Episode #308: Boosting Our Champions In The Sale

What makes enterprise sales in Japan fundamentally different?

In many 日本企業 (nihon kigyō — Japanese companies), purchasing decisions rarely depend on one person. Instead, agreement is built through a multi-layered seal-approval process called 稟議 (ringi — formal consensus approval). Each 部署 (busho — department) affected by the decision performs its own due diligence, and each 課長 (kachō — section head) or 部長 (buchō — division head) adds a seal before the proposal moves upward to executives.

Mini-summary: Sales in Japan is a consensus journey, not a single yes/no moment. You must succeed inside a system, not just with one stakeholder.

Most relationships begin through a cold call, referral, or networking. We sit down with a contact, explore the organization’s needs, and explain what we do. If we’re doing a professional job, we share relevant client success stories and suggest that we might be able to help — but only after asking permission to explore further.

Once permission is granted, we go deep on the issues the organization is facing. The client tells us what matters most, and only then can we judge whether there’s a true fit.

Mini-summary: In Japan, trust starts with listening. You earn the right to propose solutions by asking first, not pitching first.

Why is identifying a “champion” so critical?

Because decisions involve many stakeholders, the person you meet is often only one link in a long chain. They may not even have authority to apply their seal or move the proposal forward. Yet you may never meet the other internal decision-makers.

That makes your contact a potential “champion” — someone willing to guide your solution through the internal system. Their willingness to do that depends on the trust you build.

Mini-summary: Your contact is not just a buyer; they’re your internal guide. Their belief in you determines whether the system advances.

When a champion supports a vendor, they put their reputation and career at stake. If the project fails, they look unreliable to colleagues and executives — which may limit their future advancement.

So your credibility is not just a business matter. It’s personal for them.

Mini-summary: Every “yes” from your champion increases their personal risk. They must feel fully safe trusting you.

I once sold mobile antenna steel towers in Japan sourced from Australia. We could install them for 30% less than local competitors. It was the first time imported towers were used, so the approval process was complex.

Inside the buyer organization, different stakeholders came from different shareholder companies. Some brought preferred local suppliers, and the decision became a political battle. My champions fought hard to push the deal through — even when local suppliers formed a だんご (dango — cartel/price-fixing group) to undercut pricing and kill the import business.

The buyer saw through the tactic and approved the deal to permanently lower costs. The first deliveries went well… until our Australian side shifted production to Malaysia to cut costs. Quality fell, deliveries failed, and the business collapsed.

The result? My champions were burned. The contract was torn up. They wouldn’t speak to me again. I learned that when a vendor fails, the champion carries the internal fallout, regardless of whose decision caused the failure.

Mini-summary: In Japan, your champion’s career rides on your delivery. If your execution slips, they pay the price internally.

What is the mutual responsibility between salesperson and champion?

Even if you are not personally responsible for a failure, your champion sees you as “their person.” From their view, you own the outcome. That’s why protecting trust requires:

• honest expectations

• consistent quality

• proactive risk management

• total reliability after the deal is signed

You are not just selling a solution. You are safeguarding someone’s standing within their organization.

Mini-summary: Your responsibility extends beyond the contract. You must protect your champion’s reputation as fiercely as your own.

How should salespeople approach Japan’s decision-making system?

Start with the mindset: “Find the champion, protect the champion, and make them a winner internally.”

That means:

1. Map the decision chain. Ask who will be impacted and who must approve.

2. Equip your champion. Provide clear logic, data, and internal-ready messaging.

3. Reduce internal risk. Show reliability through proof, transparency, and follow-through.

4. Never overpromise. Short-term persuasion destroys long-term brand trust in Japan.

Mini-summary: Win the system by empowering the champion. The deal succeeds when they succeed.

• 日本企業 (nihon kigyō — Japanese companies) decisions require 稟議 (ringi — consensus approvals) across many layers.

• Your contact may be your only internal path forward — making them a critical champion.

• Champions risk their reputation and career when they support you.

• Protecting trust through delivery and reliability is the real foundation of Japan sales success.

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.