QMO8 Sales & Marketing Services for SaaS Companies Entering Japan
The QMO8 Difference
QMO8 prevents costly mistakes that foreign SaaS companies make when entering Japan. Unlike recruiting firms that collect fees and leave you to navigate alone, QMO8 serves as your **bootstrap Japan agent** with over 20 years of executive management experience in both Japan and North America.
Phase 0 Market Assessment
Before investing significant resources, QMO8 answers the critical question: “Should you even bother entering Japan?”
The Six-Step Research Process
1. Market Need Assessment
Validate demand exists for your solution in Japan
We analyze industry trends, buyer behavior, and market sizing to determine if Japanese companies face the problems your solution solves. This includes calculating your Total Addressable Market (TAM) and identifying demand indicators through search trends, industry reports, and enterprise spending patterns.
Deliverable: Market demand report with quantified opportunity size communications.
2. Competitive Landscape Analysis
Map competitors and identify positioning opportunities
We catalog domestic and foreign competitors, analyze their market share and offerings, and identify gaps where your solution can differentiate. This includes understanding which competitors have relationships within traditional Japanese Keiretsu business networks.
Deliverable: Competitive landscape map with positioning recommendations
3. Gap Analysis
Identify what must be fixed before entry
We assess three critical areas:
– Product Gaps: Missing features, integrations, compliance requirements, and security certifications expected by Japanese buyers
– Localization Gaps: UI/UX adaptation, documentation, Japanese-speaking support, and preferred payment methods
– Cultural Gaps: Business process alignment, decision-making compatibility, and relationship-building expectations
Deliverable: Gap analysis with prioritized remediation roadmap and cost estimates
4. Localization & Culturalization Evaluation
Assess depth of adaptation required
Beyond translation, we evaluate requirements for professional Japanese localization including Keigo (respectful language), design preferences (Japanese users prefer detailed, information-dense interfaces), and cultural business practices like Nemawashi (informal consensus-building) and Ringisho (formal approval processes).
Deliverable: Localization roadmap with investment requirements
5. Market Forecasting
Project realistic performance and ROI
We create financial models projecting revenue, costs, and profitability across conservative, moderate, and optimistic scenarios. This includes customer acquisition projections, pricing analysis, break-even timelines, and risk assessment.
Deliverable: Financial forecast model with scenario analysis
6. Strategic Roadmap Development
Create your tailored entry strategy
We develop a customized strategy based on your specific situation:
– Entry Scenario: Global account rollout, Asia-Pacific expansion, Western market success, or relaunch after previous failure
– Go-to-Market Approach: Partner-led, direct, or hybrid strategy
– Phased Execution: Phase I (Entry) → Phase II (Ramp-Up) → Phase X (Optimization)
Deliverable: Comprehensive strategic roadmap with phased execution plan
Sign up for a Free Assessment
What You Receive
Comprehensive Market Assessment Report: Executive summary with go/no-go recommendation, detailed findings, risk assessment
Financial Forecast Model: Multi-year projections, scenario analysis, ROI calculations
Strategic Roadmap: Phased execution plan, go-to-market strategy, resource requirements
Competitive Intelligence: Competitor profiles, positioning recommendations, differentiation strategy
Gap Remediation Plan: Prioritized gaps with cost and timeline estimates