FP 5 part Formula introverts
ALEN MAYER presents
For Introverted Entrepreneurs and Small Business Owners only:
A Special 5-part Formula to Help You Stay True to Who You Are and Grow Your Business
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A Special 5-part Formula to Help You Stay True to Who You Are and Grow Your Business
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Published by: Mayer Sales Training and Consulting Toronto, ON Website: www.alenmayer.com Email: [email protected]
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A Special 5-part Formula to Help You Stay True to Who You Are and Grow Your Business
Business Culture and Introverts Business culture is geared toward the go-getter, the team player, the networker, the entrepreneur and the leader. It’s about power, getting ahead, cutthroat competition, deals and leverage. It is, isn’t it? On the surface, this sounds like an automatic recipe for success for the extrovert, and disaster for the introvert. But as you’ll soon read, introverts can excel in this culture, by making the most of their unique attributes. Since the early part of the 20th century – along with the rise of corporations – extroversion has been favored over introversion as a way of doing business. Think about most job postings and resumes and the buzzwords you hear both from the job seeker’s and the employer’s perspectives: “work well with others; dynamic; driven; team player; shows initiative; strong leader; contributes ideas; outgoing and personable; salesdriven…” While these are admirable traits, they are extrovert traits and they are not the only traits that are important in business. The flip side of the coin is just as important - a strong work ethic and traits that ultimately lead to measurable results: “Conscientious; follows through; independent self-starter; selfmotivated; persistent; focus on customer relations; trustworthy; curious; autonomous, selfdirected, innovative, problem-solver, independent thinker…” Introverted people have been perceived in a very negative light in the business culture mostly because of a false association of introversion with shyness. And what about the introvert like you who is thinking about flying solo and embracing entrepreneurship? Entrepreneurs in particular are thought of as highly extroverted people. Entrepreneurs rarely achieve success on their own and common knowledge says that this must be because the most successful entrepreneurs understand the power of networking and surrounding themselves with people who can help them. “Surrounding oneself with people” www.WinNewClients.com
A Special 5-part Formula to Help You Stay True to Who You Are and Grow Your Business
makes the introvert cringe - and yet, there are many highly successful introverted entrepreneurs. You’ve heard of Bill Gates and Warren Buffet? Introverts. Wildly successful introverts. And they are not alone: Steve Wozniak (co-founder of Apple, partnering with the highly extroverted Steve Jobs) and Larry Page (co-founder of Google) are introverts. Other notable introverts include former First Lady and women’s rights champion Eleanor Roosevelt; civil rights activist Rosa Parks; the world’s richest woman, Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling; and Albert Einstein. You’ve probably heard, “it’s not what you know but who you know” as a secret to success: putting yourself out there, being seen, striking up conversations, shamelessly promoting yourself and growing your list of contacts until you have one degree, not six, of separation between you and the rest of humanity. If you’re introverted, you probably feel a strong urge to hide right about now. That’s not how you roll and you don’t define success by the size of your address book. However, that gregarious, pushy business model is being forced down your throat. “Go out there, meet people, network…” Is it any wonder that introverts may feel hesitation when considering becoming business owners? Is it any wonder that the climb up the career ladder can be daunting to an introvert? Like sexism, there is a strong bias toward valuing extroversion in the business culture. Business culture is still sexist and upholds sexist ideals: men are paid more and valued more than women and yet, despite the progress women have made, this bias is so deeply ingrained that it persists. Even women perpetuate the bias. It’s the same with introversion. If a person grows up believing that introversion is a negative personality trait or worse, a psychological disorder, it will affect their success. It’s high time these biases are debunked! The old-school approach of valuing extroverts and dismissing introverts is faulty at best. To make the most of your business you will want to understand and employ the attributes of both styles of relating to the world. This applies both to yourself and to people you work with. www.WinNewClients.com
A Special 5-part Formula to Help You Stay True to Who You Are and Grow Your Business
What might surprise you the most is that introverts are not a tiny minority. There are far more introverts among the general population than is readily apparent; in fact, some studies say that between 33 and 50% of US population are introverts! You can make a real splash in the business world if you’re an introvert. No, no, that doesn’t mean you’ll necessarily be in the spotlight, it simply means that you have the same opportunities to succeed as any extrovert. It’s all about learning to value and expand on your personality traits and attributes and use them to your best advantage. ~~~ So why is the business culture so enamored with extroverts? Let’s look at the classic traits exhibited by extroverts. Most business education and self-help books are written from the extrovert’s point of view, and this is what we are all familiar with as “the way to do business.” ● Extroverts enjoy interactions with others - a bonus when networking, meeting new clients, cold calling, brainstorming, leading and promoting. Buzzwords: strong interpersonal skills. We are taught, “it’s not what you know but whom you know.” ● Extroverts are outgoing, talkative, friendly, gregarious, assertive, bold and enthusiastic - they infuse what they do with such enthusiasm that others naturally follow their lead. Extroverts enjoy and crave the stimulation and energy of large social gatherings, both business and personal and have a large circle of friends and acquaintances; make new friends easily. Buzzwords: outgoing, strong leader, good networking skills. We are taught, “Be a people person.” ● Extroverts often think on their feet and make quick decisions - this makes them great leaders when the pressure is on. Buzzwords: works well under pressure. We are taught, “If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.” ● Extroverts love to spring into action at a moment’s notice, and often improvise and try a lot of approaches that introverts may not. Their boldness inspires others to follow
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A Special 5-part Formula to Help You Stay True to Who You Are and Grow Your Business
their lead, and creates an atmosphere of enthusiastic propulsion toward a goal. Buzzwords: mover and shaker. We are taught, “Learn to swim on the way to the island.” ● Extroverts speak up whenever they have an idea, emotion or thought to share. They are often proactive and think out loud. Buzzwords: excellent communication skills. We are taught, “Lay it all out on the table so there are no misunderstandings.” ● Extroverts are results-driven (and love to be noticed for their achievements); Buzzwords: shows initiative. We are taught, “Always be on the alert for ways to improve things, and make suggestions on how to do so.” ● Extroverts work well as part of a large team and excel at collaborative efforts. They are quick to volunteer, reach out to team members who need help and offer input whenever possible. Buzzword: exceptional team player. We are taught, as Henry Ford put it, “Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.” ● Extroverts feel validated by respect, appreciation and approval of others. Buzzword: results-driven. We are taught that self-promotion is the only way to get noticed. There is absolutely nothing wrong with these traits, nor these philosophies! However, nearly half of the entrepreneurs and business owners finds it difficult to embody these traits. Introverts are the quiet ones, often mistrusted by extroverts for their lack of Labrador Retriever-like enthusiasm and gregariousness. They exhibit none of these “desirable” traits. ● Introverts are seen as having poor interpersonal skills because of their tendency to be quiet. They are often perceived as being antisocial and overly reserved or aloof. ● Introverts are seen as unable to excel under pressure. ● Introverts are seen as suffering from “analysis paralysis” and unable to take action.
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A Special 5-part Formula to Help You Stay True to Who You Are and Grow Your Business
● Introverts are seen as poor communicators because they tend not to share ideas unless prompted in group situations. ● Introverts are seen as lacking initiative, because they prefer not to talk about their work or problems they are solving. ● Introverts are not seen as team players. In the eyes of extroverts, introverts are the loners, the outcasts, the socially awkward geeks… certainly not leaders or success stories! Viewed as lacking the “necessary” skills of business success, introverts are at a disadvantage when it comes to getting hired for sales or “peopleoriented” positions and are often overshadowed in the workplace by their extroverted colleagues. But in a business culture where group interaction is valued, many offices are set up open-plan and brainstorming meetings dominate idea generating, the introvert is at a distinct disadvantage. If you’re an introvert, you are about to learn how to make the most of your inner power, how to work and co-create with extroverts, how to navigate the business culture and how to grow your business and launch your success, quietly, with reserve and dignity – the introverted way. Don't let your more vocal brethren overshadow your talents or your contribution. Make your quiet presence felt, if not heard.
