Episode #78: Salespeople Should Be Principled

Why do salespeople in Japan still need Dale Carnegie today?

Many salespeople in 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (multinational companies) in 東京 (Tokyo) still focus too much on explaining products. Clients, especially Japanese buyers, care more about whether you understand their situation, risks, and internal politics. Dale Carnegie’s ideas, first published in 1936, give simple human principles that still work in modern 営業研修 (sales training) and リーダーシップ研修 (leadership training).

Mini-summary: Dale Carnegie gives timeless human skills that help salespeople win trust and long-term business in Japan.

When we care only about closing the deal, clients feel it. A “short-term transaction” mindset kills trust. Instead, we focus on the client’s success first. That is our true intention (kokorogamae – correct mindset). If they win, we win. Over time this builds a stable partnership, which is critical in Japan where relationships often last years, not months.

Mini-summary: Genuine curiosity about the client’s goals and pressures creates trust, repeat business, and referrals.

Salespeople often talk about features, history, and their own company. Clients mainly care about: “How does this help my KPI, my team, and my career?” We ask clear questions, listen, then link our solution only to their challenges and targets. In Japan, silence is normal, so we do not fill every gap with more “sales talk”.

Mini-summary: Design questions, listen, and speak only to what matters to the client’s role, numbers, and risks.

Good listening is more than staying quiet. It means:

• Listening to what is said and what is not said

• Watching body language and tone

• Not planning your “brilliant reply” while they are talking

Japanese clients rarely follow a neat script. They may jump between topics. When we ask simple, logical questions and let them talk about their situation, we discover their values, “must-haves”, and real decision drivers.

Mini-summary: Deep listening uncovers hidden needs and shows respect, which is essential before Japanese clients will open up.

Our job is not to push. Our job is to help clients see why change is better than staying the same. In Japan, the risk of taking action and failing is often seen as higher than the risk of doing nothing. We use questions to:

• Show the cost of “no change”

• Clarify how our solution improves results

• Reduce fear around making a decision

This is not carnival-style selling. It is professional communication based on belief that our solution truly helps.

Mini-summary: Use questions to connect client needs with your solution and reduce their fear of change.

“Telling is not selling.” When we lecture, clients become critics. When we ask smart questions, clients reach their own conclusions. People act more strongly on their own ideas than on ideas pushed by a salesperson. In Japan, instead of giving a long “proposal speech”, we guide the client’s thinking step by step so they feel ownership of the decision.

Mini-summary: Use questions so clients discover insights themselves and feel the decision is truly theirs.

Every buyer has a personal history of success, failure, and pain. They have biases, fears, and internal pressures. Our job is to:

• Understand their world-view

• Learn how their past experiences shape today’s decisions

• Discover why they think the way they do

Most Japanese buyers will not reveal this quickly. It takes multiple meetings, patience, and correct kokorogamae (true intention). When we see the world as they see it, our message becomes more relevant and less like “sales pressure”.

Mini-summary: Real empathy lets us match our message to how the client actually thinks and feels.

How can we use “yes momentum” respectfully in Japan?

Getting small “yes” answers helps focus the conversation. But if we ask only leading questions like “You want lower costs, right?”, it feels fake and pushy. In Japanese, “Hai” often means “I hear you,” not “I agree with you.” So we:

• Use a few simple “yes” questions to focus

• Then ask “Why?” and “What makes that important?”

• Confirm understanding instead of forcing agreement

Mini-summary: Use gentle “yes” questions to keep focus, not to trap clients into saying yes.

How do we show sympathy for the client’s fears and ideas?

Every buyer has an MBS – Master’s in Business Skepticism. They have been disappointed by vendors before, so they worry about risk, failure, and blame. In Japan, this is especially strong, and often even stronger for foreign vendors. We:

• Acknowledge their concerns

• Show proof and track record

• Connect our solution to how it protects or grows their business and career

We do not fight their ideas. We understand the “why” behind them, then show where our approach fits their goals.

Mini-summary: Respect their fears, show proof, and link your solution to their safety and success.

How can we dramatize our ideas so busy clients pay attention?

Executives in 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (multinational companies) are overloaded with emails, chats, and meetings. When we meet or call, their heads are full. To stand out, we:

• Use simple word pictures and stories, not heavy theory

• Use voice variety (faster, slower, stronger, softer) to highlight key points

• Match our style to theirs (direct or more careful, big-picture or detail)

We get limited air-time. So our words must be short, clear, and vivid. No “sales blarney”.

Mini-summary: Use stories, examples, and strong vocal delivery so your message cuts through the noise

What does this mean for sales training in Tokyo?

These principles shape practical 営業研修 (sales training), 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) for managers and sales professionals in 東京 (Tokyo). Dale Carnegie Training uses more than 100 years of global experience and over 60 years in Tokyo to help both 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (multinational companies) build sales cultures based on trust, empathy, and clear communication.

Mini-summary: When salespeople master these people skills, they close more deals and strengthen long-term client partnerships in Japan.

• Human skills drive sales: Technical knowledge is not enough; empathy, listening, and trust-building are now core sales skills.

• Japan requires patience and intention: Multiple meetings, careful questions, and a long-term view are essential with Japanese buyers.

• Questions beat lectures: Well-designed questions help clients see their own needs and feel ownership of the decision.

• Clear stories win attention: Simple, vivid communication cuts through overload and makes your value easy to remember and share.

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.