Episode #376: The Buyer Is Never On Your Schedule In Japan

Why do salespeople in Tokyo need a different networking approach?

In Tokyo, networking events are crowded, polite, and fast-moving—yet they’re full of hidden business opportunity. If you walk in without a clear method to identify real buyers, you’ll leave with vague conversations and no pipeline. The key is to enter with a single purpose: find decision-makers, start need-based dialogue, and open the door to a follow-up meeting.

Mini-summary: Tokyo networking rewards clarity and speed. A deliberate approach turns casual encounters into real sales conversations.

You don’t need a long pitch; you need a sharp one. The mindset is simple: attend to “work the room,” identify who might buy, and quickly confirm whether they have a need. Think of it as scanning for the people who are already carrying your future revenue—you’re just helping them recognize it too.

Mini-summary: Working the room is about efficient qualification, not aggressive selling.

A 10-second pitch deck is a compressed, repeatable explanation of what you do that instantly invites the other person to talk about their needs. Instead of giving a speech, you deliver a tight value signal and then ask a prioritizing question. That shifts the conversation from you talking to them revealing.

Mini-summary: A 10-second pitch works because it creates curiosity and prompts the buyer to self-identify their problem.

Your meishi (business card) is not just an identity tool in Japan—it’s a conversation accelerator. Most people print English on one side and Japanese on the other, but a smarter selling method is to separate logistics from the pitch.

• Front side: title, company, contact details.

• Back side: your “pitch deck,” written clearly as buyer-relevant signals.

This way, when they ask “What do you do?”, your answer is already visible and structured for instant understanding.

Mini-summary: In Japan, the business card is a silent sales assistant; design it to sell, not just introduce.

What should be on the back of a sales-focused business card?

The rear of the card should be a micro-pitch answering three buyer questions:

1. What are you experts in?
   We specialize in soft skills training.

2. Why should I trust you?
   Dale Carnegie has over 112 years globally and more than 61 years in Tokyo.

3. What do you cover?
   Five core areas:

   • Communication

   • Sales

   • Leadership

   • Presentations

   • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI)

Then ask:
“Which of these is most needed at your firm right now?”
And stop talking.

Mini-summary: Put trust, longevity, and clear capability areas on the card, then ask a prioritizing question.

Why is the “Which one do you need most?” question so powerful?

Because it forces focus. If they say “all of them,” you still ask which is most important. Without prioritization, the need stays foggy and no next step is possible. With prioritization, you get a clear doorway into a follow-up meeting and proposal.

Mini-summary: Prioritization turns broad interest into a specific sales path.

What should you do immediately after meeting a buyer?

Follow up right away. Send a short message referencing the event and the specific priority they mentioned. Expect silence—ghosting is common because everyone is busy. The sales reality is persistence: keep following up until they agree or decline clearly.

Mini-summary: Immediate follow-up plus consistent persistence is the only reliable path past ghosting.

Why do deals take so long in corporate Japan?

Even after a positive meeting, decisions travel through an internal consensus maze. Your buyer must align stakeholders you can’t see. Their timetable is never your timetable, and that delay can stretch six months or more from first contact to payment.

Mini-summary: Japanese corporate decision-making is consensus-driven, so sales cycles are structurally long.

How do you survive long sales cycles without discounting?

Discounting speeds payment but shrinks value. A better strategy is to stack the funnel constantly so slow deals don’t threaten your cash flow. When one deal stalls or collapses, others are already moving forward.

Mini-summary: Funnel volume protects revenue better than fee discounting.

What does it feel like to manage multiple deals at once?

It’s like spinning plates on cane sticks. Each plate is a deal; each one needs attention at the right moment or it falls. Too many plates creates chaos. Too few plates means you don’t eat. The right answer is to err slightly on the side of too many—because effort can stabilize volume, but effort can’t invent deals later.

Mini-summary: Sales success means managing deal volume like plate-spinning: always active, always adjusting.

Why is prospecting so hard for coaches and consultants?

Because time spent delivering paid work is time not spent prospecting. Prospecting doesn’t pay today—but without it, tomorrow collapses. This creates a permanent imbalance in the business model, and you must accept it as part of sales life.

Mini-summary: Coaching pays now; prospecting pays later. You need both, even when it feels unfair.

What is the “Valley of Sales Death,” and how do you avoid it?

The Valley of Sales Death happens when you stop prospecting because you’re busy delivering. A few months later, your pipeline empties, and revenue disappears. The only defense is nonstop funnel-stacking—especially when you think you’re too busy to do it.

Mini-summary: The Valley of Sales Death is a pipeline drought caused by stopping prospecting; constant outreach prevents it.

How persistent should sales follow-up be?

Extremely persistent. A useful mindset: follow up until they decide, not until you feel awkward. As the saying goes, keep going until they clearly say yes—or clearly say no.

Mini-summary: Persistence isn’t optional; it’s the job.

• Tokyo networking works when you use a 10-second pitch and let buyers state their needs.

• Meishi (business card) design can double as a micro-pitch deck that builds trust instantly.

• Long decision cycles are normal in Japan, so survival depends on stacking your funnel.

• Prospecting must continue no matter how busy you get, or revenue will vanish later.

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.