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A Special 5-part Formula to Help You Stay True to Who You Are and Grow Your Business
Introvert or Extrovert? Personality Self-Assessment Are you primarily an introvert or extrovert? It’s rare to find someone who is at either end of the spectrum. Take this quiz to find out which personality type dominates: RATE YOURSELF ACCORDING TO YOUR TYPICAL BEHAVIOR
TRUE
SOMETIMES
FALSE
I prefer one-on-one interaction to group activities If I tell a joke and nobody notices, I drop it and move on I prefer small get-togethers to boisterous parties I rarely press people for quick answers or decisions I am a good listener and in conversation, I am usually not the one doing most of the talking (unless I’m passionate about the subject) I prefer planning to spontaneity and take only calculated risks I enjoy solitude and solo activities I am reserved and not very expressive with my emotions I often let calls go straight to voice-mail and call people back later My social circle is limited to a few close friends I rarely contribute in meetings or brainstorming sessions but freely discuss ideas one-on-one with people I monitor what I say rather than blurting thoughts out loud and I prefer to express myself in writing rather than by speaking
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A Special 5-part Formula to Help You Stay True to Who You Are and Grow Your Business
At social gatherings I prefer to interact with just a few people and sometimes I feel alone in a crowd Groups exhaust me because of the noise and incessant small talk and I prefer to observe rather than participate I prefer to have time to contemplate decisions before making them I prefer not to show or talk about my work until it’s finished People describe me as reserved, intense, thoughtful, softspoken I enjoy working solo rather than as part of a group effort I am not driven by fame, status, recognition or approval from others; I don’t seek to be the center of attention I don’t like to talk about my problems; I prefer to solve them alone I have a constant running inner monologue and a vivid imagination. I like to be alone with my thoughts. On my days off, I don’t immediately call friends to make plans I like to ask questions rather than trying to look like I know it all I tend to shut down towards the end of a social evening I am very detail- and task-oriented and strongly dislike multitasking and interruptions 1. Score: Mostly true = introvert; mostly false = extrovert. Most people will check “sometimes” because situations may call for different behavior and extroverts and introverts alike can temporarily take on the traits of the other. However, if you spot tendencies that you display most of the time, check them as true or false.
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A Special 5-part Formula to Help You Stay True to Who You Are and Grow Your Business
The Introverted Entrepreneur You’ve done it! You’ve pulled the plug on the corporate race and you’ve hung your shingle as sole proprietor. Fantastic! Your introverted tendencies will serve you well: ● You are highly analytical. You blast your way through mountains of data very quickly. You get to the heart of the matter, see the situation from multiple perspectives and consider the implications of various approaches BEFORE you spring into action. Your words, too, are measured and you are less swayed by emotion than people who react rather than respond. Reacting means heat-of-the-moment, emotional reaction. A response is measured and carefully considered. ● You are good at discerning between good risk and bad risk. Good risk is the kind of risk where you enjoy and benefit from the process, even if your results are not what you expect. Bad risk is if you get nothing from the process – even if the results are good, you will not have learned much. In the introverted mind, there is no perfect time to seize an opportunity. The stars will never be aligned, the world will never be ready, the economy won’t ever be ideal, the fung shui will always be a little off and there will always be haters. “So what?” you think, “I have calculated the risks, weighed my options, and here I go!” ● You know the difference between being effective and being efficient. You know that much of human behavior is habitual. We all get into patterns. ● You are solution-oriented rather than problem-oriented. You don’t get bogged down in endless discussions about what’s wrong. Instead, you unleash your imagination and analytical skills and focus on the options you have for achieving a desired outcome. ● You are a great listener and learner, which means you absorb valuable information like a sponge. Your vast memory storage facility (aka your brain) will keep you from repeating mistakes and you will have a solid foundation of information, insights and ideas on which to build your success.
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A Special 5-part Formula to Help You Stay True to Who You Are and Grow Your Business
● You are extremely creative. You are rarely swayed by popular opinion and look within for answers and solutions. You are more likely to explore innovative solutions that others would instantly dismiss as unworkable because you take the time to work them out in your imagination first and then go about making them work. ● You are good at gathering subtle information from others. You see the big picture, but your quiet demeanor and keen powers of observation help you analyze body language and other signals people unconsciously send out. This helps you “read” people very well and helps make you a great communicator (particularly as a listener). ● You are an independent self-starter and work best without constant supervision. You are self-motivated and focused. ● You see things through to the finish with dogged persistence and dedication. At the same time, the thought of failure isn’t daunting because you understand the inherent value in failing, learning, and trying an alternative approach. ● You know what your customers want because you listen. Your sales and customer service philosophy is based on, “What can I do to help you solve your problem?” You build relationships based on this philosophy instead of following a scripted sales pitch. You follow through with integrity, creating an atmosphere of trust and cooperation. You go out and happen to the world - quietly, often under the radar, listening to your own intuitive guidance. You are driven by an inner vision, an inner reality that is not dependent on external circumstances.
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A Special 5-part Formula to Help You Stay True to Who You Are and Grow Your Business
Case Study Larry is a professional photographer specializing in weddings. He is introverted, yet also highly successful. He shines in his career not only because of his photographic expertise, but because he takes the time to sit down with a client and find out exactly what they want, and what they expect of him. He also takes the time to educate them on what he expects from them and what they will receive as part of his services. He often accompanies his clients to their preferred location and takes them out to lunch as part of the relationship-building process. Larry thrives in the wedding photography business. Yes, he has to navigate through sometimes large and boisterous crowds of merrymakers, he has to deal with frazzled mothers, emotional brides, nervous grooms, only slightly cordial ex’s and many crying children… but here is his secret: He only deals with crises one-on-one. He asks, whenever there is a problem (such as a torn wedding gown, late groom, uncooperative children, fallen cake, etc.) that he and the client (usually mother of the bride) - and ONLY the client - converse about it and everyone else goes on with the party. This way, he is not overwhelmed by unwanted input from the crowd. Second, he uses a photojournalist’s photographic style rather than formal, posed shots where he has to be in charge and tell people how to stand and where to look. He moves through the crowd like he moves through a crowded city street - a casual word here and there, but no real lengthy interaction with any of the guests. He is hyper-focused on his job, which is documenting the joyful occasion - catching people in conversation, candid shots of the wedding party, details of the event… and because he is focused, passionate about photography and dedicated to giving his clients his best work, he is not distracted in any way by the noise, nor is he intimidated by the crowd. Third, he knows that the social element of the wedding is short-lived - usually six hours at most, and there’s always a lull every now again so he can take a short break. Afterward, he can pack up his equipment, go home, get away from it all and edit his images on the computer. Then, it’s back to one-on-one with his clients to present the wedding album.
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A Special 5-part Formula to Help You Stay True to Who You Are and Grow Your Business
While photography is an excellent profession for this artistically talented introvert, Larry has a side gig that might surprise you: he is also a basketball coach. Larry was never a star player in the NBA, although he did play professionally for several years. Now, Larry coaches at a private high school. How can he cope, with sideline-coach parents, a team full of rowdy boys, the opposing team’s coaches, and the bureaucracy at the school? It’s simple: passion and moderation. Larry is passionate about the game, and so he comes alive whenever he talks about basketball. Games, like weddings, don’t last forever and after the game (and the celebratory dinner, if the team wins) Larry retreats to his home and relaxes with a book. During practice, he gives the kids some drills, and watches (observing is something introverts do extremely well) - being an observer rather than a participant suits him perfectly. When a team member needs discipline or guidance - or a parent needs to be calmed down during an emotionally charged game, it’s always one-on-one, in the coach’s office or outside the gym. And so, Larry manages to balance his need to be alone with his love of basketball and a desire to give back to his community.
