Episode #215: Fantasies, Folly, Mirages, And Other Illusions of Salespeople

If a struggling employee says, “I like talking with people, so I want to be in sales,” leaders should feel a chill. In Japan’s current talent market, a misguided move into sales can cost your organization performance, revenue, and even people—especially when competitors can hire sales-ready talent quickly.

This page reframes what professional sales actually requires and how managers in Tokyo (東京 / Tokyo) and across Japanese companies (日本企業 / Japanese companies) and multinational firms (外資系企業 / multinational companies) can spot (and coach) real sales potential.

Because enjoying conversation is not the same as driving a deal forward. Many employees who are underperforming see sales as the “easy role” where personality will carry them. With Japan facing a long-term shortage of salespeople, that belief can get them hired elsewhere fast—sometimes by your competitors.

Sales demands comfort with people, yes, but also discipline, structure, and the ability to guide a buyer toward a decision without wasting the meeting.

Mini-summary: Liking people is helpful, but assuming sales is easy is risky—for the employee and for your business.

Talking is sharing what you know. Selling is uncovering what the client needs and whether your solution fits.

Persuasion requires timing:

• What should we talk about?

• How should we talk about it?

• When should we be silent?

• When should we press?

Employees who only enjoy talking often don’t recognize these hidden skills—and that gap creates failed meetings and lost deals.

Mini-summary: Selling is structured influence, not energetic conversation.

Why do salespeople in Japan often talk too much?

In Japan, many clients expect a traditional pitch-first style. They remain passive while the salesperson presents, then they test the pitch to reduce perceived risk. This cultural pattern rewards over-talking—until it backfires.

If you (the seller) dominate the conversation:

• you don’t learn the client’s real problem,

• you can’t tailor your proposal,

• and you leave with no clear next step.

Mini-summary: Japan’s pitch expectation can trap sellers into talking past the buyer’s needs.

How should sales meetings start in Japan?

Start by asking permission to ask questions. That small move changes the meeting from “presentation mode” into “diagnosis mode.”

Then ask two foundational questions:

1. Where are you now?

2. Where do you want to be?

These reveal urgency and whether the buyer sees a gap they cannot bridge alone. If they believe they can solve it themselves, your odds of a sale drop sharply.

Mini-summary: Get permission, then diagnose the gap before offering solutions.

After the buyer shares their present state and desired future, ask:
“If you know where you want to be, why aren’t you there now?”

This question exposes the true barrier—the reason your help may matter. It also prevents premature “solution dumping,” where sellers pitch irrelevant services and kill momentum.

Sometimes the answer shows you can’t help. That’s valuable too: you save time and move on to clients you can serve.

Mini-summary: This question reveals the buyer’s real obstacle—and whether a deal exists at all.

How do talkative salespeople accidentally lose deals?

They open Pandora’s box by speaking after the buyer already agrees. Common errors include:

• Re-selling after a “yes”

• Introducing new details that create doubts

• Talking “past the deal” instead of confirming follow-up

Once the buyer commits, the conversation should shift only to next steps.

Mini-summary: After agreement, stop selling—talk only about follow-up.

What should you want to hear from someone who truly fits sales?

Not: “I like talking to people.”

But: “I like asking people questions.”

Strong salespeople are curious, controlled, and focused on the client’s story. In great meetings, the seller speaks very little—mostly to clarify, challenge, and guide.

Mini-summary: Real sales potential shows up as curiosity, not chatter.

• Sales success comes from asking, listening, and diagnosing—not talking.

• In Japan, permission-based questioning is essential to avoid pitch traps.

• The best sales question reveals whether a real gap (and deal) exists.

• True sales candidates say, “I like asking questions,” not “I like talking.”

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.