The Missing Ingredient in Japanese Sales — Selling with Emotion | Dale Carnegie Tokyo

We often hear that people buy on emotion and justify with logic — yet, in Japan, most sales talks are the opposite.
Dry, monotone, fact-heavy explanations dominate, while passion and enthusiasm are nowhere to be found.
As both a salesperson and a buyer living in Japan for over 30 years, I rarely meet a Japanese salesperson who speaks with genuine emotion about their offer.

Mini-summary: Emotional selling is not unprofessional — it’s essential. Buyers trust energy and conviction before they trust data.

Before moving to Japan, I thought Japanese businesspeople were unemotional. Once here, I learned that emotion is deeply tied to trust.
Once trust is earned, it becomes an emotional commitment — clients feel secure and want to continue working with you.
But for new customers, there is no record of reliability yet. Their question is simple: “Can I trust you?”

To overcome this barrier, you must lower the buyer’s risk. Offer a small trial, a free sample, or a low-commitment test project. This makes it safer for decision-makers at every level to say yes.

Mini-summary: Build trust emotionally by reducing risk and showing integrity from the first encounter.

Logic can explain your product, but only passion can inspire belief.
A story from my Japanese father-in-law illustrates this: when he was in his twenties, he targeted a company in Nagoya and stood outside the president’s home every morning to bow as he left for work. After two weeks, curiosity turned to respect — the president’s company became a major client.

That deal wasn’t won by spreadsheets — it was won by emotion: discipline, commitment, and sincerity.
Your buyers must feel your belief before they’ll buy your product.

Mini-summary: Passion communicates credibility faster than logic ever can.

Ask yourself:

• Do you sound truly sold on your own offer?

• Are you showing commitment to go the extra mile?

• Does your voice and energy convey confidence and authenticity?

Buyers always buy emotionally first and justify rationally later.
Your role is to meet both needs: deliver strong logic backed by genuine passion.

Mini-summary: Emotion sells; logic justifies. Balance both to earn trust and close deals.

• Japanese buyers rely on emotion as much as logic — once trust forms, loyalty follows.

• New clients decide based on perceived risk; minimize it early.

• Passion, sincerity, and belief create credibility faster than facts.

• Audit your emotional delivery — energy and authenticity are your strongest sales tools.

If you want to deliver sales presentations that truly resonate with clients,
Dale Carnegie Training Tokyo will help you elevate your sales presence to the next level.

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, continues to empower both Japanese and multinational corporate clients.