"Sales isn't about selling"—What 'The Concept Textbook' taught me about creating proposals that get chosen.
A few years ago, I read a book called "The Concept Textbook: How to Create New Value" by Takahiro Hosoda. It's a book in which the author, who has worked on the "concepts" of numerous hit products and services as a copywriter, has compiled his methodology into one volume. As I read it, I repeatedly compared it to my own sales experience. I had always thought that the word "concept" was only for the world of product development and creativity, but as I continued reading, I realized that it was directly applicable to the sales field as well.
In this article, I'd like to use the insights I gained from that book as a starting point, and then, drawing on those insights and my own values as a salesperson, discuss what makes a proposal stand out.
"Concept" is the criterion for judgment and the reason for compensation.
In "The Concept Textbook," a concept is described as a "blueprint for value." It states that a good concept has three main roles: to serve as a criterion for judgment, to provide consistency, and to provide a reason for its value. Furthermore, four conditions for a functioning concept are listed: it must be customer-centric, it must be unique to the company, it must have scalability, and it must be simple.
After reading this, I realized that sales proposals have the exact same structure. Proposals that simply list features and prices lack criteria for judgment. Customers lose sight of "what criteria should I use to make a choice?" Conversely, proposals with a consistent concept have a core. The discussion doesn't stray, and the reasons for the price naturally become clear. I believe this is the very difference between a "proposal that doesn't resonate" and a "proposal that makes you nod in agreement," something that business owners and sales managers unconsciously sense in their daily proposals.
I often tell business owners struggling with B2B competitive differentiation that differentiation isn't about listing things that are "different from other companies." It only becomes differentiation when those differences are clearly communicated as value to the customer. Differentiation without a concept ends up being nothing more than a comparison chart. In fact, most of the lost deals I've seen weren't due to losing in terms of features or track record. In most cases, it was because the company's core values weren't communicated until the very end.
Sales is not about selling.
Actually, I originally aspired to be a copywriter. I wanted to move people's hearts with words, so when I joined an advertising company after graduating, I aimed to be a copywriter. Now I work at Lionheart as both a manager and salesperson. I was born and raised in Kyoto, and perhaps because my family runs a temple, I've always been strangely sensitive to the moments when people choose words that don't reflect their true feelings. Being able to discern the nuances of "I'll consider it positively" might actually be a skill I acquired at Buddhist memorial services. Since switching to sales, I've redefined sales in my own way, making use of that observational habit. Sales isn't about selling. It's about finding possibilities that haven't yet been put into words, envisioning the future with the customer, and helping them take that first step. To put it more precisely, I believe it's a job that ignites the future in our customers.
It's not enough to simply listen to the challenges at hand and propose a service. We need to deeply understand the company's history, strengths, past struggles, and even the aspirations of the management themselves, and then show them the possibilities they may have for the future, possibilities they haven't even put into words yet. That's why, for me, the goal of sales isn't simply to secure an order. I believe the real goal is for them to feel that "with these people, we can change our company."
This job isn't about pushing a set product; it's about objectively identifying and solving customers' problems. That's why I've always valued the idea that sales isn't about selling, but about getting customers to buy. This is surely the same thing as "being customer-centric" as described in "The Concept Textbook." I believe that proposals pushed from the company's own convenience cannot embody a true concept.
In an age where AI generates proposals, why is "honesty" still a reason to choose a proposal?
I'd like to touch on some recent survey data here. According to a survey published in June 2026 by IDEATECH Co., Ltd. (targeting 105 B2B purchasing managers), approximately 80% of those responsible for implementation felt that the websites of potential suppliers were "all just generalities," and the most common reason given by 57.1% for ultimately deciding to contact a company was "because they disclosed not only the advantages but also the disadvantages and risks, and I felt they were honest." In addition, a survey conducted in February 2026 by Funnel Ai Co., Ltd. (targeting 103 B2B sales managers) showed that while more than 70% were using AI in their work, a staggering 81.1% responded that "using AI did not change sales or order results."
When you overlay these two sets of data, something becomes clear. We live in an age where anyone can create plausible-sounding proposals and comparative documents using AI. That's precisely why "generic statements" are easily seen through. In an era where the quantity and formatting of information don't make a difference, I believe that what ultimately moves the customer's heart is human sincerity and the concept at the core of the proposal.
Looking closely at the FunnelAi survey mentioned earlier, we can see that while AI is widely used for "tasks" such as creating meeting minutes and drafting proposals, it is still hardly used in the area of "decision-making," such as digging up lost deals or prioritizing business negotiations. This aligns with my own experience. AI can format proposals, but the decision of "what should we deliver to this company right now?" remains a human task. Therefore, I believe that the value required of salespeople will increasingly shift from the speed at which they create documents to their ability to articulate the core concept behind those decisions.
A well-defined concept ignites a spark in our clients' future.
The most rewarding moment in my sales career was when a client told me, "I want to entrust you with the most important project I've ever worked on." Conversely, the most bitter experience was when I made a self-centered proposal that completely failed to resonate with them. From these two experiences, I arrived at three core principles: to be thoroughly supportive, to think things through, and to see things through. Looking back, these three principles are truly the framework that supports our concept. I believe that being supportive underpins a customer-centric approach, thinking things through fosters the unique ideas of our company, and seeing things through ensures consistency.
When I'm presenting a proposal, I focus less on the visual appeal of the materials and more on the core message of the proposal. Why this company? Why this timing? Why this price? I believe that only proposals that can answer these questions smoothly and honestly can truly ignite a spark in the client's future.
summary
Reading "The Concept Textbook" made me realize once again that good concepts and good sales ultimately originate from the same place: deeply observing the customer, being unpretentious, and engaging with them with a consistent core. It's as simple as that, yet incredibly difficult to put into practice. That's why I think people naturally gravitate towards companies and individuals who can do this. If you're a business owner currently feeling stuck with proposals or differentiation, why not reconsider the concept itself that underlies your proposal, rather than just the content of your materials? Incidentally, I enjoy discussing these kinds of things with other people. If anyone else is struggling with similar issues, I'd love to chat with you sometime.
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."
