Can introverts crush it in sales?
Absolutely.
In fact, introverts are becoming the next great salesforce because the old world of sales is dead.
We just had Jeb Blount on the podcast to tell his story about discovering his love of sales as an introvert in high school and becoming a world class salesman.
And he is only one example of many successful introverts in the world of sales.
People are less tolerant of the smooth talking sales rep trying to convince them to open up their wallets.
Customers want to feel heard and understood, and they want to trust who they’re buying from.
And that’s where you, the introvert, will excel.
In this article I will give you 6 tips on how to leverage your strengths as an introvert to crush it in sales:
- Actively listen
- Rely on your empathy
- Embrace silence in conversation
- Bring people to you instead of searching for them
- Do your research to know who you’re selling to
- Practice hard, play easy
Leverage Your Strengths as an Introvert
There is one primary difference between introverts and extroverts.
Extroverts naturally get their energy from talking to people. They feel energized by social interaction.
Introverts, on the other hand—we have a limited store of energy we draw from to talk to people. This means we are more likely to listen rather than speak, and think before speaking.
Actively Listen to Understand What Your Customer Needs
Modern sales is problem solving.
So if you’re pitching everyone you meet, how do you even know if who you’re pitching has the problem your solution takes care of?
You might just be wasting valuable time and putting people off from wanting to do business with you.
As an introvert, put your listening skills to good use by asking questions and listening to what the other person has to say.
Rely on Your Empathy to Make Prospects Feel Heard and Understood
If someone has a problem and she’s telling you about it, she wants to feel like she’s being heard. Use your empathy skills to validate her concerns by paraphrasing what she said and asking open-ended, follow-up questions.
This is a great way to build rapport with others, develop trust, and demonstrate that you’re human—all of which are important when building a new relationship with a customer.
Embrace Periods of Silence in Conversation
Pauses in sales conversations are golden because humans have a need to fill those “awkward” silences. So if you ask a question or finish a statement, let the silence do its job.
For example, if you ask a prospect what her primary hesitation is about your product, her first response likely isn’t the real answer to the question. It was just the first thing that came to her mind.
Once she finishes and you make a note of it, make eye contact with her and wait. Chances are she’ll keep going, and eventually, you’ll get to the bottom of her concerns.
The same thing goes for when you finish a pitch. Don’t say anything. Wait for your audience to process their thoughts and tell you what they think.
Bring Customers and Prospects to You Instead of Searching for Them
A wise man once told me, “Build an environment conducive to your success.”
Sales is a numbers game. The more people you talk to, the more sales you will get. But as introverts, it’s not as easy to go out of our way to meet a lot of people. That’s why it’s important to make meeting people just another part of your day.
What does this actually look like?
Think about who your ideal prospect is.
What hobbies might they have? Where do they go to hang out with their friends?
Make a list.
Maybe your ideal prospect likes to surf and you’ve always wanted to take up surfing. Maybe they’re into landscaping and gardening.
Pick a couple that sound like something you’d be interested in as well. Start taking lessons or attending local meetup groups. It might take some time before that new thing feels normal, but once it does, you’ll be part of a network your ideal customer belongs to.
Those networks will regularly see new people come in, and if you’ve made friends with members of the network, you will be meeting new people on a regular basis without draining your social gas tank.
Do Your Research So You Know Your Prospect’s Business and Industry
As introverts, we appreciate our alone time.
So put that time to good use by preparing for your next networking event, cold call, meeting with potential clients, etc.
Spend time understanding the industry your prospect is in. Who are the big players? How is the industry influenced by local and national politics? What are the biggest challenges they face in the next 6-12 months?
Then spend time understanding the prospect’s business. Check out their website. Read their blog. Look through their press releases. See what people are saying about them in their community.
Know who you’re speaking with and what their pain points are. You will know the right questions to ask and be able to talk shop with them. This will show them you understand them and you’re not just another salesperson trying to talk them out of their money.
Even when it feels like overkill on small tasks (like finding the perfect venue to meet), your preparation will pay off because you will know more about what the prospect needs than anyone else.
Practice the Hard Parts Until They’re Easy
As with any skill, if you want to get better at something, you must practice.
Use scripts for cold calls and door knocking. Grab a friend to role play as a prospect and tell him to give you every objection he can think of. Do this until you can guide him to the sale every time with confidence.
Make a list of small talk questions you can fall back on if the conversation goes off topic.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed at a networking event, take a break to write notes on who you’ve met so far and what you talked about. This will help you charge your social batteries and put you in a great position to send a personalized follow up after the event.
In a Nutshell
If you’re an introvert, you can be a great salesperson.
Introverts are the next great salespeople because we don’t come across as loud or pushy like our extroverted counterparts.
Rely on your active listening, empathy, and research skills rather than a “smooth talking” persona in order to close deals.
Build relationships instead of aiming for transactions.
Engineer your daily environment so you are meeting people without going out of your way and draining your social batteries.
If you’re an introvert struggling to get your foot in the door of this industry, it’s time for you to try these strategies so you can crush it in sales!
If you’d like to learn how to confidently go after all of your big goals without hesitation, we’re here for you. We can help you make this happen by providing expert coaching in our X-Factor Accelerator mentorship program. You’ll develop the attributes you need to attract the right people, forge meaningful relationships, and create life-changing opportunities in your life and career.
