Reducing Friction In The Sales In Japan

Inertia is one of the most powerful forces slowing sales in Japan.

The buyer may already have a regular supplier. Or we may be introducing a solution they have never used before. In either case, buying from us requires change on their side.

And in many Japanese buying situations, change is viewed first as risk, not opportunity.

Doing nothing is easy.

Staying with the existing supplier is easy.

Changing systems, processes, vendors, internal responsibilities, budgets or routines is much harder.

That is why salespeople in Japan need to stop thinking only about getting the first deal done. A better mindset is to think about the re-order.

If we concentrate only on winning the initial sale, the slow pace and internal obstacles can become enormously frustrating. If we concentrate on creating a relationship that will generate repeated business, we are more likely to do the patient work required to reduce friction and make the first purchase successful.

Why is buyer inertia such a major issue in Japanese sales?

Buyer inertia is powerful in Japan because remaining with the familiar option usually feels safer than introducing change. The salesperson therefore has to overcome not only competitors, but also the buyer's preference for avoiding unnecessary risk.

If the client already has a supplier, switching to us means disrupting an established arrangement.

Someone has to approve the change.

Someone may have to explain why the existing supplier is no longer sufficient.

Processes may need to change.

People may need to learn something new.

Other divisions may be affected.

If our solution is completely new, the uncertainty becomes even greater because the buyer has no internal history to rely on.

The current situation may not be ideal, but at least it is known.

That is a powerful psychological advantage.

This is why the familiar expression, "better the Devil you know than the Angel you don't", applies particularly well to sales.

We are the Angel they don't know.

Our job is therefore not merely to prove that our solution is better.

We have to make changing to our solution feel manageable, practical and sufficiently low risk.

Do now: Before your next proposal, ask yourself: "What changes will the buyer have to make internally if they say yes to us?"

Why can trying to speed up a Japanese sales process actually slow it down?

Speed is not always interpreted positively in Japanese B2B sales. If the buyer believes a decision is being rushed before all risks have been examined, moving quickly can make the proposal feel more dangerous rather than more attractive.

Salespeople naturally want momentum.

We have targets.

We have forecasts.

We have reporting deadlines.

We want the client to make the decision now.

The buyer does not care about our schedule.

As I remind myself, the buyer in Japan is never on your schedule.

The buyer is concerned with what happens inside their organisation after they make the purchase.

The salesperson may be talking to one section, but the consequences of that buying decision can spread across multiple divisions.

Operations may be affected.

Finance may need to alter payment arrangements.

IT may have integration issues.

Procurement may have procedures to follow.

Managers may need to explain the change to employees.

The faster we push, the more uncomfortable the buyer may become if those internal questions have not been resolved.

Do now: Instead of asking, "How can I make them decide faster?", ask, "What is making this decision difficult to progress?"

How can salespeople identify the internal stakeholders creating friction?

The salesperson needs to use the client contact to map which sections will be affected by the change and which stakeholders are likely to support or resist the proposal.

This is not always easy.

We may never meet the people in the other sections.

We may never hear their objections directly.

Our contact therefore becomes enormously important.

We need to ask them for the lay of the land inside their organisation.

One useful question is:

"I really appreciate all of your guidance and I understand that buying from us would be a new thing inside the company. I am sure there are many sections which would be directly impacted by making this change and based on your expert knowledge of the organisation, who would you say would be those most affected?"

Then stop talking.

This is important.

Salespeople often ruin good questions because they become uncomfortable with silence and start talking again.

Do not dilute the power of the question.

Ask it.

Then shut up.

Give the buyer time to think.

Their answer starts giving us a map of the internal decision-making landscape.

Do now: Identify the sections most affected by the purchase, not just the people formally approving it.

What should salespeople ask about each stakeholder's concerns?

Once the affected sections have been identified, the salesperson should explore what each group is worried about and what information could reduce those concerns.

Suppose the buyer mentions that Section ABC will be heavily affected.

Do not stop there.

We need to understand what ABC is likely to worry about.

We can say:

"It is natural for the key sections you have nominated to take this change seriously and for them to investigate all angles involved. Often I have found that we have information which may not be known to these sections, which would change their perception of the ease of making the change. What would you say would be the major concerns of the ABC section?"

Again, stop talking.

Let them answer.

Notice the framing.

We are not accusing ABC of being negative.