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A Special 5-part Formula to Help You Stay True to Who You Are and Grow Your Business
How to Excel and Shine as an Introverted Entrepreneur, Without Losing Yourself in the Process – 5 Step Formula Step 1: Strategies for Networking, Social Functions and Contact-toClient Conversion ● Keep your time outside of networking functions free so you can have some down time. This might mean taking lunch by yourself in your hotel room, or slipping outside for a walk and a breath of fresh air, or excusing yourself from dinner and drinks after the function. ● Learn how to promote yourself without being obnoxious. The best way is through your own network. It may be small, but it is powerful! Word of mouth is priceless, but you will have to make the effort to introduce your business to your network. Okay – one at a time – as long as you do it! Use leverage. You might think of leverage as having someone do something for you – or outsourcing. However, leverage is much more than that. It’s influence beyond your immediate sphere of contacts. Here’s how to create leads, and convert more leads to customers, by using leverage within your sphere of influence. You already have a solid, if small, network of contacts with whom you have created a relationship. This is your sphere of influence. When you approach your sphere with an attitude of, “What can I do for you?” and you follow through with that philosophy, you create a following. Leverage means looking for ways to create a win-win for everyone, “I help you and you help me”. You help people in your sphere, and they help you in return by referring you to people within their own sphere. This is how you create an amazing ripple effect without having to work the room at networking functions. One person, just one contact, can end up giving you hundreds if not thousands of potential customers just because of your outstanding relationship with that one contact.
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A Special 5-part Formula to Help You Stay True to Who You Are and Grow Your Business
Remember the old shampoo commercial, “And she told two friends, and they told two friends…?” (Okay, maybe you’re not that old!) If your objective is not asking for sales but building relationships, your reach will be far. Very far. ● Don’t feel pressured to talk to everyone at a networking function! Networking isn’t all about working the room, collecting business cards and creating an ever-expanding list. It’s about creating relationships. That time that you spend one-on-one with one or two people during the course of the evening, can ultimately lead to more solid network growth than you would get from casual, shallow interaction. Solid relationships mean you’ll be remembered and referred often. ● Perfect your elevator speech. This is actually perfect for the introvert. You only have 2 minutes to tell someone about yourself and your business… and then you can breathe easy, knowing you presented a positive business image and left a memorable impression! Practice in front of the mirror, practice in the car, just get it down so that if you’re asked, “So, what do you do?” you have this prepared gem to share. ● Make yourself approachable. Let people come to you, if you’re intimidated by approaching them! This means: smile, relax, and let them come to you to start a conversation. Don’t hide in a corner arms crossed and eyes downcast. You can hang out by the buffet table or the bar, but make sure your body language conveys “talk to me” instead of “leave me alone, I’m invisible.” ● Use open-ended conversation-starters like, “How did you get started in this line of work?” or “What do you think about the new (product)?” This is more than a casual, “So, what do you do?” question that can be answered with a one-liner, “Finance.” Have a few open-ended questions ready to avoid the fear of “What do I say to these people?” These types of questions show an interest in the person that goes beyond the superficial. ● Have an “event buddy” - bring a colleague along, preferably an extrovert, so if you’re having one of those “please let me be somewhere else” moments, you can stand quietly beside your friend who is enthusiastically chatting away with everyone. You still appear www.WinNewClients.com
A Special 5-part Formula to Help You Stay True to Who You Are and Grow Your Business
to be part of the scene, yet you can happily withdraw into your own thoughts for a few minutes. Your buddy can be your wingman who introduces you to people you might not want to approach on your own. ● Relax! Your imagination is what takes away your confidence and your ability to mingle. Imagine yourself walking into an important networking function. You’re nervous, you might be dreading the whole ordeal… but even the extroverts are nervous! Everyone thinks that they are the center of attention in the room, and that they are being judged by everyone else. The truth is, nobody is thinking about you. They are thinking about themselves! As an introvert, use that to your advantage: ask the open-ended questions that let people relax, bring them out of their shells and get them to share a meaningful conversation with you; and be prepared to answer those questions about yourself, too. ● Become known as an expert. Your customers want the most accurate, up-to-date information they can get, and that means YOU, the expert, not some Joe Schmo off the Internet. The more you become known for your expertise in your niche, the more people will seek you out. This creates amazing selling and referral opportunities without you having to schmooze any more than necessary. ● Don’t push it past your energy limits. Recognize that if you’re like most introverts, you can become a bit short as your energy is depleted. If you can’t make happy conversation anymore, it’s time to make a graceful exit! Focus on quality, not quantity.
Step 2: Strategies for Marketing ● The key is to remain “top of mind” - as the first, go-to service or product provider your customers think of when asked about a need. You want them to say, “I wouldn’t think of shopping anywhere else” or “These guys are great.” Service keeps you top of mind. As an introvert, it’s easy for you to nurture these relationships by offering personalized service and a dedication to meeting your customer’s needs.
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A Special 5-part Formula to Help You Stay True to Who You Are and Grow Your Business
● Build a solid reputation. Your exceptional skills at relationship building will ensure that whatever word of mouth is circulating about you and your business, is good press. It’s something that you earn by consistently honoring your promises – another great introvert trait that attracts and keeps customers. ● Reach out. Periodic communication with clients keeps you at the top of their minds, too. Keep it short and sweet, not obnoxiously sales-y and use it to build your relationship. Introverts generally don’t use sales pitches so use your ability to connect with your customers via personalized emails, calls and cards rather than canned autoresponder type of correspondence. ● Examine what your competition is NOT doing. And go do it. Usually when marketing fails, it’s not so much because of the marketing plan itself; it’s because of failure to follow through on promises made in marketing and failure to meet the customer’s expectations. Introverts shine here. They do their research first, they know their target audience inside and out, and their whole focus is making those customers happy. From there, a marketing plan is easy to create because it speaks to the customer’s needs. Create a competitive advantage. Use your innate creativity and imagination will help you carve out a niche that will keep customers knocking at the door. ● Get involved in the community. Charitable contributions, mentoring local kids, etc. are great ways to get even the most hard-core introvert out into the public eye. ● Get other people to spread your ideas. Think about it – if you’re promoting yourself, some people may listen. But if you’re promoting someone else, then you’re giving credibility to them and your word carries more weight than theirs… just like the word of whomever is promoting you carries more weight than yours. It’s all about building relationships and making sure that other people talk about you in positive ways!
