The 85% is already decided before meeting with the salesperson. Even so, here's why I still insist that "the difference lies in the person."
"Ms. Nagasawa, do you think salespeople will become unnecessary in the future?"
A business owner I met the other day asked me this question, half-jokingly, half-seriously. With AI-generated information available for preliminary research and comparison sites showing market prices, many people feel it's faster to do the research themselves rather than waste time talking to a sales representative. I don't think this is a minority opinion.
I work at a branding agency in Nagoya, handling sales and client relations. I meet with both new and long-standing clients every day. From that perspective, I have a clear answer to this question.
The job of sales, which is about "transporting information," is certainly becoming less necessary. However, the job of "delivering conviction" is more in demand now than ever. And that is whereThe most realistic way to differentiate yourself from competitors in B2B.I believe that there is such a thing.
The day I was told, "We don't need salespeople anymore."
Judging from the numbers, the manager's assessment is correct.
According to the "BtoB Purchasing Process White Paper 2025" conducted by One Marketing Co., Ltd. from September 30 to October 1, 2025 (targeting 600 business owners, executives, and purchasing/contracting personnel nationwide), 291 TP3T respondents answered that their supplier was "almost decided" at the time of the initial meeting with the sales representative, and 561 TP3T answered that they had "narrowed it down to a few candidates."In total, the 85% was one of the candidates that had been narrowed down before meeting with the sales representative.
The trend is the same overseas. A survey published by Gartner in March 2026 (conducted in August-September 2025, targeting 646 B2B buyers) found that 671 TP3T preferred a "buying experience without a salesperson," and 451 TP3T said they had used generative AI in their most recent purchase.
In other words, we salespeople are no longer the "first people to meet." By the time we sit down at the table, the other party has already researched our company and compared it to our competitors. I believe that the role of "passing on information," which once accounted for the majority of a salesperson's value, has almost completely disappeared.
This might sound like a sad story. However, I actually welcome this change. Because I no longer have to compete on information alone, I can now clearly see where I should really be competing.
Data shows where sales will not disappear
Further down in the same survey, there is a figure that I find particularly interesting.
The white paper mentioned earlier discusses proposal evaluation and supplier selection, among other things.In the later stages of the purchasing process, "sales explanations and proposals" become the most important source of information.Moreover, this tendency becomes stronger the larger the transaction amount. The average number of people involved is 5.6 for projects under 3 million yen, but increases to 18.3 for higher-priced projects, and the high-priced 54% project took more than six months from consideration to contract signing. The number of stakeholders increases, and the process takes longer. It was people who ultimately supported this congested decision-making process.
Gartner's research points in the same direction. The results, published in May 2026,A buyer of the 69% said, "I want to confirm the information generated by the AI with the sales representative."That was the answer. Buyers use an average of seven different sources of information, and among them, the sales representative remains the most important source of information during the "problem definition stage," the "internal consensus stage," and the "final decision stage."
You can gather information yourself. However, you can't verify on your own whether that information is correct for your company. That's why you end up asking other people.
When I read this data, I straightened my posture a bit. The job left for sales is not "teaching","To ensure the other party is confident in their own judgment."Because I felt like they were telling me that very clearly.
In B2B, differentiation happens not through the product itself, but through the "depth of understanding."
So where does that conviction come from?
The Gartner survey mentioned earlier contains some figures that are a bit uncomfortable for those of us in sales. When asked "Which is more likely to mislead you?", 511 TP3T answered "Generative AI," while 491 TP3T answered "Salesperson." It's almost a tie. In other words, from the buyer's perspective, we are viewed with just as much suspicion as AI. You can't borrow trust based solely on your title or company name.
On the other hand, the white paper indicated that the top items considered important when evaluating proposals were "quality" (721 TP3T), "reliability" (681 TP3T), and "cost" (671 TP3T). Price came in third. Focusing on decision-makers, "post-implementation peace of mind," such as the satisfaction of the implementing company and the quality of support, was given more weight.
I believe this is where the essence of B2B competitive differentiation lies. Frankly, it's become incredibly difficult to differentiate products based on performance or price. But the key is, "How well does this person understand our situation?"Depth of understandingThe difference is still surprisingly large, and that difference is immediately apparent to the customer.
Lionheart has,LH methodThere is a type or framework called this. It has two main pillars. One is "hearing," which involves objectively identifying the challenges the client is facing. The other is "reading," which involves understanding the emotions, background, and internal history that led to those challenges.
