Virtual Sales in Japan — How to Win Clients Online vs. In-Person

COVID exposed weaknesses that were hidden in face-to-face sales. Many Japanese buyers no longer spend every day in the office, meaning online sales meetings are here to stay. Yet too many salespeople are failing to adapt. Wishing for a return to “normal” is not a strategy — training in virtual sales skills is now essential.

Mini-summary: Online selling is permanent, and untrained salespeople struggle to adapt.

Body language translates differently on camera. Salespeople must:

• Sit upright, leaning slightly forward for energy.

• Adjust the camera to eye level, framing the upper body.

• Use gestures within the corridor between chest and ear height, held longer and slower to register on screen.

• Look into the lens, not down at the buyer’s image.

• Increase vocal energy by 20% to counter the “camera power loss.”

Mini-summary: Confident posture, eye contact with the lens, and controlled gestures signal professionalism online.

Japanese buyers expect precision and clarity. Online, that means:

• Slower speaking pace to compensate for weak audio quality.

• Strategic pauses to ensure understanding.

• Eliminating filler words (“ums” and “ahs”) through rehearsal.

• Stronger emphasis on key words and phrases.

Mini-summary: Clarity and confident delivery build credibility with Japanese buyers.

Structure reduces distraction and multitasking. Effective practices include:

• Start with a credibility statement supported by visuals (e.g., showing Dale Carnegie’s history with skyline images of New York in 1912 and Tokyo in 1963).

• Share a draft agenda via screen share, including current challenges, future goals, and barriers.

• Invite buyers to add items to the agenda to build ownership.

Mini-summary: Agendas and visuals guide attention and build buyer engagement.

Online, Japanese buyers often multitask. To keep focus:

• Politely request cameras on, positioning it as mutual trust.

• Check for understanding regularly.

• Never send proposals ahead of time — schedule the next meeting and walk through the proposal via screen share.

• Only send the document afterward to ensure value explanation.

Mini-summary: Control the flow of information to ensure buyers absorb value before price.

• Online sales are here to stay — training is essential.

• Posture, voice, and gestures build virtual trust.

• Agendas and visuals keep buyers engaged.

• Control proposal flow to reinforce value before price.

Request a Free Consultation to learn how Dale Carnegie Tokyo can equip your sales team with the skills to win Japanese buyers online and offline.

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.