Episode #2: How To Be Likeable And Trustworthy In Sales

Your sales team in Japan might be losing deals in the first 7–10 seconds of every meeting, long before they ever reach their slides or proposal. In a market where 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (multinational/foreign-capital companies) are both competing for the same decision-makers in 東京 (Tokyo) and across Japan, the ability to create trust and likeability quickly is a critical sales advantage.

Over the past 20+ years, thousands of sales interviews and client meetings in Japan have revealed a consistent pattern: many salespeople have no real sales process and are simply “winging it.”

Most companies rely on On-the-Job Training (OJT) as the primary method of sales development. This can work if sales managers are true professionals in selling. Unfortunately, many are not. Instead, new salespeople inherit:

• Outdated, tactical “tips” rather than a structured methodology

• Poorly executed habits disguised as “experience”

• No clear framework for building trust, asking questions, or guiding a conversation

As a result, even motivated salespeople never learn how to systematically build rapport, especially with skeptical, time-poor executives.

Mini-summary:
Many salespeople in Japan are failing not because they lack effort, but because they lack a structured sales process and proper coaching. OJT alone is not enough to create high-performing, trust-building sales professionals.

What actually makes a salesperson likeable and trustworthy to executives?

Executives in 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (multinational companies) buy from people they like and trust. They will do business with people they merely tolerate — but they rarely buy from people they mistrust.

Likeability and trust are shaped in seconds by:

• Posture and presence when entering the room

• Eye contact and facial expression in the first greeting

• Handshake or bow quality (appropriate, confident, not overdone)

• Opening comments and questions that show business awareness, not small-talk laziness

Executives are constantly asking themselves, consciously or not:
“Is this person credible?”
“Do they understand my business?”
“Will they waste my time?”

A salesperson who appears vague, weak, overly aggressive, or scripted immediately loses ground, no matter how strong their product is.

Mini-summary:
Likeability and trust are not accidents; they are the outcome of deliberately managed first impressions. Salespeople must treat the first seconds as a strategic moment, not a formality.

The first impression happens in 7–10 seconds. In that micro-window, simple physical details speak louder than any words.

Posture:

• Walk in standing tall, not leaning or half-bowing while still moving.

• Pause, then bow or offer a handshake depending on the context.

• Avoid the “leaning bow” that signals weakness or lack of confidence.

Handshake (especially with foreign executives):

• Avoid the “dead fish” weak handshake; it signals low confidence.

• Avoid the double-handed “politician” grip, which can feel insincere.

• Avoid the bone-crusher grip; some Japanese businesspeople and businesswomen go too far in trying to show strength.

• Aim for a firm, professional, one-hand grip that communicates calm confidence.

Eye contact and facial expression:

• Make eye contact for around 6 seconds, then move to a natural pattern.

• Combine eye contact with a genuine, situationally appropriate smile.

• Use clear, respectful phrases such as:

  • “Thank you for taking the time today.”

  • “I appreciate you making time in your schedule.”

These basic elements shape whether executives file you mentally as “credible partner” or “yet another salesperson.”

Mini-summary:
Teach your sales team to master posture, greeting, and handshakes. These seemingly small details strongly influence whether a client perceives them as confident, reliable professionals—or not.

Many salespeople in Japan default to “evergreen” small talk: the weather, the traffic, or how far they traveled. Executives have heard this hundreds of times; it does nothing to differentiate your team.

Instead, train your salespeople to:

1. Skip the clichés.
   Avoid comments like “The office is very beautiful” if it’s an obvious feature (for example, a dramatic moss wall in the lobby that everyone mentions).

2. Ask business-oriented, client-focused questions.
   For example:

   • “Since moving into this new office, have you seen any impact on team motivation?”

   • “Has your brand perception with clients changed since relocating here?”

3. Offer insight, not chatter.
   Use data and trends to open discussion:

   • “I read that the number of young people aged 15–24 in Japan has halved over the last 20 years. Are you concerned about the impact on future talent acquisition?”

4. Connect to your expertise and services.
   If you provide 営業研修 (sales training), リーダーシップ研修 (leadership training), プレゼンテーション研修 (presentation training), エグゼクティブ・コーチング (executive coaching), or DEI研修 (DEI training), your opening questions should gently lead toward those areas — without turning the conversation into a pitch.

Mini-summary:
Opening comments should differentiate your salesperson as a thoughtful business partner, not just another vendor. Replace empty small talk with intelligent, client-focused questions that unlock meaningful dialogue.

How can questions re-focus busy, distracted executives and uncover real needs?

