Entrepreneurship is never rosy and easy. If you have to terms to be self-made, own your small business and be an entrepreneur, you knew pretty well from the beginning you have to make sales. Sales would require any business to have someone to go out there, make themselves visible and stand out in their industry. But what if you are introvert? You simply do not like to talk to people, shall you succeed then? No matter what, there has to be a way that people will hear about you and buy your services.
If you are an introvert who does not want to socialize and communicate with other people, this surely will be a tough act. Many of the introverts love peole, help and serve them, however cannot fight the shyness in forging relationships with them. They experience increased heart rates, sweaty hands, and their stomachs twist in knots. In fact, for some introverts the idea of having to make a sale will disturb them so much they may start seriously considering a regular JOB.
Introvert entrepreneurs are able to stay afloat in business with their intentions of serving people and meeting customers\’ needs, but the panic of sales tempts them to quit. This tug-of-war is definitely challenging. When questioned about what they think of when they consider going out to sell their service or product, many of my introvert clients create this impressive scenario of themselves as a used car salesman, who rubs his/her hands together in preparation to pounce on someone.
I have a client who cannot help but have a panic attack even with the thought of going out in the real world and talking to someone about what he did. He was a very accomplished man, and had proved a lot already in his industry yet he fears talking to people. He had even served as president of the local association in his field. Inspite of all his accomplishments, he did know how to talk to people. When questioned about that, he described the feeling like being a used car sales man who lacked the words to sell to customers, ay to someone and that that because of that he might just freeze frozeand make a fool of himself as well as lose his appetite for sales.
If you think that by coaching him on what words to say will help, it will never solve the real problem. The issue was his fear of approaching sales. Not only did he have the used car salesman fear, but he also had an unspoken belief that in order to sell, he would have to change his personality from being introverted to extraverted. The mere picture of \”changing\” himself, his style and personality sets him back.
I worked with him to prove that an introvert can still be who they are and to their own personality and sell in a very natural non-\”selly\” way. When I would coach him about talking to someone and finding out their problems, and then focusing on how he could help, he didn\’t see any problems with that. \”Of course I could do that,\” he said. When his thinking switched from believing that sales was slimy, to sales was a simple way of sharing something that would make the person\’s life better, his whole attitude changed.
\”Basically,\” I explained, \”all you are saying is that someone truly needs what you have to offer. If what you offer will better their lives, then you would not be loving if you didn\’t open your mouth and just let them know that option is available.\”
He got excited. \”So all I am doing is loving people.\”
\”Exactly,\” I said.
His perception was changed. This introvert still faces difficulty in opening his mouth and start a conversation. He still scared that he will make a fool out of himself, yet he took a step forward. He only had thought of what he was offering to people and how their lives would change with his services. With these in mind, he was able to find the courage to let people know about what he did over and over again.
He was amazed with the results. When he changed his perspective, he always think how to help people and that gave him the ability to sell. Not only was he able to fill his practice, but he was also able to meet his client goal objective that he had previously set with me, in the matter of two months. He couldn\’t believe that he had so easily met his goal of something that he thought he\’d never be able to do.
When an introverted entrepreneur figures out that sales is just a matter of loving someone else, more than their personal fear, the scary sales factor will diminish.
I have been helping entrepreneurs and business owners grow their business and balance the needs of home for over 18 years. Discover how to Grow Your Business on Your Own Terms. Learn the peak performance training necessary to grow your business to the level that you envisioned when you started your business.
Self Sabotage and Thriving as an Introvert in the Business World
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