GBMC (Global Business & Management Corporation)

Competent, Quality Europe-Japan Business and Management Consulting

Seminar E: Cross-cultural Business Awareness Training:

"Doing Business with Japan & How to pitch to Japanese prospects"

(by E. Motoko Inuyi and Philippe Huysveld)

For executives Doing Business with Japan or approaching the Japanese Market. Our aim here is to increase effectiveness in Doing Business with the Japanese through overcoming cultural differences between Europeans and Japanese. Key cross-cultural Concepts and basic things to know when Doing Business with Japanese executives. Full Day, available in English and in French. GBMC Seminar E: "Doing Business with Japan & How to pitch to Japanese prospects" GBMC Seminar E: Cross-cultural Business Awareness Training

​Duration: from 9:30 till 13:00 and from 14:00 till 17:30 (one full day)

Location: "open seminars" available in Paris and in Brussels
            
Languages:  the training can be delivered in English or eventually in French (most of the materials are in English, however). 

Audience:

The seminar is targeted at EU companies approaching the Japanese Market, as well as at those Doing Business with the Japanese in Europe or in Japan.

Prerequisite: basic level of English prefered, as pitching will often be done in English.

 Methodology:  combining theory and practice, preferably in English, depending on the English level of participants.

 
Part I – “Doing Business with Japan”


[Introduction]  Cross-cultural Management Practices are key when approaching Markets like Japan. Many export managers have experienced over the years in which way Time, Quality, Reactivity and Service have another dimension/meaning in the Country of the Rising Sun. The interest of Japan Success Stories lays in what they usually showcase, that is, Persistence and Concepts like “Getting to know your Client” or “Adapt and Change”, more than in the very results achieved.

In 2005, the Export to Japan Survey 2005, run by the Belgium Japan Association (BJA), showed that the top 5 difficulties, Belgian companies (70% were SMEs) were experiencing in Japan, were: 1) Language: 20.1% of the respondents, 2)Technical standards: 14.4%, 3) Business customs: 12.2%, 4) Culture: 11.5% and 5) Regulations: 10.1%

Even if more and more exporters are conscious of the importance of cultural factors in doing business with Japan, this cultural gap can be problematic and needs to be addressed seriously. This is where cross-cultural training can help.

[Contents]  What you will learn during this session: 

• Why go to Japan? What is the market potential?
• Japanese Culture Basics and things you should know
• Japanese ethics and standards of conduct
• Concept of group spirit
• Decision-making process
• Five keys for success
• Cross-cultural case study
• Tips, recommendations and quotes

 
Part II – “How to pitch to Japanese prospects?”
 

[Introduction] Communicate clearly and efficiently is one of the keys in commercial success, in particular in negotiating, meeting and making presentations with Japanese executives. The keys to good pitching are usually: approach in a suitable way, be able to catch the attention of your counterpart in a few words, transform meetings in opportunities, stand out as being clear, precise and therefore trustworthy …. 

However, the way one pitch an US executive and a Japanese executive is quite different and taking into account cultural background differences is crucial. 

In this section of the seminar, we cover various pitching concepts like: 

• Types of interlocutors
• Indirect vs Direct Approach
• Exchange of « Meishi »
• To bow or not to bow?
• Self-Introduction 

After a short break, we put into practice the key theoretical concepts explained above. The objective is to prepare the participants to pitch in English their products, their company or their organisation to Japanese executives.  

Key elements are: • first contact and approach strategies • bowing and exchange of business cards • prepare, define and clarify your message • list up your key selling points and unique value proposition • manage timing • avoid showing impatience …

[Contents]  What you will learn during this session?

• Get confidence in pitching to Japanese business men
• Understand how to approach them
• Master pitching techniques and basics
• Improve your « pitching» performance by practicing
• Overcome cross-cultural and linguistic obstacles
• An evaluation through an individual pitching test is foreseen at the end of the session.

Training Schedule:

9:30 – 9:45 Welcome / Introduction
9:45 – 13:00 Part I (morning session)
13:00 – 14:00 Lunch break (free time)
14:00 – 17:30 Part II (afternoon session)
 

Fee:

For "open seminars" (in Paris), 500 Euros/person (net, VAT is not collected).
For small groups (from 5 to 10 people), 2500 Euros/day.
​For bigger groups (more than 10 people), 3000 Euros/day.

​​For "in-house/company specific" seminars, same pricing guidelines as above used but travel expenses would be added.
For quotes or questions, contact us at gbmc.biz@gmail.com.
 

Register here!  

Should you be interested in this event, please check the following webpage:

http://www.gbmc.biz/training-registration.html

If you have further questions, please send us a mail at gbmc.biz@gmail.com.

Please register at least one week in advance (and also check our cancellation policy online). To enhance the quality of the training, the number of participants is limited. 

If there are not enough participants for a specific session (minimum 3 people), we keep the right to postpone it/to reschedule the session at a later date. Thanks for your understanding.

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