In-Person vs. Remote Sales Meetings in Japan

Introduction

Sales is an important part of a revenue generation. Many Japanese companies rely heavily on sales-led growth and in-person meetings have always been an important part of the sales process in Japan. Though COVID forced many companies to implement remote sales meetings, in-person meetings are still highly relevant. In-person meetings are enabled by the proximity of business (a lot of business is done in condensed areas like Tokyo). Some companies can complete the sales process entirely with remote meetings while others rely strictly on in-person meetings. Having a hybrid approach is now becoming ubiquitous. Understanding the sales landscape including the meeting style is important to bring on customers in Japan.

In-Person vs. Remote Sales Meetings

In-person meetings have been the standard practice for most companies in Japan. COVID forced the in-person sales meeting practice to change. 

A survey by Casio showed the number of hybrid sales processes increased. In December 2020, 46.5% of companies only had in-person meetings. The number of hybrid processes was 48.2%. These numbers saw a drastic change in a six-month period due to COVID. The number of only in-person meetings dropped to 26.7% and the number of hybrid processes jumped to 70.4%. That being said, over half of the companies still relied on an in-person sales meeting process. 

A different survey done in 2023 by amptalk, a sales enablement platform, showed that 86.6% of companies had remote sales meetings.

Though the number of strictly in-person meetings dropped to 13.4%, 77.4% of companies have the majority of sales meetings in person. COVID definitely increased the number of remote sales meetings, but in-person meetings are still highly relevant. Though 86.6% of companies have remote meetings are part of their process, the numbers of actual meetings are still heavily weighted toward in-person meetings.

Sales Meetings Trends

During COVID, the preference for in-person meetings for both buyers and sellers dropped. While the preference for in-person meetings bounced back for the sellers, the buyers tend to be indifferent between in-person and remote meetings. 

Post-Covid, 58.5% have reported that the number of in-person meetings has increased. 

The main driver behind the preference for in-person meetings is trust. salespeople feel that it’s easier to gain the trust in person rather than on a remote sales call. The preference for in-person meetings to gain the trust of the buyer has increased steadily from 2021 to 2023. The third reason that in-person meetings are preferred is the ability to show sincerity, which has some overlap with gaining trust: gaining the trust of the buyer is a key part of the sales process in Japan. In a time where remote sales meetings are sufficient, in-person sales meetings can provide an edge.

Conclusion

In-person meetings are an essential part of the sales process for many companies. That being said, there are many companies that close many deals through a remote process. Though anecdotal, it does seem like SaaS products in Japan rely on both in-person and remote sales meetings. Larger enterprises likely require more in-person meetings. If you’re interested in learning more about the sales landscape in Japan, book a consultation call here.