How To Deal with Major Misperceptions Buyers Have About Your Company

In Japan’s fast-moving business world, a first sales call can feel like walking into a room where everyone is already skeptical. Buyers are busy, cautious, and often silently comparing you to rivals. If trust isn’t established early, even the best solution will be ignored. Here’s a practical, Japan-specific way to open sales conversations, uncover hidden resistance, and build credibility before you pitch.

Japanese buyers — like buyers everywhere — are time-poor and overloaded. Technology has accelerated work, but not increased the hours in the day. So when a stranger calls to sell something, their instinct is to protect time, attention, and risk.

There’s also a trust gap. Many buyers have either been misled before or heard stories of others being misled, so “salesperson” can trigger suspicion by default. In Japan, this cautious stance is even stronger because long-term reliability matters deeply in procurement decisions.

Mini-summary: First contact starts with skepticism because buyers fear wasted time and untrustworthy intent — especially in Japan.

Japan is a brutally competitive sales market. Rival firms may use aggressive tactics: exaggerating, spreading rumors, or implying weaknesses about competitors. Even in a country known for social honesty, some competitors will still lie if they think it helps them win.

Examples buyers may hear:

• “That company is in financial trouble.”

• “Their after-sales service is terrible.”

• “Their representative won’t last long.”

These claims may be untrue, but they shape perception before you even enter the room.

Mini-summary: Japan’s market can be a “street fight” where rivals may distort reality, so you must assume buyers are hearing negative noise about you.

How should you start a sales call in Japan without losing trust?

Most sales calls begin with light chit chat, then move into business. The mistake is rushing from chit chat into your pitch.

Instead, transition into trust-building structure:

1. Ask permission to ask questions, then explore the client’s needs.

2. Or propose a clear agenda. Japanese buyers typically like agendas because they value structure and information density.

This approach signals professionalism and respect for the buyer’s process.

Mini-summary: Don’t “blast into the pitch.” Use permission-based questioning or an agenda to create structure and trust.

Add one essential question near the start:

“What are your impressions of our company?”

Why this matters:

• You are either a stranger or a fleeting acquaintance.

• Buyers won’t share internal problems (their “dirty laundry”) until comfort and trust exist.

• If rivals have planted doubts, this question brings them out fast — before they quietly sabotage your proposal.

For Dale Carnegie Tokyo, longevity can be a double-edged sword:

• Strength: over 108 years globally proves reliability.

• Risk: some may assume you’re old-fashioned.

By asking impressions early, you learn what belief you must clarify first.

Mini-summary: “What are your impressions of our company?” flushes out skepticism and rumors before they block the sale.

How do you respond when a buyer shares a negative impression?

Don’t rebut immediately. Cushion first with a neutral statement. This prevents defensiveness and buys you a few seconds to craft a thoughtful response.

Example neutral cushion:

• “It’s important to consider different perspectives on a brand.”

Then respond with calm, credible framing:

• “Our longevity is balanced by being a global organization, constantly solving real client issues worldwide. That keeps our approaches current and practical.”

This method keeps the conversation collaborative rather than combative.

Mini-summary: Cushioning defuses tension, buys thinking time, and helps you answer with credibility instead of emotion.

Buyers may have polite faces while holding private doubts. If you don’t surface those doubts, you may misread the room and pitch into a wall.

Before introducing your solution, aim to:

• Identify unspoken mistrust

• Correct incorrect assumptions

• Show credibility with relevance, not just history

Mini-summary: Assume hidden obstacles exist; surface and resolve them early to earn a fair conversation.

Japan-specific relevance for professional sales and training

These behaviors show up across Japanese companies (日本企業 / Japanese companies) and multinational companies in Japan (外資系企業 / foreign-affiliated companies), especially in Tokyo (東京 / Tokyo). In high-stakes contexts like sales training (営業研修 / sales training), leadership training (リーダーシップ研修 / leadership training), and presentation training (プレゼンテーション研修 / presentation training), trust-first selling is a decisive advantage.

Mini-summary: Trust-first selling fits the expectations of both 日本企業 (Japanese companies) and 外資系企業 (multinational companies) operating in 東京 (Tokyo).

• Japanese buyers start skeptical due to time pressure and past sales distrust.

• Competitors may spread misleading rumors, so surface impressions early.

• Start calls with questions or an agenda, not a pitch.

• Ask “What are your impressions of our company?” to uncover silent resistance.

• Cushion negative feedback neutrally, then respond with calm credibility.

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 (エグゼクティブ・コーチング / executive coaching), and DEI training (DEI研修 / diversity, equity & inclusion training). Our Tokyo office, established in 1963, has been empowering both Japanese and multinational corporate clients ever since.