SaaS GTM in Japan: The Power of Press Releases Introduction Press releases may not be a common part of go-to-market strategy in the US or EU, but they are common in Japan. Press releases add validity to the Japan entry. Announcing the entry on a well-known platform adds formality and helps gain the trust of the local market. The press…
SaaS Sales in Japan: Importance of Case Studies Introduction Getting your first customers in Japan is something that should be celebrated. Building strong relationships with those customers and putting case studies together takes the Japan go-to-market (GTM) to the next level. Case studies are now a ubiquitous part of B2B SaaS GTM strategies. Case studies are particularly important in a…
Consequential Mistakes to Avoid When Entering the Japan Market Introduction Japan is the second largest enterprise software market and entering the Japanese market is a good option for many SaaS companies. With Japan being rather isolated with a unique language and processes, entering Japan can be full of uncertainties. Figuring out the right timing for Japan entry is one aspect…
When Is The Right Time to Enter The Japanese Market? Introduction Entering the Japanese market may be a decision that companies face. This decision may be part of a larger global expansion plan. It may be that there are leading indicators of success in Japan such as increased signups or leads. It may be even that there are Japanese enterprise…
The State of SaaS in Japan 2023-2024 Introduction SaaS in Japan is in the midst of high growth with more companies. From the end of 2015 to 2022, the SaaS market experienced over a 30% CAGR and is expected to continue its growth. Software in Japan is still catching up to other markets. Still, being the second largest enterprise software…
B2B SaaS Sales in Japan Introduction B2B SaaS sales in Japan is likely a black box for many companies considering entering Japan. This may be one aspect that causes companies to have trepidation in entering the Japanese market. The Japanese sales landscape is quite different from other markets. The SaaS sales landscape has evolved in the US with product-led growth…
SaaS Sales in Japan: The Impact of Resellers, Distributors, and Partners Introduction Sales in Japan are highly nuanced and one unique aspect is the high reliance on resellers, distributors, and partners. Resellers, partners, and distributors are a key part of selling software. They are so integral that even Zoom, a very product-led growth (PLG) driven company, relies highly on partner…
Solution Optimized for Japan: Mackerel’s Unique Position Introduction Mackerel is an infrastructure monitoring tool created by Hatena, a Japanese company. Hatena is most well-known for its content-related software, Hatena Blog (blog hosting), and Hatena Bookmark (social bookmarking). Mackerel was first released in beta in May 2014 and released the GA version in September 2014. Analyzing Mackerel is interesting because it’s…
Gaining the Trust of Japanese Buyers: Building a Local Presence Introduction The first step in selling to Japanese buyers is to gain their trust. Japanese buyers have seen foreign companies enter the market and leave rapidly when these companies miss their revenue targets. Certainty is a major factor in Japanese companies’ and the early departure of some companies has increased…
Importance of Localization for SaaS Products in Japan Introduction Entering a new country, region, or territory is one way to get new customers. New customers are great, as they provide immediate new revenue and potential expansion revenue. Entering a new market can be tough, as every country has its own nuances. Japan is especially particular in how things operate, but…
Japanese 
English