Episode #358: How Detailed Should Our Sales Proposals Be?

Why does the proposal matter more in Japan than in many other markets?

In Japan, the first meeting usually focuses on building rapport, gaining permission to ask questions, and confirming the next meeting date. The proposal then becomes the main vehicle for progress because decision-making is rarely done by only the people you meet. Instead, your document must persuade a broader internal audience—often including stakeholders who will never speak with you directly.

Mini-summary: In Japan, the proposal carries unusually high weight because it must stand alone as your “salesperson” inside the client organization.

Japanese companies typically favor consensus decision-making. This approach spreads responsibility across the group, reducing individual blame if something goes wrong. To support this system, proposals go through extensive internal review—section by section—before moving upward for executive approval.

That means your proposal is not a simple confirmation of what was discussed; it is a due-diligence tool that must survive scrutiny from multiple divisions.

Mini-summary: Consensus decision-making creates a longer approval chain, so proposals must anticipate and answer many stakeholders’ concerns.

What level of detail should a proposal include for Japanese buyers?

Japanese buyers are highly data-driven and risk-averse. They tend to believe that risk reduction depends on having enough information to validate a decision. As a result, proposals in Japan usually need to include more depth, evidence, and supporting data than you might provide elsewhere.

However, the detail must still feel purposeful. The goal is not to overwhelm, but to reassure.

Mini-summary: Provide heavier detail than normal, but make sure every piece of information supports risk reduction and decision clarity.

How do you avoid drowning your key message in too much detail?

A common danger is letting the main argument get buried under endless data. The best structure is:

• Main body: Clear narrative, key benefits, decisive recommendations.

• Appendices: Deep supporting data, extra charts, references, proof points.

This allows detail-hungry readers to explore fully without slowing down everyone else.

Mini-summary: Keep the core story clean and persuasive, and place heavy evidence in appendices.

How can client contacts help strengthen your proposal?

The people you meet are critical not only for rapport, but as guides to internal politics and concerns. They know where objections may emerge, which sections will scrutinize what, and what topics could become sticking points.

You should ask for their help while preparing the proposal. This takes longer upfront but reduces revisions later because the document already addresses hidden questions.

Mini-summary: Use your contacts as “internal advisors” so the proposal answers real due-diligence concerns from the start.

Which section of the proposal needs the most depth?

The solution section should be the most detailed part of the proposal:

• How the solution works in practice

• How it fits into their organization

• What implementation looks like inside their workflows

• What outcomes and safeguards are expected

If possible, reference similar firms or industry precedents. Japanese companies strongly prefer proven examples over being first adopters.

Mini-summary: Go deepest on the solution and its in-company fit, supported by relevant precedents.

Where should different types of information go: main body vs appendices?

Think of your proposal like a layered argument:

• Main body: What they must understand to move approval forward.

• Appendices: What they might want if they are validating risks deeply.

Some data is essential to the decision; keep that visible. Other detail is optional but valuable; layer it in the back. When unsure, provide more data rather than less—Japanese reviewers expect to find it.

Mini-summary: Put decision-critical detail upfront, and stack additional risk-reduction evidence in appendices.

How do proposals help you persuade people you’ll never meet?

Your proposal is the only way to reach skeptics hidden behind the client’s internal walls. If you anticipate their worries and address them clearly, the document moves faster through internal approval.

Done well, the proposal becomes your silent advocate—building confidence, reducing risk fears, and accelerating consensus.

Mini-summary: A strong proposal persuades unseen stakeholders and speeds internal elevation toward final approval.

• Japanese proposals must be more detailed because decisions involve broad internal consensus.

• Balance is crucial: keep key points in the main body and heavy evidence in appendices.

• Use the client contacts you meet to predict internal objections and interests.

• The solution section should be the most detailed, especially regarding fit inside their organization.

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.