Episode #369: The Real Know, Like And Trust In Sales In Japan - Part One -KNOW

In a post-Covid business climate, many sales professionals feel invisible. Buyers are harder to reach, networking habits have shifted, and social media attention is fragmented. If customers don’t know you exist, they can’t buy from you — no matter how strong your solution is. This first article in a three-part series goes deep on the “Know” stage of Know-Like-Trust, with a focus on how salespeople in Japan (日本 nihon / Japan) can rebuild visibility and pipeline.

Because visibility collapsed during the pandemic and hasn’t fully recovered.
During Covid, the usual ways people discovered sales professionals — events, introductions, casual meetings — broke down. Online networking kept people in tiny boxes on screen, making real connection rare. Even now, buyers are flooded with options and distractions, so being unknown is effectively being unbuyable.

Mini-summary: If prospects have never heard of you, your expertise doesn’t matter yet. Your first sales job is to stop being invisible.

Assume you’re on your own and build personal visibility deliberately.
Marketing teams promote brands, not individuals. So sales professionals need their own visibility engine. A useful reminder comes from a hard-driving American trainer (whose style wouldn’t translate well in Japan): in sales, we are all invisible until we act like we’re not.

That means:

• Creating opportunities where you are seen

• Targeting the right buyers instead of shouting at everyone

• Showing up consistently where your market pays attention

Mini-summary: Don’t wait for the brand to make you famous. Act like a “one-person media company” for your target buyers.

Work the room again — fast, focused, and intentional.
Live networking is back in fashion, and it’s a major advantage for salespeople who use it well. At events, you can often tell within ten seconds whether someone is a real prospect. If they aren’t, move on. Your job is to find the buyers you can help and start genuine conversations.

Practical approach:

• Attend relevant industry events regularly

• Open quickly with a buyer-focused question

• Qualify fast: prospect or not?

• Set a follow-up sales call while the connection is warm

Mini-summary: Live events are your fastest route to being known. Don’t socialize vaguely — qualify and connect with purpose.

What’s the smartest way to cold call in today’s Japan?

Be “sniper-like”: target carefully and persist professionally.
Cold calling became brutal during Covid. Decision-makers were home, mobile numbers were missing, and central phone lines often went unanswered. Even today, gatekeepers can be harsh and buyers are busy.

So don’t spray and pray. Instead:

• Identify who you can genuinely help

• Target specific decision-makers

• Use multiple channels to reach them

• Persist with professionalism, not desperation

A clever tactic: send a small, relevant package by mail. The same junior gatekeeper who blocks calls will usually place your parcel directly on the buyer’s desk.

Mini-summary: Cold calling still works when it’s targeted and multi-channel. Precision beats volume.

Why are existing clients still your best visibility path?

Because new client acquisition is harder than ever.
In tough post-Covid markets, your current clients remain the backbone of sales. They already know you, trust you, and can introduce you to others — shortening the “Know” stage dramatically.

Actions to take:

• Deepen relationships with current accounts

• Ask for warm introductions

• Share valuable updates and insights

• Treat retention as a growth strategy

Mini-summary: Existing clients are your shortcut to being known in new circles. Don’t neglect them while chasing strangers.

Which social media platforms matter most for visibility in Japan?

Go where your buyers already pay attention.
Japan’s social media landscape is huge but uneven. Reported user numbers vary by source, but the broad ranking of monthly users often looks like:

• YouTube

• LINE

• X/Twitter

• Instagram

• Facebook

• TikTok

• Pinterest

• LinkedIn

The critical question isn’t “what’s biggest?” but “where are your buyers active?”

Mini-summary: Platform popularity matters less than buyer presence. Choose channels based on your target market.

Yes — because consumption doesn’t make you known.
If you only consume content, you stay invisible. Creating content positions you as a recognizable expert. Even simple, consistent content can separate you from competitors.

Think through:

• Who is your target market?

• Which platforms do they use?

• What do they struggle with?

• What can you share that helps them?

Mini-summary: Visibility comes from contribution. If you want to be known, you must create, not just scroll.

What types of content build “Know” fastest?

Text, video, and audio — all workable if done consistently.

Text content

• Shows expertise

• Is easy to publish frequently

• Can be amplified with AI

• Needs your “secret sauce” to avoid generic sameness

Video content

• Every phone is a studio now

• Buyers can see you and connect faster

• Builds familiarity quickly

Audio content

• Strip audio from video for an instant second format

• Podcasts let guests provide most of the IP while you guide the value

Mini-summary: Multi-format content compounds visibility. Start with what you can sustain weekly.

Do you need to look or sound amazing to use video or audio?

No. Compelling beats “perfect.”
Many people avoid video/audio because they don’t feel confident about appearance or voice. But audiences care far more about value than polish. Plenty of famous musicians succeeded without “perfect” looks or voices. The same applies to sales creators.

Mini-summary: Don’t let self-consciousness block your visibility. If the content helps, people will stay.

What’s the bottom-line strategy to get known?

Network live, cold call smart, and show up on social media with value.
Post-Covid sales requires a deliberate visibility plan. Your mission is simple:

1. Meet buyers face-to-face again

2. Reach decision-makers with precision

3. Build a creator presence where buyers already are

Mini-summary: If you aren’t known, you aren’t considered. Visibility is now a daily sales discipline.

• The “Know” stage is the visibility gate for all sales in today’s Japan (日本 nihon / Japan).

• Live networking is back — use it to qualify and connect fast.

• Cold calling works best when targeted “sniper-style” and supported by other channels.

• Social media visibility requires consistent creation, not passive consumption.

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.