Executives in Tokyo and across Japan often move from one meeting to the next with shredded attention spans. When your salesperson walks in, the client’s body is in the room, but their mind may still be in the last meeting.

Well-timed questions are one of the most powerful tools to snap attention back:

• Simple, personal-cognitive questions like:

  • “What month were you born in?”
    instantly command 100% focus because they require recall and engagement.

• Business-focused disruptive questions can reset the conversation:

  • “Most leaders I speak with say that Abenomics has not yet significantly impacted their business. Have you seen any benefits so far?”

  • “Recently, many of my clients have become more concerned about the expected rise in consumption tax. Is that an issue you’re planning for?”

• Insight-based questions can link to Dale Carnegie research:

  • “In our recent engagement research, three factors consistently drive motivation: the relationship with the immediate supervisor, belief in the direction set by senior management, and pride in the organization. Which of these is most challenging in your organisation right now?”

These questions encourage executives to talk about their business, which gives your salesperson vital insight into performance gaps, risks, and aspirations — the foundation for a later solution-based conversation.

Mini-summary:
Strategic questions both capture attention and surface real business issues. Train your sales team to use questions deliberately to move beyond surface talk and toward meaningful, consultative discussion.

What concrete steps should sales leaders in Japan take to upgrade rapport-building skills?

To compete effectively in Japan’s demanding B2B environment, sales leaders in 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (multinational companies) should operationalize rapport-building, not leave it to chance.

You can start by embedding three core action items into your sales training and coaching:

1. Refine professional image and non-verbal presence

   • Dress standards aligned with your client’s expectations and industry.

   • Posture, eye contact, and movement that project confidence and calm.

   • Handshakes or bows practiced until they are natural, balanced, and professional.

2. Design differentiated opening comments and conversation starters

   • Remove all generic, overused openers from your team’s vocabulary.

   • Build a library of intelligent, business-focused, insight-driven opening questions.

   • Role-play these openings in your 営業研修 (sales training) so they become habits.

3. Provide value from the first minute with business-relevant insights

   • Use research (such as Dale Carnegie engagement studies) to offer fresh perspectives.

   • Shift the focus from “our company and our products” to “your reality and your challenges.”

   • Connect to broader people-development themes: リーダーシップ研修 (leadership training), プレゼンテーション研修 (presentation training), エグゼクティブ・コーチング (executive coaching), and DEI研修 (DEI training).

When these behaviors are reinforced through structured coaching and practice—not just OJT—your team will consistently make strong first impressions that open the door to deeper sales conversations.

Mini-summary:
Sales leaders should treat rapport-building as a teachable, testable skill set. With clear standards, practice, and coaching, your team can reliably “nail” the first impression in every meeting.

Dale Carnegie Training has over 100 years of global experience in human relations, sales, and leadership, and our 東京 (Tokyo) office has been working with Japanese and multinational clients since 1963.

For organisations in Japan, we provide:

• 営業研修 (sales training) programs that systematize rapport-building, questioning, and trust creation

• リーダーシップ研修 (leadership training) that develops managers who can coach and model effective client communication

• プレゼンテーション研修 (presentation training) that helps salespeople speak with confidence and clarity to senior decision-makers

• エグゼクティブ・コーチング (executive coaching) for senior leaders who need to influence at the highest levels

• DEI研修 (DEI training) that strengthens inclusive leadership and cross-cultural communication

Dr. Greg Story, President of Dale Carnegie Training Japan, brings decades of experience across academia, consulting, investments, diplomacy, retail banking, and people development, combined with a 30+ year career in Japan. His philosophy, often expressed through the concept “Bunbu Ryodo (both pen and sword)”, integrates discipline from Shitoryu Karate with practical business strategy to help leaders and sales teams perform at their peak.

Mini-summary:
Dale Carnegie Tokyo offers structured, proven programs that help sales teams and leaders move beyond “winging it” and instead implement a repeatable, trust-based sales approach tailored to the realities of Japan’s business culture.

• First impressions decide the game. Your salespeople have 7–10 seconds to communicate confidence, professionalism, and trustworthiness through posture, greeting, and eye contact.

• OJT is not enough. Without structured 営業研修 (sales training) and coaching, most salespeople in Japan rely on weak, inherited habits rather than a proven sales process.

• Small talk is a wasted opportunity. Replace generic weather and office comments with insight-driven, client-focused questions that differentiate your team.

• Questions are your most powerful tool. Strategic, well-designed questions re-focus busy executives, reveal real business issues, and create openings for meaningful, consultative selling.

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.