Kenta Onomatsu's Resume: From a Regional Branch to Number One Nationwide
Introduction: A Sales Career That Began in a Land Where No One Knew Me
As a new graduate, I was assigned to a regional city with which I had absolutely no connection. I still vividly remember the feeling the moment I stepped off the train and stood in front of the station. I had no friends or acquaintances there. I had no knowledge of the area, nor did I have any reliable seniors or a support network. The only mission I was given was to 'generate numbers'.
The moment I felt the atmosphere of that city on my skin, I intuitively realized, 'If I don't produce results here, it will be over quickly.' The sales office I was assigned to had limited staff, and it was a harsh environment where those who couldn't produce numbers were immediately reassigned. Unlike sales in glamorous urban areas, regional assignments were a world that required self-sufficiency and gritty, high-volume action.
The Reality of Regional Assignment
When I started my sales activities, the first wall I hit was the sense of closure unique to the market. Most of the people I negotiated with were long-standing business partners, and there was an atmosphere where new sales were not welcomed. Every day, when I tried to make appointments by phone, I was turned away with comments like, 'We're already set' or 'We don't need that'.
It was not uncommon to be turned away at the door when visiting, and even to have my business card refused. The conservatism unique to the industry and the local culture of familiarity. As a newcomer who had jumped into that, I couldn't see a breakthrough at all.
The Moment I Changed My Way of Fighting
The turning point came during a business meeting one day. By chance, I encountered a salesperson from a competitor confidently giving a presentation in front of a potential client of mine. The moment I saw their confident demeanor and the atmosphere of having won the customer's trust, a sense of crisis exploded deep within me.
At that moment, I realized, 'I have no chance of winning if I fight on the same playing field as them.' If I, who was inferior in experience and track record, challenged them head-on, the result was clear. If so, I had no choice but to create my own playing field and compete there.
I changed my way of fighting by 180 degrees. I switched to a strategy of building trust in places other than business meetings, rather than trying to win only at the negotiation table.
Strategy for Building Trust
The first thing I worked on was participating in morning meetings where local business owners and key people gathered. I would enter the venue before 7:00 AM and show my face every week. At first, I was mostly ignored, but by never failing to greet them and by repeatedly bringing up small talk and topics about local events, the distance between us gradually narrowed.
What was important was that I did not do any sales pitches at these meetings. I erased my 'sales' persona and focused on gaining trust as a person. I naturally drew out information about the other party's business and challenges through casual conversation and stored that information in my head. Eventually, they started coming to me, saying, 'By the way, I'd like to consult with you about this matter.'
A Breakthrough for New Business Development
This approach to building trust opened the way for new market entry without breaking existing business customs. By the time we sat down at the negotiation table, the foundation of a human relationship had already been built, so the conversation proceeded smoothly. The other party also developed the mindset of, 'If it's something from someone I know, I'll listen.'
As a result, within less than six months, I was landing top-class orders in the region one after another. Especially for large corporate contracts, I won orders from companies that had refused us many times in the past. In a regional market where new business development is difficult, this achievement became a major topic within the sales office.
Achieving Number One Nationwide
Six months after I started my sales activities at the regional branch, I recorded overwhelming sales in that area and even reached number one in the national rankings. At the end of the year, that achievement was recognized by the entire company, and the 'method of building trust outside of business meetings' that I had established was standardized at the sales office.
My juniors adopted this method and were able to acquire new contracts more smoothly than before. I personally feel that this experience is directly linked to the business I am currently running, which provides sales agency and sales support services.
What was necessary to produce results in a regional area was not just product knowledge or presentation skills. It was the strategic flexibility to read the environment and create a playing field where I could win. And above all, it was the volume of action taken to gain trust as a person.
Application to the Present
The 'new business development strategy based on building trust' that I cultivated during this regional sales period has been incorporated into Alegria's sales support model. Depending on the industry and regional characteristics, I have systematized the creation of touchpoints outside of business negotiations and information gathering, enabling clients to achieve results in a short period of time.
Without that experience, Alegria's current sales agency service would have taken a completely different form. This story of going from a regional base to number one nationwide is the origin of my sales career and has become an unwavering weapon in growing the business.