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A Special 5-part Formula to Help You Stay True to Who You Are and Grow Your Business
Step 3: Strategies for Successful Sales ● Be yourself. Introverts do not like using scripts, sales pitches and pushy closing techniques so do not feel pressured to use these tactics to make sales. Let them make their personal connections, build relationships and focus their energies on doing what is in the best interest of the customer (which often leads to extraordinarily high sales numbers). ● Get to know your customers. Research their needs in order to make a connection with them. Observe and listen – exactly what you do anyway! The more you know about your customers and their needs, the better you’ll be prepared to meet their needs. They will appreciate the personalized attention! ● Know and appreciate your natural strengths. Be comfortable in your own skin, and your confidence will be highly attractive to your customers. ● Build trust. Your calm and empathetic nature is reassuring and projects confidence and trust. Potential customers are more likely to open up to someone who is not loud and pushy. Where traditional extroverted sales techniques will come up against resistance, the introvert’s soft sell often does not. Your tendency to treat everyone equally will win points, get you some respect and likely close the sale just because of your ability to access the decision makers, where the extrovert’s pushiness may cause the receptionist to make sure their calls never get through. ● Use your abilities to persuade, not manipulate. Persuasion is aimed at solving the customer’s problems and influencing them to purchase what they need from you. Persuasion involves motivation based on trust, dedication to their satisfaction and your confidence that your product or service will meet their needs. ● Think long-term. Recognize that introverted sales techniques might appear slower than the extroverted ways so don’t put pressure on yourself or your team to “make the numbers” within a certain timeframe (x amount of sales per month). The true value of
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A Special 5-part Formula to Help You Stay True to Who You Are and Grow Your Business
an introverted salesperson is their long-term relationships and personalized service that result in sales, repeat customers, referrals and very happy customers. So with the introvert, focus on the long-term value, versus the short-term quick sales that extroverts are good at. ● Use leverage. Let your known, familiar customers do word-of-mouth sales for you by creating win-win scenarios where both you and the client realize a significant gain. ● Use passion! You know that when someone talks to you about something that sets you ablaze with passion, it shows. You love what you do, and this goes well beyond any commission or sales success. It’s a feeling of fulfillment and happiness that goes right to your core. People pick up on that, and they too become excited about your product or service! ● Use gentle persistence. Extroverts may be turned off by rejection and resistance (they are not receiving the positive reinforcement and gratification they require) but with your intense desire to please your customer and do what is best for them, you can keep trying without appearing pushy. Just offering advice, insights and information that will help your customer, will make them trust you and they will most likely drop their defenses. ● Come well prepared. Introverts almost always do, and this creates a perception of expertise in your field and a commitment to the customer. Sale, made. ● Practice the first impression! Extroverts are great at this, but introverts may fumble the first few times until they perfect their elevator pitch, and become comfortable with initiating contact. ● Trust in yourself. Don’t be afraid to be overshadowed by louder, more flamboyant extroverted salespeople or entrepreneurs. TRUST in your preparedness; TRUST in your listening skills and empathy; TRUST in your ability to make promises you can follow through on… and TRUST that your customers will see through the smoke and mirrors approach and prefer your honesty, humility and dedication to their happiness. www.WinNewClients.com
A Special 5-part Formula to Help You Stay True to Who You Are and Grow Your Business
Step 4: Strategies for Service Supremacy ● Go the extra mile. As an introvert, you already excel at service and relationshipbuilding; and you have the internal motivation to rise above - way, way above - and go the extra mile or hundred miles for your clients, just for the joy of doing your best and a desire to help your customer. ● Know and meet your clients’ REAL needs. Service is directly related to your bottom line. Stand out from the crowd by doing research on your clients and their needs - beyond just the general observations of a certain demographic, make it a point to get to the root of the client’s real needs. A client may not communicate their needs effectively; or, your staff may misunderstand the client’s needs. In-depth research critical, but so is communicating the need for this information to your staff. Bring your staff up to speed on how your business can satisfy the customer, and the ways you sales team and support team can keep customers coming back and giving you referrals. ● Follow through and deliver. It’s easy to establish a relationship with a client but hard to maintain it if you fall short on your service promises. Setting service goals is important but then you get to the real work of maintaining that level of service and improving it based on client feedback. This favors the introvert as well. Focus, attention to detail, awareness of the big picture, openness to alternative ideas, and a genuine desire to help are the hallmarks of introverted customer service. ● Make your customer happy. Introverts are naturally sensitive and empathetic to their customers. They take extra care to make their customers feel important. The result is that even if they can’t right a wrong, or can’t resolve a situation to the customer’s satisfaction, their attempts, and their genuine concern, will not go unnoticed.
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A Special 5-part Formula to Help You Stay True to Who You Are and Grow Your Business
Step 5: Strategies for Successful Meetings ● Remember that extroverts talk to think and introverts think to talk. Don’t put pressure on introverts to contribute immediately - give them a chance to absorb information and think before contributing - and relax if they don’t contribute until after the meeting is over! ● Eliminate meetings. You can do away with most meetings by giving people the chance to communicate with you one-on-one via email, phone or in person. Meetings definitely favor the extroverted personality who likes to speak up and be heard. You may be missing out on the valuable contributions of your introverted staff because they are not likely to speak up. ● Use electronic communication. An internet-style forum is a great way to get introverts to contribute. You can have ongoing conversations and brainstorming sessions, but they are conducted over email, Google Groups or other electronic means. This gives introverts a chance to contribute without feeling pressured to out-speak the extroverts on the team. ---------
So there you have it, my simple 5-step formula to help you stay true to who you are as an introverted entrepreneur / small business owner and still be able grow your business to become big as you want it. If you really liked this report and you are looking to find, convert and win new clients and become successful in your small business, then know that I’ve set some time aside to work with you 1-on-1 in your business. Book your free strategy session here: https://alenmayer.youcanbook.me/
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A Special 5-part Formula to Help You Stay True to Who You Are and Grow Your Business
Conclusion Don’t worry if you’ve been labeled an introvert. There is nothing wrong with you. You are different in terms that you are more introverted than some people you know (the ones who tag you with that label). The good news is that you don’t need to change your behavior to be successful business owner. You are normal, not socializing much… spending time alone… not having a slew of casual friends… not speaking up at meetings… It’s not a character flaw that makes you introverted. It’s biology, and once you come to terms with your introversion – and realize it’s actually very cool to be introverted – you’ll release the burden of self-doubt and absolutely rock anything you set your mind to! Remember, you’re providing balance. You’re the equalizer. Somebody has to balance out the loud attention-grabbers! Somebody has to provide silence where there is noise! You do not “need” to be louder; you do not “need” to speak up more. You definitely don’t “need” to get out more. Just be yourself. Let the extroverts worry about you if they feel they must, but don’t listen to people telling you how to behave. If it’s right for them, then it’s right for them. If it’s wrong for you, communicate your limits and your needs and if those limits and needs are not understood or accepted, let that not be your problem! Stay true to who you are and build on your strengths to reach the success you want for yourself and your business. Introverts and extroverts balance each other out and if you’re aware of the differences and honor them, your business can be a harmonious, cooperative environment where everybody is allowed to contribute and share their strengths – in their own way. Wild success as an introvert is possible and it has been done. We all have preferences how we act and behave. To be successful in business you don’t need to be pushy, aggressive or talkative. That is 20th century behavior.
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The new situation is that great business success comes from deep, meaningful relationship building. If you are great with building relationship with your clients, ask questions to understand your clients better, and understand their needs, this is time for you to shine! It is time to start thinking differently about business. Since our culture is biased toward extroversion, and it is demanded for all entrepreneurs to function as an extrovert, we need an evolution rather than the revolution – learning to avoid judging introverts by extroverted standards, and allowing their superior relationship building skills to drive sales. The 21st century changed the way people sell and there is a need for more introverted entrepreneurs and business owners to take a lead and sell without being pushy, loud or aggressive. In essence, even if you’re not “in sales” every human transaction is basically a sale – convincing someone to do something (hopefully as a win-win). Asking a friend out to a movie is a sale; convincing your kids to finish their homework is a sale; getting a client to add a few services to their original order is a sale; getting a bunch of friends to go camping together is a sale. It’s all sales. And it’s all relationships. You ROCK at this! Introverts bring balance into a business. Too much of anything isn’t good. The most successful businesses have a balance of talents and attributes. That means, a balance of introverts and extroverts - and if it’s a solo endeavor, a balance of introverted and extroverted tendencies. It’s a yin/yang of personality traits that will optimize every aspect of a business: ● Extroverts make great first impressions; introverts make lasting impressions. ● Extroverts are excellent speakers; introverts are excellent listeners. ● Extroverts talk to think; introverts think to talk. ● Extroverts reach out to others; introverts are approachable.
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Now that you know the introvert’s “operating system” you can make the most of introverted tendencies, for massive business and personal success. The introvert isn’t better than, or worse than, the extrovert. Both have unique and valuable qualities that enhance any business situation. Both should be admired and respected for those qualities. So go out there, quietly and under the radar, and shake up the business world!
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About Alen Mayer Alen Mayer is a trusted coach and mentor to introverted entrepreneurs and small business owners. He helps them enlarge their client base and tap into their individual strengths to increase sales results. Alen lives, eats and breathes sales and combines 22 years of experience in international sales and business development with a rational nononsense practical approach to selling. He was voted #2 on the list of Top 50 Most Influential People in Sales Lead Management in 2013; one of the Top 25 Sales Influencers for 2012, published author of 6 sales titles, including “Selling for Introverts” and“Cold Calling for Introverts” (both books available on Amazon and on Alen’s award-winning website: www.alenmayer.com) If you really liked this report and you are looking to find, convert and win new clients and become successful in your small business, book your free strategy session with Alen here: https://alenmayer.youcanbook.me/
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A Special 5-part Formula to Help You Stay True to Who You Are and Grow Your Business
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A Special 5-part Formula to Help You Stay True to Who You Are and Grow Your Business
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Legal Disclaimer All contents copyright © 2015 by www.WinNewClients.com. All rights reserved. No part of this document or accompanying files may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, electronic or otherwise, by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher. This special report is presented to you for informational purposes only and is not a substitution for any professional advice. The contents herein are based on the views and opinions of the author. While every effort has been made by the author to present accurate and up to date information within this document, it is apparent business environment rapidly changes. Therefore, the author reserve the right to update the contents and information provided herein as these changes progress. The author takes no responsibility for any errors or omissions if such discrepancies exist within this document. The author accept no responsibility for any consequential actions taken, whether monetary, legal, or otherwise, by any and all readers of the materials provided. It is the readers sole responsibility to seek professional advice before taking any action on their part. Readers results will vary based on their skill level and individual perception of the contents herein, and thus no guarantees, monetarily or otherwise, can be made accurately. Therefore, no guarantees are made.
