The Difference in 'How to Win' That a Former Keyence Employee Faced in the Outside World
When the environment changes, the way to win changes too
During my time at Keyence, I achieved numerous results in sales, including ranking number one in the country. The background to this was the overwhelming brand power and product strength of Keyence. From the customer's perspective, there was an understanding that 'Keyence equals high performance and high reliability,' which allowed me to proceed with sales while having already gained a certain level of trust from the very first meeting.
However, when I went independent and launched 'Alegria,' a sales support and sales agency company, that weapon was almost non-existent. I had an unknown company name and a lack of sales track record. In other words, the moment the 'brand power' I had been carrying disappeared, the way to win in sales changed fundamentally.
This change in environment was a huge shock to me as a former Keyence salesperson. And the 'formula for sales success without a brand' that I gained from this experience has become the core know-how of my current sales support business.
Three differences I noticed
1. You need to win trust through 'people,' not a famous brand
In the Keyence era, there were many cases where the other party would say, 'I'll listen because it's Keyence' at the time of the first visit. However, that is not the case with an unknown company. First, you need to be thought of as 'someone I can trust.'
In the field of sales agency and sales support, the individual credibility of the person in charge determines success or failure more than the company name. Therefore, first impressions, the quality of information provided, and the level of understanding of the customer's industry issues are the keys to building trust.
2. The depth of industry understanding, not just product understanding, becomes a weapon
If it is a product with brand power, you can sometimes proceed with negotiations based solely on product specs and track record. However, that is not the case with unknown brands or sales agency proposals. In addition to understanding the product itself, you cannot make a compelling proposal without grasping the business customs, issues, and decision-making processes unique to the industry the customer belongs to.
For example, if it is sales support for the manufacturing industry, you need to understand the factory production line structure and delivery constraints, and for the hotel industry, you need proposals based on KPIs such as occupancy rates and seasonal fluctuations.
3. Long-term relationship building is emphasized over immediate decisions
In the Keyence era, I achieved results with a short-term decisive sales style. It was common sense to close the order within a limited number of visits. However, without a brand, there are almost no cases where customers make an immediate decision. It is necessary to accumulate trust little by little through multiple contacts and relationship building.
Even in the field of sales support, it is not rare for cases to take more than half a year from the first contact to the contract, and activity plans based on this long-term battle are essential.
What I did to adapt
Thorough field-oriented approach: Seeing the 'actual items, actual sites, and actual reality'
Every time I entered a new industry, I made sure to visit the site. In sales support for the manufacturing industry, I entered actual factories to observe production processes and work procedures. In the hotel industry, I observed back-office and front-desk operations and experienced the movements during busy and off-seasons.
The 'living industry knowledge' that cannot be obtained from desk information alone creates persuasiveness in negotiations.
Creation of industry-specific sales materials
I customized proposal materials by industry to make them content that hits the customer's issues pinpoint. For example, I presented ROI calculation sheets for SaaS sales support, occupancy rate improvement simulations for the hotel industry, and implementation steps in line with legal regulations for the medical industry. This significantly increased the probability that they would feel, 'This company understands us,' during the negotiation.
Combining former Keyence sales power with 'industry adaptability'
The ability to take action to achieve results in a short period and the obsession with numbers were learned at Keyence. However, that alone is not enough to win in an environment with an unknown brand. Therefore, I added thorough industry research and field observation, making 'sales adaptability that allows you to gain trust in a short period even in a first-time industry' my weapon.
The formula for sales success grasped in the outside world
Human power over a signboard: In an environment without a brand, the trust of the salesperson themselves determines success or failure.
Prioritize industry understanding: Before explaining products, deeply understand the other party's industry structure and challenges.
Plan based on a long-term perspective: Incorporate not only short-term figures but also medium- to long-term relationship building into your strategy.
Reflect knowledge gained in the field into proposals: Make proposals based on facts seen and heard on-site, rather than desk-based information.
Summary: The ability to win in an environment without a brand is applicable anywhere
The sales ability cultivated under the massive Keyence brand was certainly a powerful weapon. However, the ability to build trust from scratch and win deals in an environment without a brand is a skill with even higher versatility.
Alegria's sales support and sales agency business achieves results in a wide range of industries, including SaaS, hotels, medical, manufacturing, and human resources, based on this 'industry adaptability' and 'field-oriented approach.' Once you acquire sales skills that can win even without a brand, they will be applicable in any market. And that is the greatest asset I gained precisely because I fought in the outside world as a former Keyence salesperson.