Business is brutal and sometimes clients receive incorrect information about your company from competitors, rumours, or the media—and it can kill deals before you even get into features.
Why do misperceptions about a company derail sales so fast?
Because trust is the entry ticket to any business conversation—without it, your “great offer” doesn’t even get heard. If a buyer suspects your firm is unstable, unethical, or incompetent, they’ll filter everything you say as “sales spin” and you’ll feel resistance no matter how good the solution is. This is especially sharp in relationship-heavy markets like Japan, where reputation risk is taken seriously, but it happens everywhere—Australia, the US, Europe—because buyers fear being blamed for a bad vendor choice. The worst part is misperceptions are often hidden: in strong relationships a client might tell you what they’ve heard, but in new relationships they may never mention it while silently disengaging.
Do now: Treat “reputation risk” as a normal obstacle, not a rare exception—assume misperceptions may exist and plan to surface them early.
What’s a real example of reputation damage caused by misinformation?
A single error can wipe out trust at scale, and recovery can take years. A famous case involved a Japanese TV news report in 1985 that linked a wine adulteration scandal to “Australia,” when the scandal actually involved “Austria”—a mix-up made easier because the country names sound similar in Japanese. The result was devastating: Australian wine sales in Japan collapsed and took a long time to recover. That story is a reminder that “fake news” doesn’t need to be malicious to be damaging; sometimes it’s a linguistic slip, a competitor’s whisper campaign, or a lazy assumption repeated as “fact.” In modern terms (as of 2025), misinformation spreads faster via social media and industry chat groups, so the impact can be immediate.
Do now: Collect 2–3 “reassurance proof points” (stability, client results, certifications) you can deploy if a rumour appears.
How do you uncover negative perceptions the buyer isn’t saying out loud?
Ask directly, gently—and then shut up. The simplest line is: “So what are your perceptions about our organisation?” Then don’t add a single extra word. Silence is the tool. If you soften it with excuses or explanations, you reduce the chance they’ll tell you the truth. This matters because you can’t fix what you can’t see. Many salespeople are far too optimistic and assume the buyer starts neutral-to-positive. In reality, the buyer may have heard something ugly from a rival, read something outdated online, or had a bad past experience with someone “like you.” Your job is to draw it out early, before you waste time presenting to a sceptic.
Do now: Add the “perceptions question” to your first-meeting checklist and practise staying silent for 5–10 seconds after asking it.
What should you say when the buyer shares a negative belief (without getting defensive)?
Don’t argue—use a neutral “cushion” to buy thinking time. When a buyer says something negative, your instinct is to correct them fast. That’s dangerous: defensive reactions make your mouth outrun your brain and you can say the wrong thing. A cushion is a neutral statement that neither agrees nor disagrees, and it lets you stay calm and professional. Think: “I see,” “That’s helpful to know,” or “Thanks for sharing that.” Then you choose your pathway based on what they said. This works across cultures: in Japan it protects harmony and face; in Australia and the US it signals maturity and confidence.
Do now: Write 3 cushion phrases you can say naturally, and ban yourself from instant “No, that’s wrong…” reactions.
What are the three best ways to respond: agree, dissociate, or correct?
Pick the response that matches the type of misperception—partial truth, social proof gap, or factual error.
Agree (with clarification): If it was true in the past, acknowledge it and update the reality (e.g., systems upgraded, issue eliminated). Dissociate (social proof): Show that other credible clients worked with you and got results—implying the fear didn’t stop them. Correct (evidence): If it’s factually wrong, provide hard proof to remove the concern.The skill is not choosing “the nicest” option—it’s choosing the right option. If you try to “correct” something that’s emotional or reputation-based without rapport, you can make them dig in harder.
Do now: Build a mini playbook: one Agree line, one Dissociate line, and one Correct-with-evidence pattern you can reuse.
After you neutralise the misperception, how do you rebuild credibility and move forward?
Shift into positive territory by highlighting your most relevant USP and expanding their view of your strengths—without turning it into a pitch. Once the concern is handled, you reinforce why you’re the best partner by selecting the USP that fits their situation (not your favourite USP). This forces you to do your research: you may have many differentiators, but you have limited “face time,” so bring the big guns. Then widen their understanding of what you can do—buyers often pigeonhole you into a narrow category based on outdated impressions. Expand the scope carefully: more capability, more depth, more proof—still conversational, not a monologue.
Do now: Choose one “best-fit USP” for the buyer and prepare a 30-second credibility expansion that feels informative, not salesy.
Quick checklist: Dealing with misperceptions (copy/paste)
Ask: “What are your perceptions about our organisation?” (and stay silent) Use a cushion (neutral pause phrase) Choose the right route: Agree / Dissociate / Correct Present proof (not opinions) when correcting Reinforce: best-fit USP + expand strengths (no hard sell)Conclusion: what salespeople should do now
Misperceptions are part of the rough-and-tumble of business. The naïve approach is hoping the buyer “probably thinks well of us.” The professional approach is drawing it out early, handling it calmly, and then rebuilding trust with relevant proof. When you do this well, you don’t just save deals—you protect your reputation and stop competitors (or random misinformation) from writing your story for you.
FAQs
How do I stop getting defensive when buyers criticise my company? Use a neutral cushion first, then choose agree, dissociate, or correct. It buys time and prevents reactive arguments.
What if the buyer won’t tell me what they’ve heard? Ask gently and then stay silent. The silence is what often prompts honesty.
When should I correct misinformation with evidence? When it’s factually wrong and you can provide hard proof.Otherwise, clarify or use social proof first.
Author Bio
Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie “One Carnegie Award” (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results.
He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban “Hito o Ugokasu” Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダā).
