Episode #64: How to Be Likeable and Trustworthy in Sales

Why do the first seconds of a sales meeting decide everything in Japan?

In Japan, both 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (foreign-owned / multinational companies) make fast judgments in business meetings. In the first 7–10 seconds, buyers decide if they feel confidence, trust, and interest—or doubt, resistance, and distance.

Most busy decision makers in 東京 (Tokyo) move from one meeting to the next with no mental break. When a salesperson walks in, the client’s mind is often somewhere else. In that moment, posture, eye contact, greeting, and opening words decide whether the client leans in or checks out.

Mini-summary: First impressions in Japan are formed in seconds. The way you enter the room sets the tone for the entire sales conversation.

Many salespeople in Japan learn only through OJT (On-the-Job Training). This works only when the manager truly understands modern sales. Too often, inexperienced sales managers pass down weak habits instead of a clear sales process.

As a result:

• Salespeople “wing it” instead of using a structured 営業研修 (sales training) approach.

• Rapport is left to chance.

• The focus is on talking, not on listening and asking smart questions.

Dale Carnegie has delivered リーダーシップ研修 (leadership training) and 営業研修 (sales training) for over 100 years globally and more than 60 years in Tokyo. We see every level of salesperson, and the pattern is clear: the gap is not effort, it is method.

Mini-summary: Weak OJT and lack of a real sales process create poor first meetings. Professional, structured training closes that gap.

Rapport begins before you say your first business word. Clients read your body language faster than they hear your message.

Key basics for Japanese and multinational clients:

• Posture: Stand straight and still before you bow or shake hands. Leaning forward while moving makes you look weak or unsure.

• Greeting: Bow or shake hands after you stop, not while walking. Add a natural smile if appropriate.

• Handshake:

  • Avoid the “dead fish” weak grip.

  • Avoid the bone-crusher grip.

  • Avoid the double-hand “politician” grip.
    Aim for a firm, calm, professional handshake, especially with foreign clients.

• Eye contact: Hold eye contact for about 6 seconds when you first greet the client, and smile. This signals confidence, reliability, and warmth.

Mini-summary: Confident posture, balanced handshake, and calm eye contact send a clear message: “You can trust me and talk openly with me.”

Most salespeople start with safe topics like weather or how far they traveled. These clichés do not build real connection. The client forgets them instantly.

Instead, open with comments and questions that:

• Focus on the client’s business, not on yourself.

• Show you did your homework.

• Are slightly unexpected, but still professional.

Examples:

• Instead of “Nice office,” say:
  “Since moving to this new office, have you seen any impact on team motivation or productivity?”

• Instead of “This lobby looks great,” say:
  “Have you noticed any change in your brand image with clients after you moved here?”

If you provide プレゼンテーション研修 (presentation training), 営業研修 (sales training), or リーダーシップ研修 (leadership training), these questions also help you discover needs around engagement, motivation, and communication.

Mini-summary: Avoid generic small talk. Use smart, business-focused openers that show insight and shift the attention to the client’s reality.

Your client may physically sit in front of you, but mentally be in the last meeting—or the next one. Questions bring their mind “back into the room.”

Use well-prepared conversation starters:

• Insightful data:
  “I read that the number of young people aged 15–24 in Japan has halved in the last 20 years. Are you worried about future talent retention as demand grows?”

• Research-based insight:
  “Dale Carnegie research on engagement found three key drivers: the relationship with the immediate supervisor, belief in senior management’s direction, and pride in the organization. How are these playing out in your company?”

Use simple, direct questions to interrupt preoccupation:

• “Many clients tell me Abenomics has not yet created a clear positive impact for them. How is it for your business?”

• “Recently I hear more concern about a possible future increase in consumption tax. Is this already a planning issue for your team?”

These questions naturally open the door to deeper discovery about performance gaps, risks, and goals—areas where プロフェッショナルな営業研修 (professional sales training) or エグゼクティブ・コーチング (executive coaching) may help.

Mini-summary: Strategic questions shift the client’s attention from distraction to dialogue and give you insight into where they truly need support.

The goal of rapport is not to be “nice” for a few minutes. The goal is to:

• Build likeability and trust quickly.

• Show you understand business, not just your product.

• Create a safe space where the client is willing to share problems and ambitions.

This stage is both science and art:

• Science: clear steps—posture, greeting, eye contact, opening question, follow-up questions, active listening.

• Art: tone, timing, word choice, and sensitivity to Japanese business culture.

For both 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (multinational companies) in Tokyo, strong rapport is the bridge that leads to honest needs, realistic proposals, and long-term partnerships.

Mini-summary: Rapport is a structured part of the sales process. When done well, it turns a first meeting into the start of a trusted business relationship.

• First impressions are created in 7–10 seconds; posture, greeting, and eye contact strongly influence trust.

• OJT alone is not enough; structured 営業研修 (sales training) based on global best practices is essential.

• Differentiated, business-focused opening questions create stronger rapport than generic small talk.

• Insightful questions and data points re-focus distracted clients and reveal real needs.

• Rapport is a repeatable skill that can be strengthened through リーダーシップ研修 (leadership training), プレゼンテーション研修 (presentation training), エグゼクティブ・コーチング (executive coaching), and DEI研修 (DEI training).

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.