The story has been here for at least five decades. Thanks to globalization, we expect businesses to have learned and yet, the story repeats itself almost every time another foreign company enters the Japanese market. A recent client, an IT services team, entered the Japanese market two years ago. Like most new comers, they entered the Japanese market through a leading local partner. They created a steady revenue and several functioning relationships, without losing a single client. Regardless of these successes, they could not convert three large companies into clients, which would have helped them achieve the market growth targets for each of the first three years in Japan. 

The “A-ha” Moment

During a training session, when we got to the Presentation Styles module, the sales and marketing PICs had an “a-ha” moment. Mr. Bild looked at Mr. Elzer as if saying, “See? I knew there was something there!” It turned out they had been presenting slide decks designed in a minimalist style, leaving the presenter to fill the gaps during the presentation and the expected follow-up meetings. While the presenter did exactly that during the first meeting, their Japanese counterparts did not show interest in any follow-up meetings.

Presentations That Have Different Purposes

To a western audience, a sparse slide conveys confidence and clarity. The listeners take notes and ask questions if there is anything they have missed or want to understand better. In Japan, the impression that same slide leaves is that the presenters have not done their homework – their work is incomplete and there is not enough information for the reader to grasp the project or proposal at hand. 

A Japanese business deck, in contrast, is a document that is taken back to the office and circulated among those who were not present at the meeting. It contains all the details that will allow the reader to understand the concept, process and expected outcomes and so it can become a part of the internal decision-making infrastructure. On a deeper level, your Japanese clients see the inclusion of details as studiousness, serious intent to work together and is a sign of respect to both the relationship and work itself.

The Devil Is in the Details

So when you prepare for the next meeting where you will be presenting your idea, make sure the presentation materials can serve as a stand-alone document that explains in detail the nature, timeline and expected outcomes of the project. This also means that you have to budget documentation into your quotation from day one. When working with Japanese counterparts, detailed process documentation is a feature of the deliverable and not scope creep.