Anyone can conduct a thorough interview if they do it carefully. The difference lies in the reading of the information. "Why is this person trying to do this at this particular time?" "Who in the company is worried about what?" A proposal made without understanding these points will not be accepted, no matter how correct the content may be. I have learned this the hard way many times.
It begins with emotion, and ends with reason.
Our sales team includes,"Start with emotion, and settle with reason."That's my idea. I have a slogan.
The meaning of these words lies in the order they are taken. First, start with emotion. Accept the other person's feelings and background, and stand on their side. Then, finally, settle on logic. Present numbers and evidence in a way that is convincing even to someone who wasn't there.
Doing the opposite is almost guaranteed to fail. Bringing a meticulously crafted proposal from the very first meeting and trying to force it through with logic is exactly what I did when I was younger. The logic was sound, yet the other person's expression would gradually harden. Looking back, I realize I wasn't listening to them; I was just waiting for my turn to speak. Even now, I think that was a self-centered approach.
On the other hand, the most rewarding experience I've had so far was when a client told me, "I want to entrust you with the most important project in our company." I didn't make any special proposals. I realized midway through that their real problem wasn't the surface issue, but rather the lack of understanding within their company, so I simply helped them resolve that issue.
Of course, sentiment alone isn't enough. I've seen many cases where people get along well, but decisions still can't be made. In projects involving 18 people, my personal compatibility with them is actually almost meaningless. Can executives I've never even met be convinced just by looking at the documents? Only when I've gone to that extent can I say that the matter has been resolved logically.
Start with emotion, then settle with reason. Simply following this order can truly change how your proposals are accepted.
Self-disclosure may seem like a roundabout way, but it's actually the fastest.
To read someone, you first need to be the one being read.
I grew up in a temple in Kyoto. When I tell this story during business negotiations, it usually lightens the mood a little. However, I don't value self-disclosure simply because I want to grab the conversation's attention.People won't show their true selves to those who don't show them their true selves.That's because.
B2B business meetings typically last no more than an hour. In that short time, you have to create an environment where the other party feels comfortable speaking their mind. To do that, you have to be the first to reveal your hand. Don't hide anything, even stories about projects that didn't work out or problems you haven't yet solved. Surprisingly, then the other party will start to talk, saying, "Actually, we're experiencing something similar."
I believe my strengths lie in two things: honesty and the ability to listen. I listen to people until they finish speaking. I value other people's feelings. I treat everyone the same. I cherish what I have now. These are things I naturally acquired in the temple environment, and they are not special talents. However, precisely because they are not things I learned through study, they are the parts of me that I am most unwavering in.
Strengths are usually found in things that are so commonplace to you that you don't see their value. When considering how to differentiate yourself in sales, many people start by imitating other companies, but I recommend starting by looking within yourself. Things that can be imitated will eventually be imitated as well. Only what comes from a person's unique background will endure.
Differentiation begins with tomorrow's event.
The Gartner study mentioned earlier also yielded the following result: Buyers who were confident in their decision-making were about twice as likely to report having made a "high-quality transaction" compared to buyers who lacked confidence. This merely indicates a correlation between the two, and does not mean that simply providing confidence guarantees a good transaction. Nevertheless, it is certainly true that a buyer's confidence is deeply linked to their satisfaction with the transaction.
That's where our sales job lies. It's not about handing out information, but about walking alongside the other party until they can be confident in their own judgment. What's needed for that isn't some elaborate scheme. It's about understanding the other person's background. Following the proper order. Opening up first. These may sound like mundane things, but I don't know of any other way to differentiate yourself in B2B that's more effective.
If you're currently struggling to differentiate your company, before rearranging your product features, take a moment to examine how well you understand your customers. The difference is likely much larger than you think.
And frankly, conducting that inspection on your own is quite difficult. It's often hardest to see your own company clearly. If you're willing, please share your thoughts with us. We'd like to start by exploring possibilities that haven't yet been put into words.
At the age of 26, he co-founded Lionheart with four other investors. Starting from "zero"—with no customers, no work, and no capital—he became president on the company's 10th anniversary. With a vision of "10 times growth in 10 years," he leverages the three unique strengths of the LH Method, values-based management, and customer experience to support the "innovation" and "growth" of his client companies. His life philosophy is "To dedicate oneself wholeheartedly to the present moment."
