flow must be agreed before entering the room.

Mini-summary: Don’t trust chance. Plan your team selling or pay the price later.

• In Japan, sales meetings often involve multiple sellers and decision makers, so alignment is essential.

• First meetings are for trust (信頼 / trust) and needs diagnosis—not pricing.

• Pricing should be anchored at full rate in the second meeting; discounts must be traded, not gifted.

• Set explicit ground rules with your partner to protect your offer and commission.

Founded in the U.S. in 1912, Dale Carnegie Training has supported individuals and companies worldwide for over a century in leadership, sales, presentation, executive coaching, and DEI. Our Tokyo office, established in 1963, has been empowering both Japanese and multinational corporate clients ever since.