Episode #264: In Japan, Sales Is A Mental Game So Play It Right

In sales, there are two players: the buyer and the seller. While the seller is eager to promote their product, the buyer’s primary concern is risk. This risk aversion is central to sales in Japan. Here, the buyer’s trust in a new salesperson is minimal, maybe even minus, as the culture values stability and continuity over bold risk-taking. In Japan, failure is not forgiven—it’s permanent. Once you lose face, you’re done. This creates in buyers a powerful aversion to new, untested suppliers.

As salespeople, we face this challenge daily. When we approach a buyer, we start at a disadvantage because we are untested. So, how can we overcome this? The key is to build trust, and we can do this slowly and strategically. Begin by offering referrals, starting with small demonstrations, and building a track record. You must show the buyer that you are a credible and safe choice. Offering small samples, trial periods, or limited orders reduces the perceived risk.

On the seller’s side, the mental game is about toughness, grit, stickability and confidence. However, in Japan, most salespeople are often reluctant to approach new clients, fearing rejection and the loss of face. Asking for the order is a tricky proposition—getting a “no” means the seller loses face. This hesitation to take the risk of rejection creates a culture of stagnation, where most salespeople are strong with existing customers, farming, but struggle with finding new ones, hunting.

The challenge in Japan is the clash of mental games—buyers are sceptical and risk-averse, while sellers are timid, fearing rejection and social consequences. To break this cycle, salespeople must receive the right training. They need to gain the confidence to push through the fear, ask the tough questions, and build relationships with new clients. This process involves giving permission to ask questions, offering trial offers, and understanding that a “no” is not a personal rejection, but a response to the current offer in this format, in this business cycle, considering this budgetary timing, the present market and the buyer’s situation.

By empowering Japanese salespeople to harden up, to overcome these mental barriers and training them in effective, low-risk selling strategies, we can open the door to much greater success and business growth.