Published by: Mayer Sales Training and Consulting Toronto, ON Website: www.alenmayer.com Email: [email protected]
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Business Culture and Introverts Business culture is geared toward the go-getter, the team player, the networker, the entrepreneur and the leader. It’s about power, getting ahead, cutthroat competition, deals and leverage. It is, isn’t it? On the surface, this sounds like an automatic recipe for success for the extrovert, and disaster for the introvert. But as you’ll soon read, introverts can excel in this culture, by making the most of their unique attributes. Since the early part of the 20th century – along with the rise of corporations – extroversion has been favored over introversion as a way of doing business. Think about most job postings and resumes and the buzzwords you hear both from the job seeker’s and the employer’s perspectives: “work well with others; dynamic; driven; team player; shows initiative; strong leader; contributes ideas; outgoing and personable; salesdriven…” While these are admirable traits, they are extrovert traits and they are not the only traits that are important in business. The flip side of the coin is just as important - a strong work ethic and traits that ultimately lead to measurable results: “Conscientious; follows through; independent self-starter; selfmotivated; persistent; focus on customer relations; trustworthy; curious; autonomous, selfdirected, innovative, problem-solver, independent thinker…” Introverted people have been perceived in a very negative light in the business culture mostly because of a false association of introversion with shyness. And what about the introvert like you who is thinking about flying solo and embracing entrepreneurship? Entrepreneurs in particular are thought of as highly extroverted people. Entrepreneurs rarely achieve success on their own and common knowledge says that this must be because the most successful entrepreneurs understand the power of networking and surrounding themselves with people who can help them. “Surrounding oneself with people” www.WinNewClients.com
A Special 5-part Formula to Help You Stay True to Who You Are and Grow Your Business
makes the introvert cringe - and yet, there are many highly successful introverted entrepreneurs. You’ve heard of Bill Gates and Warren Buffet? Introverts. Wildly successful introverts. And they are not alone: Steve Wozniak (co-founder of Apple, partnering with the highly extroverted Steve Jobs) and Larry Page (co-founder of Google) are introverts. Other notable introverts include former First Lady and women’s rights champion Eleanor Roosevelt; civil rights activist Rosa Parks; the world’s richest woman, Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling; and Albert Einstein. You’ve probably heard, “it’s not what you know but who you know” as a secret to success: putting yourself out there, being seen, striking up conversations, shamelessly promoting yourself and growing your list of contacts until you have one degree, not six, of separation between you and the rest of humanity. If you’re introverted, you probably feel a strong urge to hide right about now. That’s not how you roll and you don’t define success by the size of your address book. However, that gregarious, pushy business model is being forced down your throat. “Go out there, meet people, network…” Is it any wonder that introverts may feel hesitation when considering becoming business owners? Is it any wonder that the climb up the career ladder can be daunting to an introvert? Like sexism, there is a strong bias toward valuing extroversion in the business culture. Business culture is still sexist and upholds sexist ideals: men are paid more and valued more than women and yet, despite the progress women have made, this bias is so deeply ingrained that it persists. Even women perpetuate the bias. It’s the same with introversion. If a person grows up believing that introversion is a negative personality trait or worse, a psychological disorder, it will affect their success. It’s high time these biases are debunked! The old-school approach of valuing extroverts and dismissing introverts is faulty at best. To make the most of your business you will want to understand and employ the attributes of both styles of relating to the world. This applies both to yourself and to people you work with. www.WinNewClients.com
A Special 5-part Formula to Help You Stay True to Who You Are and Grow Your Business
What might surprise you the most is that introverts are not a tiny minority. There are far more introverts among the general population than is readily apparent; in fact, some studies say that between 33 and 50% of US population are introverts! You can make a real splash in the business world if you’re an introvert. No, no, that doesn’t mean you’ll necessarily be in the spotlight, it simply means that you have the same opportunities to succeed as any extrovert. It’s all about learning to value and expand on your personality traits and attributes and use them to your best advantage. ~~~ So why is the business culture so enamored with extroverts? Let’s look at the classic traits exhibited by extroverts. Most business education and self-help books are written from the extrovert’s point of view, and this is what we are all familiar with as “the way to do business.” ● Extroverts enjoy interactions with others - a bonus when networking, meeting new clients, cold calling, brainstorming, leading and promoting. Buzzwords: strong interpersonal skills. We are taught, “it’s not what you know but whom you know.” ● Extroverts are outgoing, talkative, friendly, gregarious, assertive, bold and enthusiastic - they infuse what they do with such enthusiasm that others naturally follow their lead. Extroverts enjoy and crave the stimulation and energy of large social gatherings, both business and personal and have a large circle of friends and acquaintances; make new friends easily. Buzzwords: outgoing, strong leader, good networking skills. We are taught, “Be a people person.” ● Extroverts often think on their feet and make quick decisions - this makes them great leaders when the pressure is on. Buzzwords: works well under pressure. We are taught, “If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.” ● Extroverts love to spring into action at a moment’s notice, and often improvise and try a lot of approaches that introverts may not. Their boldness inspires others to follow
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their lead, and creates an atmosphere of enthusiastic propulsion toward a goal. Buzzwords: mover and shaker. We are taught, “Learn to swim on the way to the island.” ● Extroverts speak up whenever they have an idea, emotion or thought to share. They are often proactive and think out loud. Buzzwords: excellent communication skills. We are taught, “Lay it all out on the table so there are no misunderstandings.” ● Extroverts are results-driven (and love to be noticed for their achievements); Buzzwords: shows initiative. We are taught, “Always be on the alert for ways to improve things, and make suggestions on how to do so.” ● Extroverts work well as part of a large team and excel at collaborative efforts. They are quick to volunteer, reach out to team members who need help and offer input whenever possible. Buzzword: exceptional team player. We are taught, as Henry Ford put it, “Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.” ● Extroverts feel validated by respect, appreciation and approval of others. Buzzword: results-driven. We are taught that self-promotion is the only way to get noticed. There is absolutely nothing wrong with these traits, nor these philosophies! However, nearly half of the entrepreneurs and business owners finds it difficult to embody these traits. Introverts are the quiet ones, often mistrusted by extroverts for their lack of Labrador Retriever-like enthusiasm and gregariousness. They exhibit none of these “desirable” traits. ● Introverts are seen as having poor interpersonal skills because of their tendency to be quiet. They are often perceived as being antisocial and overly reserved or aloof. ● Introverts are seen as unable to excel under pressure. ● Introverts are seen as suffering from “analysis paralysis” and unable to take action.
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● Introverts are seen as poor communicators because they tend not to share ideas unless prompted in group situations. ● Introverts are seen as lacking initiative, because they prefer not to talk about their work or problems they are solving. ● Introverts are not seen as team players. In the eyes of extroverts, introverts are the loners, the outcasts, the socially awkward geeks… certainly not leaders or success stories! Viewed as lacking the “necessary” skills of business success, introverts are at a disadvantage when it comes to getting hired for sales or “peopleoriented” positions and are often overshadowed in the workplace by their extroverted colleagues. But in a business culture where group interaction is valued, many offices are set up open-plan and brainstorming meetings dominate idea generating, the introvert is at a distinct disadvantage. If you’re an introvert, you are about to learn how to make the most of your inner power, how to work and co-create with extroverts, how to navigate the business culture and how to grow your business and launch your success, quietly, with reserve and dignity – the introverted way. Don't let your more vocal brethren overshadow your talents or your contribution. Make your quiet presence felt, if not heard.
