Creating the Perfect Company Introduction Deck in Japan

Introduction

The importance of a company introduction deck cannot be understated in the purchasing process in Japan. Decisions in Japan are made through a consensual decision-making process. The first step in consensual decision-making is to make sure all the stakeholders and decision-makers have the right context.

Most of the viewers will come into the funnel through the “Download Document” call-to-action, which is a manifestation of the consensual decision-making business culture. The company introduction deck will be offered and available to those who complete the CTA. This CTA is one of the most common CTAs within B2B SaaS and is a best practice. As a result, the company introduction deck will likely be the first substantial information for the stakeholders and decision-makers and will be the foundation of their decision. To make a strong impression, the company introduction deck should provide the right information and follow best practices.

Company Introduction Deck Format

Following the right format is important to make a strong impression. Japanese buyers are used to going through presentations that follow a certain format. Omitting certain information can make a bad impression. It is also important to understand who the deck is for. The company introduction deck is for a broader audience, so the more information the better. It is better to assume that the viewer has no information or context of the product or space.

Company Introduction

Though this may seem obvious, the company introduction deck usually starts with the company information. In actuality, this isn’t as obvious, as there is specific information that needs to be included. The following information should be included in one slide:

1. Your company’s full legal name (in English and Japanese if available)

2. Establishment date

3. Headquarters location (and Japan office location if available)

The company establishment sends an important message. The longer the company has been in business, the more secure the buyer feels. The company establishment date can alleviate the buyer’s concerns of the service provider going out of business.

What if your company is new to Japan or new in general? Companies newer to the market share information that would help legitimize their presence. This includes any major milestones or accolades including funding rounds, key partnerships or clients, and number of customers.

The next slide is the company mission statement. This mission statement is to go over the company philosophy and goals. This statement goes over the impact that the company is trying to make on the ecosystem. This message is not quite the same as the problems the product is trying to solve, but more the company’s philosophy.

Some companies omit these slides entirely, but this luxury is limited to companies with significant brand recognition. There’s no harm in having these slides, so it’s best to include them.

The last slide in this initial company introduction section is a page dedicated to logos. Even if this slide feels crowded, the rule of thumb is to have as many logos as possible. The more the better and the larger the brand the better.

Introducing the Existing Problem

Once the company introduction is done, the introduction deck should move on to the problem that the product is trying to address. The problem should be explained in as much detail as possible. The problem is usually introduced as follows:

The Problem Itself + Additional Context

It is important to present the problem in a straightforward way as possible. The deck will usually dedicate a slide(s) to stating the problem as simply as possible. The slide will also include any additional context. This context may be a brief history of the problem itself, implications from regulatory changes, or any information that illustrates the severity of the problem. This is the slide that the viewer will start resonating with the problem.

For additional and more concrete context, we’ll be using an e-signature company as an example through this blog post. If an e-signature company is presenting the problem, it may state the need to move to a paperless environment. It may additionally state that paper-based processes are highly inefficient and the government is actually implementing laws for digital storage of certain documents.

Effects and Consequences of the Problem

Once the problem is introduced, the effects of the problem should be highlighted. This should include any inefficiencies caused by the problem. Any metrics or data should be provided along with the consequences. Not only will the reader resonate with the problem but also will feel the pain. This slide will help the reader feel the pain of not implementing a solution and being left behind.

Continuing with the e-signature company example, the company may show the inefficiencies of a paper-based process through lost time. It may also state that there could be legal repercussions for not having digital copies.

Introducing the Solution (Product)

Now that the fundamental problem and the consequences have been presented, it’s time to go over the solution. The solution is what you’re trying to sell, so the following slides are particularly important.

The Solution to the Problem

Again, this may seem obvious, but the product that is being offered is the solution. You are trying to sell a solution to certain problems that the viewer might have. Before jumping directly into the product, it’s good to go over the solution from a higher level and narrow into the product specifics.

Before going into the specifics of the solution, the e-signature company will want to present the solution which is signing and managing documents and contracts electronically. Though this may seem ubiquitous, it’s a best practice to start at this higher level. Not everyone will be familiar with the technology or broader solution that you’re offering.

How the Product Solves the Problem

Now that the solution has been introduced on a higher level, it’s time to move into the specifics of the solution. This is when you start introducing your product in the deck. You can start talking about how your product addresses the overall problem. If there are specific issues that your product addresses, this is where to include them. The more detail the better, as a minor issue for most can be the biggest pain point for others.

Benefits of Implementation

Once the solution has been presented both on macro and micro levels, it’s important to explicitly state the benefits of implementing the solution. This “Effects and Consequences of the Problem” is the “before” and this slide is the “after.” These benefits can be increased efficiency, improved workflows, or happier end-users. Figures and metrics will be impactful when presenting this information. If there are any regulatory benefits, this would be the place to share the information.

Differentiation and Competitive Advantage

If you have any competitors, including a slide on differentiation and your competitive advantages will be helpful. Competitors may address issues in different ways or may not be addressed at all. Providing competitive advantages in digestible terms will help the viewer understand the differentiation of your product. It is important to imply that your approach and solution are superior rather than explicitly stating it.

Product Walkthrough

After the problem and solution have been introduced, the deck should go over the product in more detail. Since some of the decision-makers may not be end-users, it’s important to include screenshots of the product in action. The goal will be to help the viewers have an understanding of the software being implemented without them actually using the platform.

Showing how the platform will solve the problems presented in the previous slide is a good place to start. Once the solution to the problem is addressed, any additional features or details can be added. The goal is to give a non-user a feel for the product.

Case Studies

Case studies are extremely important for sales. Case studies provide social proof and security to the buyer that the provider has the capability of supporting Japanese buyers. They also help the viewer visualize the implementation itself, as well as the benefits. The case studies are ideally with large Japanese companies with strong brands. It’d be even stronger if the case study provided metrics that reflect the benefits of implementation. Including a few case studies will strengthen the overall deck.

Pricing

Not all company introduction decks include pricing, but it is not a bad idea to include the pricing if the structure is simple. If pricing is complicated, it’d be best to omit it, as a pricing chart could actually cause more confusion. Some choose to omit pricing as a lever to increase engagement — the potential buyer will have to talk to a salesperson for detailed pricing. If the pricing structure is simple and pricing is a competitive advantage, it definitely helps to include this in the deck.

Conclusion

The company introduction deck is an important part of the sales process. The first step in the Japanese buying process is to gather information. Unlike the US, this is not done through a demo. Instead, companies provide a company introduction deck. Usually the more detailed the deck the better. The typical company introduction deck will fall between 30 and 50 slides. Of course, the deck should be in Japanese. If you are looking to enter the Japanese market and need support putting a company introduction deck together, book a free consultation here.