Episode #183: COVID-19 Sales University

Why do top salespeople treat commuting and downtime like a “university on wheels”?

High performers don’t wait for formal training to grow. They create learning systems in the flow of daily life—like turning a commute into a mobile classroom. Long drives, treadmill runs, or quiet mornings become opportunities to absorb practical ideas on sales, customer service, negotiation, and speaking.

This habit compounds. Listening to experienced experts consistently builds sharper judgment, richer client conversations, and higher confidence under pressure. In earlier decades, that meant cassette tapes and Walkmans; today, the same principle applies with podcasts, YouTube, audiobooks, and online courses.

Mini-summary: Continuous learning isn’t an event—it’s a lifestyle. The best salespeople build growth into everyday routines.

When disruption hits—clients stop buying, industries contract, and uncertainty rises—salespeople often face a psychological crash first, not a skills gap. Commission dries up, pipelines slow, and days feel longer than they should.

In those moments, inactivity becomes dangerous. Without a constructive plan, frustration and anxiety fill the space. But the same disruption that blocks selling also creates something rare: time. A “sales sabbatical” that most professionals never get.

Mini-summary: A frozen market can crush morale, but it also creates a once-in-a-career window to reset and retool.

The modern sales world is overflowing with accessible education. Thousands of resources exist at no cost: video libraries, podcast archives, blogs, and self-paced courses. Most major thought leaders now practice content marketing, giving away expertise so professionals can experience value before investing.

This means a salesperson can build a full development program without leaving home: sharpen skills, refresh fundamentals, and explore new approaches to client value creation.

Mini-summary: There’s no longer a content shortage—only a commitment shortage. The resources are already waiting.

In busy periods, salespeople often live in “just-in-time learning” mode—only studying what they need for the next meeting. Some drift into sales accidentally and don’t view it as a true profession. Others rely on charm or hustle instead of structured skill growth.

The result is predictable: shallow product knowledge, weak market insight, and low credibility. Clients feel that difference immediately. They don’t want to buy from someone unprepared, uncurious, or uncommitted.

Mini-summary: Many salespeople under-train because they don’t treat sales like a craft. Buyers pay the price.

This is the moment to study with intention:

• Return to basics: Re-learn core selling frameworks, trust-building behaviors, and consultative questioning.

• Deepen market knowledge: Go beyond surface trends. Understand client pressures, competitive forces, and what recovery may look like.

• Master the full product line: Aim for “maximum knowledge,” not minimum survival. Broader mastery equals more creative solutions for clients.

• Plan and create: Design better outreach, refine messaging, and prepare for the post-disruption rebound.

The key is to come back wiser, not just back.

Mini-summary: Use downtime to rebuild fundamentals, deepen market insight, and master your offerings—so you return stronger than before.

What mindset separates professionals from “riff-raff” in sales?

Professionals take responsibility for their growth regardless of conditions. They don’t blame the economy, the clients, or the cycle. They study their craft, improve their communication, and commit to earning trust.

Others drift, complain, and wait for circumstances to change. You can’t control what they do—but you can control your own standards. That is how trust is won when the market restarts.

Mini-summary: You can’t control the market, but you can control your mastery. That mindset is the real advantage.

How does this connect to selling in Japan today?

Sales excellence in Japan requires both global skill and local nuance. Whether serving 日本企業 (nihon kigyō, Japanese companies) or 外資系企業 (gaishikei kigyō, multinational companies), clients expect credibility, preparation, and long-term relationship thinking. In markets like 東京 (Tōkyō, Tokyo), sales professionals who invest in communication and consultative ability stand out quickly.

This is why structured development matters—especially in challenging cycles. A disruption period is the perfect time to upgrade your professionalism so you can better serve Japanese and multinational clients when momentum returns.

Mini-summary: In Japan’s relationship-driven business culture, commitment to skill and credibility is non-negotiable—especially during recovery.

• Disruption creates a rare chance to rebuild sales mastery and market insight.

• Free learning content is abundant; commitment is the real differentiator.

• Deep product and industry knowledge expand your ability to serve clients creatively.

• Professionals grow through uncertainty and return stronger when the market rebounds.

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.