The desire to talk came before the desire to sell. The origin of my list marketing

Although I work as a list marketing expert now, I was originally extremely shy.

I was the kind of guy who would spend about three hours catching my breath in the shadow of a utility pole to prepare myself mentally before visiting a client's home (laughs).

That's why people often ask me, 'Kei-san... with a personality like that, why did you become a housing salesman?' It's a very valid question, isn't it?

So, this time, I'm going to talk about why I, who could hardly be called suited for sales, jumped into the world of sales and was able to become a top salesperson. What was the **'way of working I truly desired'** behind that?

I mistook 'sales' for 'working at a ramen shop'

When I was in college, I had a part-time job at a ramen shop, and I enjoyed it so much. In the shop filled with steam, I spent my days laughing with regular customers, asking things like, 'The usual large portion today?' By the way, I was skinny back then, but before I knew it, I had joined the chubby crowd.The magic of ramen is terrifying (laughs).

The manager was a craftsman type but warm, and the staff were all friendly. Even as a shy person, I was able to serve customers in a relaxed manner, as if it were my 'home ground'.

When it came time for me to start job hunting, I thought about what kind of work I wanted to do, and I suddenly remembered my part-time job at the ramen shop.

That shop was the first place where I felt that talking to people was so much fun.

'It might be fun to have a job where I can interact with people like this'—that's how I arrived at the choice that 'a job talking to people = sales'.

...At the time, I had no idea how far off the mark that judgment was.

The 'reality of sales' that hit a wall

What awaited me when I jumped into the world of housing sales was truly a series of harsh realities.

I'd ring the doorbell and get hung up on.
I'd call and get rejected in seconds with 'I'm not interested'.

It was a daily life that made me want to look up at the sky and wonder, 'Where did the atmosphere of the ramen shop go?'

How about you? Have you ever had an experience like this? You jumped into something thinking, 'This is it!', only to be let down by the realization, 'Wait, this isn't what I expected...'

I definitely thought I had failed in my choice of employment.

What saved me was a single letter

While I was repeating trial and error, I kept searching for a way that suited me.

It was clear that cold calling and door-to-door visits weren't for me, so I tried various methods, such as distributing flyers and attending local business card exchange meetings.

One of those methods was writing letters. I realized, 'If I'm not good at being pushy, I should try communicating through writing first.'

When I wrote down my thoughts by hand to customers who had given me their addresses, I actually received a response saying, 'I read your letter.'

Moreover, the atmosphere when I actually met them afterward was surprisingly smooth. Even though it was our first meeting, the conversation started as naturally as if we had known each other for a long time.

This experience became the prototype for the 'list marketing' that forms the foundation of what I do today.

A sales experience like a ramen shop

With customers who already knew me through letters or emails, the tension during our first meeting was completely different.

Because they already knew something about me, we could have a much more natural conversation than if we had jumped straight into a business negotiation.

The sense of security that comes from them thinking, 'I know this person,'lowers the hurdle for building a relationship all at once.

And then one day, it suddenly hit me.

Wait, isn't this the same as when I was interacting with regular customers at the ramen shop?

I had naturally returned to my roots: wanting to build a relationship where we could talk with peace of mind, rather than wanting to achieve results in sales.

In other words, I had been trying to recreate the ramen shop all along.

A space filled with regular customers

The flow that was born this way—'send a letter, then meet only those who respond'—was created.

It naturally overlapped with my origins—the way of being at the ramen shop where the relationship with customers was comfortable.

Thinking, 'This is it,' I felt strongly that I wanted to deepen this method, and I became more and more immersed in the world of list marketing.

• Conveying your thoughts first

• Only those who are interested will come

• Easy for both parties to open up even at a first meeting

The space created by that flow is as warm and comfortable as a ramen shop where regulars gather.

This wasn't something I designed from the start; it was a result I naturally arrived at by pursuing the kind of relationships I truly feel comfortable with.

It is much more relaxed and, above all, more fun than aggressively pushing for sales.

Don't you think so, too?

Create a 'ramen shop where regulars gather' for your business, too.

This style of 'relationship building' that I have experienced might be a perfect fit, especially for those who feel that 'sales is not my strong suit' or 'I'm not comfortable with hard selling.'

Instead of cold calling or door-to-door sales, you deliver your thoughts first through letters or messages and connect only with those who resonate with you. That is less about sales and more about choosing how you meet people.

For me, the ideal space was a warm place with regulars where conversation flows naturally, just like that ramen shop.

It might sound like I'm joking. But what is truly important is being able to interact with people naturally and without strain. And that this also leads to real results.

If you also have a desire to create such a space in your business—

please try leveraging the power of list marketing.

📩 If you feel like this sounds interesting, please check out my official newsletter. I will deliver the warmth of a letter and a few hints to you.

Thank you for reading this far.