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A Special 5-part Formula to Help You Stay True to Who You Are and Grow Your Business
Introvert or Extrovert? Personality Self-Assessment Are you primarily an introvert or extrovert? It’s rare to find someone who is at either end of the spectrum. Take this quiz to find out which personality type dominates: RATE YOURSELF ACCORDING TO YOUR TYPICAL BEHAVIOR
TRUE
SOMETIMES
FALSE
I prefer one-on-one interaction to group activities If I tell a joke and nobody notices, I drop it and move on I prefer small get-togethers to boisterous parties I rarely press people for quick answers or decisions I am a good listener and in conversation, I am usually not the one doing most of the talking (unless I’m passionate about the subject) I prefer planning to spontaneity and take only calculated risks I enjoy solitude and solo activities I am reserved and not very expressive with my emotions I often let calls go straight to voice-mail and call people back later My social circle is limited to a few close friends I rarely contribute in meetings or brainstorming sessions but freely discuss ideas one-on-one with people I monitor what I say rather than blurting thoughts out loud and I prefer to express myself in writing rather than by speaking
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A Special 5-part Formula to Help You Stay True to Who You Are and Grow Your Business
At social gatherings I prefer to interact with just a few people and sometimes I feel alone in a crowd Groups exhaust me because of the noise and incessant small talk and I prefer to observe rather than participate I prefer to have time to contemplate decisions before making them I prefer not to show or talk about my work until it’s finished People describe me as reserved, intense, thoughtful, softspoken I enjoy working solo rather than as part of a group effort I am not driven by fame, status, recognition or approval from others; I don’t seek to be the center of attention I don’t like to talk about my problems; I prefer to solve them alone I have a constant running inner monologue and a vivid imagination. I like to be alone with my thoughts. On my days off, I don’t immediately call friends to make plans I like to ask questions rather than trying to look like I know it all I tend to shut down towards the end of a social evening I am very detail- and task-oriented and strongly dislike multitasking and interruptions 1. Score: Mostly true = introvert; mostly false = extrovert. Most people will check “sometimes” because situations may call for different behavior and extroverts and introverts alike can temporarily take on the traits of the other. However, if you spot tendencies that you display most of the time, check them as true or false.
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A Special 5-part Formula to Help You Stay True to Who You Are and Grow Your Business
The Introverted Entrepreneur You’ve done it! You’ve pulled the plug on the corporate race and you’ve hung your shingle as sole proprietor. Fantastic! Your introverted tendencies will serve you well: ● You are highly analytical. You blast your way through mountains of data very quickly. You get to the heart of the matter, see the situation from multiple perspectives and consider the implications of various approaches BEFORE you spring into action. Your words, too, are measured and you are less swayed by emotion than people who react rather than respond. Reacting means heat-of-the-moment, emotional reaction. A response is measured and carefully considered. ● You are good at discerning between good risk and bad risk. Good risk is the kind of risk where you enjoy and benefit from the process, even if your results are not what you expect. Bad risk is if you get nothing from the process – even if the results are good, you will not have learned much. In the introverted mind, there is no perfect time to seize an opportunity. The stars will never be aligned, the world will never be ready, the economy won’t ever be ideal, the fung shui will always be a little off and there will always be haters. “So what?” you think, “I have calculated the risks, weighed my options, and here I go!” ● You know the difference between being effective and being efficient. You know that much of human behavior is habitual. We all get into patterns. ● You are solution-oriented rather than problem-oriented. You don’t get bogged down in endless discussions about what’s wrong. Instead, you unleash your imagination and analytical skills and focus on the options you have for achieving a desired outcome. ● You are a great listener and learner, which means you absorb valuable information like a sponge. Your vast memory storage facility (aka your brain) will keep you from repeating mistakes and you will have a solid foundation of information, insights and ideas on which to build your success.
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● You are extremely creative. You are rarely swayed by popular opinion and look within for answers and solutions. You are more likely to explore innovative solutions that others would instantly dismiss as unworkable because you take the time to work them out in your imagination first and then go about making them work. ● You are good at gathering subtle information from others. You see the big picture, but your quiet demeanor and keen powers of observation help you analyze body language and other signals people unconsciously send out. This helps you “read” people very well and helps make you a great communicator (particularly as a listener). ● You are an independent self-starter and work best without constant supervision. You are self-motivated and focused. ● You see things through to the finish with dogged persistence and dedication. At the same time, the thought of failure isn’t daunting because you understand the inherent value in failing, learning, and trying an alternative approach. ● You know what your customers want because you listen. Your sales and customer service philosophy is based on, “What can I do to help you solve your problem?” You build relationships based on this philosophy instead of following a scripted sales pitch. You follow through with integrity, creating an atmosphere of trust and cooperation. You go out and happen to the world - quietly, often under the radar, listening to your own intuitive guidance. You are driven by an inner vision, an inner reality that is not dependent on external circumstances.
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A Special 5-part Formula to Help You Stay True to Who You Are and Grow Your Business
Case Study Larry is a professional photographer specializing in weddings. He is introverted, yet also highly successful. He shines in his career not only because of his photographic expertise, but because he takes the time to sit down with a client and find out exactly what they want, and what they expect of him. He also takes the time to educate them on what he expects from them and what they will receive as part of his services. He often accompanies his clients to their preferred location and takes them out to lunch as part of the relationship-building process. Larry thrives in the wedding photography business. Yes, he has to navigate through sometimes large and boisterous crowds of merrymakers, he has to deal with frazzled mothers, emotional brides, nervous grooms, only slightly cordial ex’s and many crying children… but here is his secret: He only deals with crises one-on-one. He asks, whenever there is a problem (such as a torn wedding gown, late groom, uncooperative children, fallen cake, etc.) that he and the client (usually mother of the bride) - and ONLY the client - converse about it and everyone else goes on with the party. This way, he is not overwhelmed by unwanted input from the crowd. Second, he uses a photojournalist’s photographic style rather than formal, posed shots where he has to be in charge and tell people how to stand and where to look. He moves through the crowd like he moves through a crowded city street - a casual word here and there, but no real lengthy interaction with any of the guests. He is hyper-focused on his job, which is documenting the joyful occasion - catching people in conversation, candid shots of the wedding party, details of the event… and because he is focused, passionate about photography and dedicated to giving his clients his best work, he is not distracted in any way by the noise, nor is he intimidated by the crowd. Third, he knows that the social element of the wedding is short-lived - usually six hours at most, and there’s always a lull every now again so he can take a short break. Afterward, he can pack up his equipment, go home, get away from it all and edit his images on the computer. Then, it’s back to one-on-one with his clients to present the wedding album.
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A Special 5-part Formula to Help You Stay True to Who You Are and Grow Your Business
While photography is an excellent profession for this artistically talented introvert, Larry has a side gig that might surprise you: he is also a basketball coach. Larry was never a star player in the NBA, although he did play professionally for several years. Now, Larry coaches at a private high school. How can he cope, with sideline-coach parents, a team full of rowdy boys, the opposing team’s coaches, and the bureaucracy at the school? It’s simple: passion and moderation. Larry is passionate about the game, and so he comes alive whenever he talks about basketball. Games, like weddings, don’t last forever and after the game (and the celebratory dinner, if the team wins) Larry retreats to his home and relaxes with a book. During practice, he gives the kids some drills, and watches (observing is something introverts do extremely well) - being an observer rather than a participant suits him perfectly. When a team member needs discipline or guidance - or a parent needs to be calmed down during an emotionally charged game, it’s always one-on-one, in the coach’s office or outside the gym. And so, Larry manages to balance his need to be alone with his love of basketball and a desire to give back to his community.
