Episode #195: The Cold Calling On Zoom Salesperson - Part Five

Why do sales presentations fall apart right when you think you’re in control?

Even after a strong process—cold call, appointment, trust-building, discovery, and proposal—many salespeople lose the deal at the solution stage. The reason is simple: the confidence you feel may be based on incomplete information. You think you understand the client’s real needs, but they may only have shown you the “tip of the iceberg.”

Mini-summary: Presentations fail when the solution is built on partial truths, not the client’s real priorities.

Clients often answer your questions politely, yet conceal the most important issues. This isn’t deception for fun—it’s a trust gap. You may have earned some trust, but not enough for them to share the painful details: internal failures, political constraints, or true business risks.

In Japan, this can be even more pronounced due to cultural preferences for harmony, caution with outsiders, and careful disclosure. Until trust is sufficient, clients describe minor symptoms instead of root causes.

Mini-summary: Clients conceal core issues when trust hasn’t matured—especially common in Japanese business contexts.

When you start explaining your solution, clients may suddenly criticize limitations or “poke holes” in your proposal. Many salespeople interpret this as resistance to overcome. But often, it’s a signal that:

• You’ve solved the wrong problem, or

• You’ve solved only a minor problem, while the real one stays hidden.

Arguing, defending, or justifying at this point makes things worse. It confirms you’re more committed to your solution than their reality.

Mini-summary: Pushback isn’t the enemy—it’s evidence that the true problem still hasn’t surfaced.

How should you respond when the client rejects your solution?

Stop defending. Instead, calmly reset the conversation with a trust-building admission and a priority question:

“Thank you for your feedback. I feel that I have misunderstood what would help you the most. What would be the highest priority for you and your company?”

Then say nothing. Let the silence work. The client is deciding whether to trust you with the real issue. Your patience proves maturity and confidence.

If they still won’t open up, politely move on. Time spent with people who won’t share real needs is time stolen from clients you can help.

Mini-summary: A gentle reset plus silence invites honesty; if honesty doesn’t come, disengage fast.

That’s not a hidden-trust issue—it’s a standard objection. Handle it with a CUSHION response (クッション / cushion — a neutral buffer statement to buy thinking time).

1. Cushion first:
   “It’s very important to consider the financial position of the company.”

2. Then clarify:
   “May I ask why you say that?”

3. Then stay quiet and listen.

“Your price is too high” is a headline. You need the full article underneath it:

• Did they misunderstand value?

• Is budget timing wrong?

• Are they comparing to a cheaper alternative?

• Is this a negotiation “try-on”?

Only after you hear the reasoning can you respond intelligently.

Mini-summary: Cushion → ask why → listen deeply. Price objections are surface headlines hiding real logic.

What are your best options after hearing their reasoning?

Once you understand why they say the price is high, you have three clean choices:

1. Match the price point if it still protects your positioning.

2. Offer another structure (e.g., volume vs. discount tradeoff).

3. Walk away if lowering price damages your market value.

Walking away is often the strongest move. In Japan especially, once you cut price, it becomes your new baseline—and future clients will push for even more reductions.

Mini-summary: After diagnosis, choose: meet price, restructure value, or protect your position by walking away.

How does this connect to closing in Japan?

Many salespeople in Japan never ask for the order because they fear rejection. They keep things vague to avoid discomfort. But vagueness kills momentum. Clear closing is the natural next step after real needs are uncovered and objections are handled correctly.

Mini-summary: The path to closing is clarity, not avoidance—especially in Japanese sales culture.

• Client pushback usually means you haven’t uncovered the real problem yet.

• Trust gaps lead clients to share only surface-level issues.

• When the solution is challenged, reset with humility and a priority question—then stay silent.

• For direct objections like price, use a cushion (クッション / cushion), ask “why,” and listen before responding.

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.