285 The Iceberg Method For Handling Client Pushback

Q: Why should salespeople expect objections in Japan?
A: Because pushback, rejection, and disinterest are the natural state of selling. Getting to "yes" is the exception. If you expect objections, you stay calm and you don't take resistance personally.
Mini-summary: Objections are normal; a sale is the exception.

Q: What's the most common mistake when an objection appears?
A: Answering the first objection immediately. The first thing you hear may not be the real issue. If you respond too quickly, you can waste time solving the wrong problem.
Mini-summary: Don't race to answer the first objection.

Q: How should you interpret what the client says?
A: Treat the objection as a headline. The words are often an abbreviation for a longer chain of reasoning. Keep an iceberg image in mind: most of the "no" sits below the surface.
Mini-summary: The spoken objection is usually only the tip.

Q: What questions help you uncover the real issue?
A: Question the objection and invite the fuller thinking behind it. Keep asking for other reasons they can't proceed until you've exhausted their supply. Then ask them to rank the reasons, highest priority first.
Mini-summary: Collect all objections, then prioritise them.

Q: What judgement calls must you make before responding?
A: First, decide if the top objection is real and legitimate. If it isn't, you haven't found the true culprit yet, so keep digging. Second, even if it is legitimate, decide if you can deliver what they want at the price and in the way they want it, without breaking your profit model.
Mini-summary: Validate the objection, then validate your ability to solve it.

Q: How do you handle price objections without getting "massacred"?
A: Recognise that some buyers play "sport negotiating" to win, not because the economics demand it. You may choose to walk away. If you do negotiate, never start with your best price. Once you drop it, that becomes the ceiling and they'll push for more. Keep margin so any concession still makes the deal worthwhile.
Mini-summary: Don't lead with your best price; protect margin.

Q: What if they say, "We're happy with our current supplier"?
A: That's often harder than price in Japan's risk-averse environment. People stick with suppliers they trust because mistakes are punished. You need clear differentiation versus the incumbent and a way to prove it. Ask for a trial, test, or period of engagement to demonstrate superiority.
Mini-summary: Differentiation must be proven, not claimed.

Q: How should you think about timing and walking away?
A: Expect trials to be slow. Quick decisions aren't rewarded, but wrong decisions are punished. Don't accept disadvantageous pricing just to close quickly. Be brave in the face of objections, and remember there are other buyers who will value quality at your cost.
Mini-summary: Expect slow decisions, avoid bad deals, and be willing to walk.

Dr Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is a veteran Japan CEO and trainer, author of multiple best-sellers and host of the Japan Business Mastery series. He leads leadership and presentation programmes at Dale Carnegie Training Tokyo.