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How to Excel and Shine as an Introverted Entrepreneur, Without Losing Yourself in the Process – 5 Step Formula Step 1: Strategies for Networking, Social Functions and Contact-toClient Conversion ● Keep your time outside of networking functions free so you can have some down time. This might mean taking lunch by yourself in your hotel room, or slipping outside for a walk and a breath of fresh air, or excusing yourself from dinner and drinks after the function. ● Learn how to promote yourself without being obnoxious. The best way is through your own network. It may be small, but it is powerful! Word of mouth is priceless, but you will have to make the effort to introduce your business to your network. Okay – one at a time – as long as you do it! Use leverage. You might think of leverage as having someone do something for you – or outsourcing. However, leverage is much more than that. It’s influence beyond your immediate sphere of contacts. Here’s how to create leads, and convert more leads to customers, by using leverage within your sphere of influence. You already have a solid, if small, network of contacts with whom you have created a relationship. This is your sphere of influence. When you approach your sphere with an attitude of, “What can I do for you?” and you follow through with that philosophy, you create a following. Leverage means looking for ways to create a win-win for everyone, “I help you and you help me”. You help people in your sphere, and they help you in return by referring you to people within their own sphere. This is how you create an amazing ripple effect without having to work the room at networking functions. One person, just one contact, can end up giving you hundreds if not thousands of potential customers just because of your outstanding relationship with that one contact.
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Remember the old shampoo commercial, “And she told two friends, and they told two friends…?” (Okay, maybe you’re not that old!) If your objective is not asking for sales but building relationships, your reach will be far. Very far. ● Don’t feel pressured to talk to everyone at a networking function! Networking isn’t all about working the room, collecting business cards and creating an ever-expanding list. It’s about creating relationships. That time that you spend one-on-one with one or two people during the course of the evening, can ultimately lead to more solid network growth than you would get from casual, shallow interaction. Solid relationships mean you’ll be remembered and referred often. ● Perfect your elevator speech. This is actually perfect for the introvert. You only have 2 minutes to tell someone about yourself and your business… and then you can breathe easy, knowing you presented a positive business image and left a memorable impression! Practice in front of the mirror, practice in the car, just get it down so that if you’re asked, “So, what do you do?” you have this prepared gem to share. ● Make yourself approachable. Let people come to you, if you’re intimidated by approaching them! This means: smile, relax, and let them come to you to start a conversation. Don’t hide in a corner arms crossed and eyes downcast. You can hang out by the buffet table or the bar, but make sure your body language conveys “talk to me” instead of “leave me alone, I’m invisible.” ● Use open-ended conversation-starters like, “How did you get started in this line of work?” or “What do you think about the new (product)?” This is more than a casual, “So, what do you do?” question that can be answered with a one-liner, “Finance.” Have a few open-ended questions ready to avoid the fear of “What do I say to these people?” These types of questions show an interest in the person that goes beyond the superficial. ● Have an “event buddy” - bring a colleague along, preferably an extrovert, so if you’re having one of those “please let me be somewhere else” moments, you can stand quietly beside your friend who is enthusiastically chatting away with everyone. You still appear www.WinNewClients.com
A Special 5-part Formula to Help You Stay True to Who You Are and Grow Your Business
to be part of the scene, yet you can happily withdraw into your own thoughts for a few minutes. Your buddy can be your wingman who introduces you to people you might not want to approach on your own. ● Relax! Your imagination is what takes away your confidence and your ability to mingle. Imagine yourself walking into an important networking function. You’re nervous, you might be dreading the whole ordeal… but even the extroverts are nervous! Everyone thinks that they are the center of attention in the room, and that they are being judged by everyone else. The truth is, nobody is thinking about you. They are thinking about themselves! As an introvert, use that to your advantage: ask the open-ended questions that let people relax, bring them out of their shells and get them to share a meaningful conversation with you; and be prepared to answer those questions about yourself, too. ● Become known as an expert. Your customers want the most accurate, up-to-date information they can get, and that means YOU, the expert, not some Joe Schmo off the Internet. The more you become known for your expertise in your niche, the more people will seek you out. This creates amazing selling and referral opportunities without you having to schmooze any more than necessary. ● Don’t push it past your energy limits. Recognize that if you’re like most introverts, you can become a bit short as your energy is depleted. If you can’t make happy conversation anymore, it’s time to make a graceful exit! Focus on quality, not quantity.
Step 2: Strategies for Marketing ● The key is to remain “top of mind” - as the first, go-to service or product provider your customers think of when asked about a need. You want them to say, “I wouldn’t think of shopping anywhere else” or “These guys are great.” Service keeps you top of mind. As an introvert, it’s easy for you to nurture these relationships by offering personalized service and a dedication to meeting your customer’s needs.
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A Special 5-part Formula to Help You Stay True to Who You Are and Grow Your Business
● Build a solid reputation. Your exceptional skills at relationship building will ensure that whatever word of mouth is circulating about you and your business, is good press. It’s something that you earn by consistently honoring your promises – another great introvert trait that attracts and keeps customers. ● Reach out. Periodic communication with clients keeps you at the top of their minds, too. Keep it short and sweet, not obnoxiously sales-y and use it to build your relationship. Introverts generally don’t use sales pitches so use your ability to connect with your customers via personalized emails, calls and cards rather than canned autoresponder type of correspondence. ● Examine what your competition is NOT doing. And go do it. Usually when marketing fails, it’s not so much because of the marketing plan itself; it’s because of failure to follow through on promises made in marketing and failure to meet the customer’s expectations. Introverts shine here. They do their research first, they know their target audience inside and out, and their whole focus is making those customers happy. From there, a marketing plan is easy to create because it speaks to the customer’s needs. Create a competitive advantage. Use your innate creativity and imagination will help you carve out a niche that will keep customers knocking at the door. ● Get involved in the community. Charitable contributions, mentoring local kids, etc. are great ways to get even the most hard-core introvert out into the public eye. ● Get other people to spread your ideas. Think about it – if you’re promoting yourself, some people may listen. But if you’re promoting someone else, then you’re giving credibility to them and your word carries more weight than theirs… just like the word of whomever is promoting you carries more weight than yours. It’s all about building relationships and making sure that other people talk about you in positive ways!
