131: Sales Skills Or Boozing Skills

<p>A LinkedIn post I read recorded how an American sales guy got off the booze and the client entertainment rat race.  It got a lot of coverage and comment because it obviously struck a chord with many fellow salespeople.  It got me thinking about the same conundrum for those of us selling in Japan. </p> <p> </p> <p>This is a tricky issue here because, traditionally, so much client entertainment was involved.  “I gave my liver for my company” is a common refrain amongst Japanese salespeople.  The other one is “I gave up my weekends for golf with the client”.  What about foreigners selling here?  Do we have to donate our liver to the cause and get divorced, because we are never spending any time with the family?</p> <p> </p> <p>There is a difference between bribing the buyer through entertainment and having a business relationship.  I think we can provide a quality service and leave it at the professional level.  You might be spending your evenings wining and dining the buyer, but every couple of years they rotate positions within the company and your guy has moved on. </p> <p> </p> <p>Also, depending on the sector where you are working, your “guy”, could well be a “gal” these days and being taken out by you, may be of very little interest.  Younger people value their private time more than previous generations and don’t necessarily want to be spending it with salespeople.</p> <p> </p> <p>If we concentrate on providing a reliable and quality service, then we can make sales here.  We can have a business relationship that doesn’t have to cross the boundaries of bribery to get the business.  I have noticed some firms in Japan are applying a stricter compliance aspect to their dealing with vendors and typical client visit gifts are being refused.  I visited Mazda recently and took some cookies for the people we were visiting and they politely, but very firmly, rejected receiving the gift.  In the finance business, compliance rules are very strict and staff entertainment is very carefully monitored.</p> <p> </p> <p>For