The reasons introverts in business make amazing Entrepreneurs; even if selling gives you the ick!
- You don’t need to be the loudest in the room to make a sale
- There is so much power in the behind the scenes work
In a world where we are surrounded by extroverts singing and dancing on TikTok to grow their businesses it can feel discouraging as an introvert! There was a time where I actually thought success was directly correlated to the amount of energy I had. The people around me were extroverted and I would push through discomfort to try and keep up. I thought the more I could do, the longer I could do it for – the more successful I would be!
A personal story about my journey in sales as an introvert in business
I used to work for the largest beauty company in the world; L’Oreal Professionnel. It was such a fun job and I loved being able to teach and share my passion for Hairstyling with other artists. I started off with them as an Educator and then transitioned into Sales. My co-workers were so natural when it came to sales! I, on the other hand, would cringe when asking for a sale. But what I came to learn was that I would only cringe at selling when I was selling just to make a sale. When I was selling something that I knew could help my client then it felt aligned. When I knew a certain product would work for them I was able to educate them and share the benefits.
This is when I realized I wasn’t necessarily badat sales, I just needed to be in alignment because it’s one of my core values. And I believe as introverts selling what is aligned for you and your customer takes the pressure off of selling. Because then you’re not doing it just to make the sale, you’re doing it to help your customer/client.
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You don’t need to be the loudest in the room to make a sale
Another thing I learned when I was in the hair industry was that you attract like minded clients. When I used to work as a Hairstylist behind the chair I attracted clients who were like me. They had a similar style and personality. When I looked around at my co-workers they also attracted similar clients. That’s the beauty of being yourself in business; you will attract aligned clients!
If you show up true to who you are your people will find you! And they will want to purchase from you and not someone else who might overpower you. Because they want to feel secure and confident where they are spending their money so they want to work with someone they can trust. Trust comes in many ways but a great way to start building it is to be true to who you are and attract those like yourself.
And when your people find you, they will be more willing to buy from you than someone else just because they’re louder than you!
There is so much power in the behind the scenes work
Research and preparation really do set you up for success. For example, going into a consultation call or an in person networking event. Taking your time to prepare what you want to discuss, what information you want to gain from others and share with them, helps you use your time wisely.
As an introvert in business you know as well as I do; time is money! Yes – you want to find aligned clients that you can get along with and feel good to your nervous system. But at the end of the day we’re not here to make friends, you’re here to make money! Learning about your potential client prior to meeting with them will give you confidence going into the call. You will be able to structure your call to get all the information you need and provide them with a strategic plan that supports their business.
Introverts thrive in 1:1 and small group settings
Maybe you don’t want to capture the attention of everyone in a room but all you need is a handful of aligned clients to be a successful entrepreneur! Imagine going to a networking event and connecting with 2-3 like-minded people. It’s better to build stronger connections with less people than surface level connections with many people.
Service based businesses, like coaching and wellness, are rooted in personal and trust-based relationships. When a client chooses to work with you it’s because of you! Yes, they are looking for the service you’re providing and want the outcome you help them achieve. But there are many coaches and wellness service providers; how do clients choose who they want to work with? They choose based on the person they want to work with. Being able to connect on a deeper level one on one or in a small group setting helps you build that meaningful relationship with clients/potential clients.
Lean into authenticity over performance
I’m sure you can already see the trend in this post about being aligned and true to yourself to attract your tribe. The truth is; maybe we can muster up the courage to be extroverted for a few hours. We can do this for days or months. Given we will probably crash when we get home and need some alone time to recharge.
But at the end of the day, we are who we are! You don’t want to try and be someone else to feel successful. Success will find you when you’re authentic! And it will be the type of success you want because you will attract and work with people who are similar to you. People who fill up your cup!
You’ve heard time and time again – people are craving genuine connection! And as an introvert it’s easy for you to build those authentic relationships. Maybe it’s not easy to put yourself out there to meet new people but when you do, you naturally attract and build genuine connections. Because let’s be real, it’s hard for us to have anything but a genuine connection – it would drain our energy!