We are recognising that careful investigation is natural and legitimate.

That makes it easier for our contact to discuss resistance without appearing disloyal to colleagues.

This is particularly important in Japan, where openly criticising another department can be uncomfortable.

Do now: For each important stakeholder, ask: "What would make this change difficult from their point of view?"

Why do salespeople need to probe two or three levels deeper?

The first answer is often not the real obstacle. Salespeople need to keep probing because the most useful information frequently emerges only after the buyer has had time to think more deeply.

Suppose our contact tells us ABC Section has one major concern.

Good.

Now keep going.

Say:

"Thank you for mentioning that. Apart from this concern, can you think of other major hesitations which we may need to work on solving for them?"

This second or third level is often where the useful information appears.

The first response may simply be whatever came immediately to mind.

When we give the buyer more time to consider the issue, they can think through the internal consequences more carefully.

Another concern appears.

Then another.

Now we are getting somewhere.

We should repeat this process for all of the key divisions likely to be affected.

By the end of the conversation, we are no longer simply selling a product or service.

We are beginning to understand the internal mechanics of making the purchase possible.

Do now: Never assume the first objection is the only objection. Ask, "Apart from that, what else might make this difficult?"

How can sellers reduce friction once they understand the obstacles?

Once friction points are visible, the salesperson should redesign the implementation so the buyer can change with less risk, less disruption and less internal resistance.

This is where professional selling really begins.

Perhaps we need to slow the process down.

Maybe the client needs more time to prepare internally.

Perhaps we should reduce the scope of the initial deal and introduce additional elements later.

Maybe the payment schedule needs to fit the client's budgeting cycle or current cash-flow situation.

Perhaps the buyer needs a pilot programme before they feel comfortable committing to a larger rollout.

A pilot can be particularly powerful.

It creates a low-risk opportunity for the client to see how the solution works.

They can understand what internal adjustments are required.

They can identify problems while the scale is still manageable.

Once the solution is proven, increasing the size or frequency of the delivery becomes easier.

The aim is not to force the buyer through their resistance.

The aim is to remove the causes of resistance wherever we can.

Do now: Look at every friction point and ask: "Can we remove it, reduce it, delay it or test it on a smaller scale?"

Why should salespeople in Japan sell for the re-order rather than the first order?

The real objective is not merely to win one transaction. It is to create a first experience that makes the second purchase easier, faster and more natural.

This mindset changes how we behave.

If all we want is the initial order, we may push too hard.

We may promise too much.

We may force the buyer to make changes faster than their organisation can comfortably absorb them.

That may win the first sale and destroy the chance of the second.

If we think instead about the re-order, patience becomes logical.

We want the first implementation to work.

We want the client's internal stakeholders to feel comfortable.

We want those who supported the purchase to look good.

We want the organisation to say:

"That worked. Let's do it again."

That is when the relationship becomes much more valuable.

The first sale often requires enormous energy because we are unknown.

Once the buyer has experienced successful delivery, trust grows and resistance falls.

That is the point.

Do now: Design the first transaction so that success naturally leads to the next one.

How should professional salespeople reduce sales friction in Japan?

There are no shortcuts.

We need to understand what the buyer must go through internally to implement what we are proposing.

That requires intelligent, carefully constructed questions.

We need to identify who will be affected.

We need to discover who is supportive and who is resistant.

We need to understand each stakeholder's concerns.

We need to keep probing beyond the first answer.

Then we need to adjust the deal.

Maybe we slow down.

Maybe we simplify.

Maybe we change the payment schedule.

Maybe we begin with a pilot.

Maybe we remove parts of the proposal and add them back later.

The objective is to make the change as friction-free as possible.

We are all creatures of habit.

The buyer already knows the existing supplier, process or solution.

They do not know us.

That means we have to make the unfamiliar feel safe.

Do that well and the first order becomes possible.

Do it extremely well and the re-orders become easier.

That is the real objective of professional selling in Japan.

Author bio

Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie One Carnegie Award (2018 and 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver programmes globally across leadership, communication, sales and presentations, including Leadership Training for Results.

He has written several books, including the best-sellers Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery and Japan Presentations Mastery, as well as Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー).

Greg also publishes daily business insights on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter and hosts six weekly podcasts. On YouTube, he produces The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery and Japan's Top Business Interviews for executives and professionals seeking practical strategies for succeeding in Japan.