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A Special 5-part Formula to Help You Stay True to Who You Are and Grow Your Business
Step 3: Strategies for Successful Sales ● Be yourself. Introverts do not like using scripts, sales pitches and pushy closing techniques so do not feel pressured to use these tactics to make sales. Let them make their personal connections, build relationships and focus their energies on doing what is in the best interest of the customer (which often leads to extraordinarily high sales numbers). ● Get to know your customers. Research their needs in order to make a connection with them. Observe and listen – exactly what you do anyway! The more you know about your customers and their needs, the better you’ll be prepared to meet their needs. They will appreciate the personalized attention! ● Know and appreciate your natural strengths. Be comfortable in your own skin, and your confidence will be highly attractive to your customers. ● Build trust. Your calm and empathetic nature is reassuring and projects confidence and trust. Potential customers are more likely to open up to someone who is not loud and pushy. Where traditional extroverted sales techniques will come up against resistance, the introvert’s soft sell often does not. Your tendency to treat everyone equally will win points, get you some respect and likely close the sale just because of your ability to access the decision makers, where the extrovert’s pushiness may cause the receptionist to make sure their calls never get through. ● Use your abilities to persuade, not manipulate. Persuasion is aimed at solving the customer’s problems and influencing them to purchase what they need from you. Persuasion involves motivation based on trust, dedication to their satisfaction and your confidence that your product or service will meet their needs. ● Think long-term. Recognize that introverted sales techniques might appear slower than the extroverted ways so don’t put pressure on yourself or your team to “make the numbers” within a certain timeframe (x amount of sales per month). The true value of
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A Special 5-part Formula to Help You Stay True to Who You Are and Grow Your Business
an introverted salesperson is their long-term relationships and personalized service that result in sales, repeat customers, referrals and very happy customers. So with the introvert, focus on the long-term value, versus the short-term quick sales that extroverts are good at. ● Use leverage. Let your known, familiar customers do word-of-mouth sales for you by creating win-win scenarios where both you and the client realize a significant gain. ● Use passion! You know that when someone talks to you about something that sets you ablaze with passion, it shows. You love what you do, and this goes well beyond any commission or sales success. It’s a feeling of fulfillment and happiness that goes right to your core. People pick up on that, and they too become excited about your product or service! ● Use gentle persistence. Extroverts may be turned off by rejection and resistance (they are not receiving the positive reinforcement and gratification they require) but with your intense desire to please your customer and do what is best for them, you can keep trying without appearing pushy. Just offering advice, insights and information that will help your customer, will make them trust you and they will most likely drop their defenses. ● Come well prepared. Introverts almost always do, and this creates a perception of expertise in your field and a commitment to the customer. Sale, made. ● Practice the first impression! Extroverts are great at this, but introverts may fumble the first few times until they perfect their elevator pitch, and become comfortable with initiating contact. ● Trust in yourself. Don’t be afraid to be overshadowed by louder, more flamboyant extroverted salespeople or entrepreneurs. TRUST in your preparedness; TRUST in your listening skills and empathy; TRUST in your ability to make promises you can follow through on… and TRUST that your customers will see through the smoke and mirrors approach and prefer your honesty, humility and dedication to their happiness. www.WinNewClients.com
A Special 5-part Formula to Help You Stay True to Who You Are and Grow Your Business
Step 4: Strategies for Service Supremacy ● Go the extra mile. As an introvert, you already excel at service and relationshipbuilding; and you have the internal motivation to rise above - way, way above - and go the extra mile or hundred miles for your clients, just for the joy of doing your best and a desire to help your customer. ● Know and meet your clients’ REAL needs. Service is directly related to your bottom line. Stand out from the crowd by doing research on your clients and their needs - beyond just the general observations of a certain demographic, make it a point to get to the root of the client’s real needs. A client may not communicate their needs effectively; or, your staff may misunderstand the client’s needs. In-depth research critical, but so is communicating the need for this information to your staff. Bring your staff up to speed on how your business can satisfy the customer, and the ways you sales team and support team can keep customers coming back and giving you referrals. ● Follow through and deliver. It’s easy to establish a relationship with a client but hard to maintain it if you fall short on your service promises. Setting service goals is important but then you get to the real work of maintaining that level of service and improving it based on client feedback. This favors the introvert as well. Focus, attention to detail, awareness of the big picture, openness to alternative ideas, and a genuine desire to help are the hallmarks of introverted customer service. ● Make your customer happy. Introverts are naturally sensitive and empathetic to their customers. They take extra care to make their customers feel important. The result is that even if they can’t right a wrong, or can’t resolve a situation to the customer’s satisfaction, their attempts, and their genuine concern, will not go unnoticed.
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A Special 5-part Formula to Help You Stay True to Who You Are and Grow Your Business
Step 5: Strategies for Successful Meetings ● Remember that extroverts talk to think and introverts think to talk. Don’t put pressure on introverts to contribute immediately - give them a chance to absorb information and think before contributing - and relax if they don’t contribute until after the meeting is over! ● Eliminate meetings. You can do away with most meetings by giving people the chance to communicate with you one-on-one via email, phone or in person. Meetings definitely favor the extroverted personality who likes to speak up and be heard. You may be missing out on the valuable contributions of your introverted staff because they are not likely to speak up. ● Use electronic communication. An internet-style forum is a great way to get introverts to contribute. You can have ongoing conversations and brainstorming sessions, but they are conducted over email, Google Groups or other electronic means. This gives introverts a chance to contribute without feeling pressured to out-speak the extroverts on the team. ---------
So there you have it, my simple 5-step formula to help you stay true to who you are as an introverted entrepreneur / small business owner and still be able grow your business to become big as you want it. If you really liked this report and you are looking to find, convert and win new clients and become successful in your small business, then know that I’ve set some time aside to work with you 1-on-1 in your business. Book your free strategy session here: https://alenmayer.youcanbook.me/
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A Special 5-part Formula to Help You Stay True to Who You Are and Grow Your Business
Conclusion Don’t worry if you’ve been labeled an introvert. There is nothing wrong with you. You are different in terms that you are more introverted than some people you know (the ones who tag you with that label). The good news is that you don’t need to change your behavior to be successful business owner. You are normal, not socializing much… spending time alone… not having a slew of casual friends… not speaking up at meetings… It’s not a character flaw that makes you introverted. It’s biology, and once you come to terms with your introversion – and realize it’s actually very cool to be introverted – you’ll release the burden of self-doubt and absolutely rock anything you set your mind to! Remember, you’re providing balance. You’re the equalizer. Somebody has to balance out the loud attention-grabbers! Somebody has to provide silence where there is noise! You do not “need” to be louder; you do not “need” to speak up more. You definitely don’t “need” to get out more. Just be yourself. Let the extroverts worry about you if they feel they must, but don’t listen to people telling you how to behave. If it’s right for them, then it’s right for them. If it’s wrong for you, communicate your limits and your needs and if those limits and needs are not understood or accepted, let that not be your problem! Stay true to who you are and build on your strengths to reach the success you want for yourself and your business. Introverts and extroverts balance each other out and if you’re aware of the differences and honor them, your business can be a harmonious, cooperative environment where everybody is allowed to contribute and share their strengths – in their own way. Wild success as an introvert is possible and it has been done. We all have preferences how we act and behave. To be successful in business you don’t need to be pushy, aggressive or talkative. That is 20th century behavior.
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A Special 5-part Formula to Help You Stay True to Who You Are and Grow Your Business
The new situation is that great business success comes from deep, meaningful relationship building. If you are great with building relationship with your clients, ask questions to understand your clients better, and understand their needs, this is time for you to shine! It is time to start thinking differently about business. Since our culture is biased toward extroversion, and it is demanded for all entrepreneurs to function as an extrovert, we need an evolution rather than the revolution – learning to avoid judging introverts by extroverted standards, and allowing their superior relationship building skills to drive sales. The 21st century changed the way people sell and there is a need for more introverted entrepreneurs and business owners to take a lead and sell without being pushy, loud or aggressive. In essence, even if you’re not “in sales” every human transaction is basically a sale – convincing someone to do something (hopefully as a win-win). Asking a friend out to a movie is a sale; convincing your kids to finish their homework is a sale; getting a client to add a few services to their original order is a sale; getting a bunch of friends to go camping together is a sale. It’s all sales. And it’s all relationships. You ROCK at this! Introverts bring balance into a business. Too much of anything isn’t good. The most successful businesses have a balance of talents and attributes. That means, a balance of introverts and extroverts - and if it’s a solo endeavor, a balance of introverted and extroverted tendencies. It’s a yin/yang of personality traits that will optimize every aspect of a business: ● Extroverts make great first impressions; introverts make lasting impressions. ● Extroverts are excellent speakers; introverts are excellent listeners. ● Extroverts talk to think; introverts think to talk. ● Extroverts reach out to others; introverts are approachable.
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A Special 5-part Formula to Help You Stay True to Who You Are and Grow Your Business
Now that you know the introvert’s “operating system” you can make the most of introverted tendencies, for massive business and personal success. The introvert isn’t better than, or worse than, the extrovert. Both have unique and valuable qualities that enhance any business situation. Both should be admired and respected for those qualities. So go out there, quietly and under the radar, and shake up the business world!
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A Special 5-part Formula to Help You Stay True to Who You Are and Grow Your Business
About Alen Mayer Alen Mayer is a trusted coach and mentor to introverted entrepreneurs and small business owners. He helps them enlarge their client base and tap into their individual strengths to increase sales results. Alen lives, eats and breathes sales and combines 22 years of experience in international sales and business development with a rational nononsense practical approach to selling. He was voted #2 on the list of Top 50 Most Influential People in Sales Lead Management in 2013; one of the Top 25 Sales Influencers for 2012, published author of 6 sales titles, including “Selling for Introverts” and“Cold Calling for Introverts” (both books available on Amazon and on Alen’s award-winning website: www.alenmayer.com) If you really liked this report and you are looking to find, convert and win new clients and become successful in your small business, book your free strategy session with Alen here: https://alenmayer.youcanbook.me/
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