Assisting Business
The Sales Support Alliance supercharges ACCJ members’ networking opportunities with monthly meetings and unselfish teamwork.
In many sports, one player basks in all the glory of a score while another enjoys lesser accolades for their assist. Ice hockey spreads the wealth a bit more with a secondary assist—the pass before the pass that leads to the goal—and all three players earn a point in their stats.
This emphasis on teamwork is the same idea that forms the foundation of the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ) Sales Support Alliance (SSA). Founded in 2019 by Sales Development Committee Co-Chairs Eric Wedemeyer and Kjell Yadon, the SSA is designed to add value for committee members and guests by setting up the assists that lead to a business win.
Wedemeyer and Yadon describe their committee as horizontal rather than vertical as it serves ACCJ members across industries and company types. This broad reach amplifies the network effects and helps the SSA “supercharge everybody’s ACCJ experience.”
As an organization built on community and networking, the lifeblood of the ACCJ is serving up opportunities to its members. The SSA infuses this with the unselfish teamwork that leads to long-term success. Members introduce each other to new contacts in the hope that those fellow members will find business, even if there is no direct benefit to themselves—the pass before the pass that leads to the goal.
“In a networking situation, when you meet a new person at an ACCJ event, someone you know could very well be of use to the person you’re talking to, it becomes a richer experience if seen as an opportunity to introduce not just yourself, but also your contacts,” explained Wedemeyer. “If that results in a valuable business connection between two other people, that’s great. It’s a nice thing to do, it feels good, and the introduction will get paid back over time.”
J.R. Best, an SSA regular, found himself on the receiving end of an assist a couple of years ago. “David Clement connected me with the athletic director at [the American School in Japan],” said the co-founder of Hawaii-based Sports Camp of America (SCOA). “His daughter ended up being a junior counselor at SCOA’s summer camp, and she was fantastic.”
“In a networking situation, when you meet a new person at an ACCJ event, someone you know could very well be of use to the person you’re talking to, it becomes a richer experience if seen as an opportunity to introduce not just yourself, but also your contacts.”
SSA meetings regularly feature alternating small-group sessions and large-group discussions where attendees refine their self-introductions, sharpen their listening skills, and practice introducing other members to the group. This creates a feedback loop that allows attendees to reflect on their message and understand if their main point is coming across. For Japanese salespeople, it’s a chance to build confidence presenting in English in a comfortable, supportive, informal setting.
“By explaining my business to the people around me, I am able to look at myself objectively—what I am doing now, what I want to do, whether I am overreaching,” said Naoki Hioka, president of translation and localization company MedicaLingual, Inc. Hioka feels he has been able to identify issues and find the best path forward for his business thanks to SSA meetings.
Another feature of SSA meetings is the “Expert Corner,” where participants share knowledge and tips on a sales topic of interest. Recent topics have included using generative AI as a sales tool and post-Covid changes in lead generation strategies. Because SSA members represent so many different industries and job descriptions, these discussions generate an illuminating range of perspectives.
The name Sales Support Alliance might lead some to assume that only salespeople stand to benefit from the meetings, but Wedemeyer and Yadon stress that this is far from the truth. More than half of attendees are not in formal sales roles.
“Everyone is selling something,” said Yadon. “Many of our attendees are running their own companies or are responsible for promoting a company function internally. Sales skills always come in handy.”
Kreston ProWorks Business Development Manager Luc Swamika shared how he has benefitted from an introduction made at an SSA meeting. “Through the program, we forged a strong, lasting partnership and developed a mutually beneficial referral system that’s driving value for both our companies. Most importantly, we’ve built a relationship of trust and deep understanding with a valued partner.”
“SSA meetings regularly feature alternating small-group sessions and large-group discussions where attendees refine their self-introductions, sharpen their listening skills, and practice introducing other members to the group. ”
SSA meetings are open to non-committee-members, and usually half of attendees are first-timers. But once in the door, many get hooked and thrive on repeat attendance, building relationships over time.
Wedemeyer and Yadon describe the SSA as a momentum machine. Month to month, the results may look piecemeal, with people coming in with different sales targets and networking expectations. But over time, the SSA’s connections multiply as members get to know one another and build the trust necessary to make new introductions with confidence.
That momentum changed a bit during the coronavirus pandemic. Like most groups, productivity waned as meetings were forced to go virtual. Now, the Sales Development Committee is rebuilding the SSA as the in-person gathering it was before Covid-19. With more and more members joining, setting up the assist and scoring the winning goal is within everyone’s reach.
The next SSA meeting will take place on May 22 in the American Room at Cambridge Innovation Center. If you enjoy the personal relationship building of business, or just want to get together to chat, the SSA is waiting for you.