Introverts in business don’t need to be traditionally good at sales in order to sell!
What comes to mind when you think about a sales person? For me, I think Car Salesman. And I have seen my fair share of people selling like Car Salesman when I was working in Sales. Maybe that type of pushy-ness (if that’s a word..) might work when selling a car because those people already need a car! But when you’re trying to sell a service where the personal connection is extremely important; being a Car Salesman just won’t cut it.
And that is actually a huge bonus for you as an introvert in business. Start to reframe the way you think about selling from making a sale to educating and serving. Provide value to your potential clients! Give them more than you anticipate that you’re going to get from them. You might be able to help hundreds of people through educational content. Maybe only 5 of those hundred will buy but think of the greater impact. And depending on your packages and pricing; maybe you only need 5 to buy in order to reach your financial goals for the month.
Creating content as an introvert
Choose a platform where you can create consistent valuable content that will continue to perform over time. For example:
- Blogging
- YouTube
- Podcast
- Etc.
These are all platforms where you can create long-form content that will continue to attract clients for months to years. When you create long-form content you are basically answering a question in full through one piece of content. Just like this very blog post, I’m specifically talking about selling for introverts in business. Plus, these platforms provide a longer ROI on your content.
Sustainable success is good for your nervous system!
When you market in this way, using platforms that provide a long-term ROI, it frees up time in your calendar to schedule rest and time to recharge. Creating content that will continue to bring in new leads takes off the pressure of showing up live every day on socials.
Managing your energy is extremely important as an introvert in business. We don’t have long lasting energy – we need down time to rest and recover. Even if we love the work we do and love our clients, it still takes up energy and we just don’t have as much of it to give. The more time we can free up with a marketing strategy that works long term; the more time we can carve out to recharge.
Creating content that truly provides value to your audience is what being a great entrepreneur is all about! The goal of your business is to help people! If you are able to help people and create a sustainable business then you’re a successful entrepreneur!
Conclusion: You are wired for success!
Being an Entrepreneur is hard for many reasons. But the fact that you are an introvert in business is not one of those reasons! It’s actually a reason that you are destined for success. You can help your clients in the way that serves them best because you’re attracting an aligned audience! Use your introvert-ness as your own personal super power! Create a sustainable business so you can create space to rest, unwind and recharge!
FAQ
Can introverts be successful entrepreneurs?
Absolutely! Introverts make amazing entrepreneurs because you are able to build meaningful, deep connections that create long-lasting relationships! Introverts have strong listening skills which help you truly understand what your clients need!
What online business is best for introverts?
Because Introverts make great listeners and are able to understand peoples needs; they make incredible coaches or service providers in the wellness space. This can be holistic nutritionists, business or life coaches, fitness trainers, web designer and graphic designers. As an introvert you will thrive in any online business where you can educate and support people with reaching their highest potential. This is because you can focus on creating content that provides value and then offering services to help them achieve results.
How do introverts sell without being salesy?
By creating quality content that provides value to your ideal clients. This can be through platforms where you can create long-form content. Long-form content fully answers a unique question or problem your ideal client might be facing. When you consistently provide value you build trust and organically grow an aligned audience. And when you create that content on platforms like your Blog, Pinterest, YouTube, etc. it will continue to perform for months or years to come. Giving you the highest ROI on your content creation. When you create this type of content and provide so much free value your products and services will be so much easier to sell because your audience will already trust you!
Is it a disadvantage to be an introvert in business?
Definitely not! There are a lot of online platforms made for extroverts to thrive in digital marketing. But on the other hand, there are a lot of platforms that help introverts thrive online! You just have to make sure that you are using platforms that help you share your message in a way that aligns with who you truly are. This can be by creating Blog posts, Pinterest Pins, YouTube videos, Podcasts, etc. These are all platforms where you can comfortably create on your own time and don’t have to show up online every single day. When you learn how to run a business as an introvert you free up time that you can use to rest and recharge!
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