3 Reasons Why Introverts Are Better at Sales

The other day I was talking to a friend of mine who owns an internet marketing company and manages their sales team. He mused that he and most of his entire sales team were all introverts. As an extrovert fascinated by psychology, I’ve actually read quite a bit about introverts but it wasn’t until that moment that it clicked. If you’re an introvert, you’re actually better suited to be successful at sales than extroverts are. Don’t believe me?
I get it…most people picture that stereotypical used car salesman—a clear extrovert, who never stops talking. He’s nearly the exact opposite of most introverts…but there’s a reason why most successful sales people don’t operate that way. If you’re an extrovert you may have learned some of these techniques, but if you’re an introvert, here’s why you’re already a sales expert.
  1. You listen first and talk second…or third. In any given circumstance, introverts are more likely to listen to those around them. They don’t just hear…they listen. This is an absolute asset for sales. It’s never a good idea to sell someone a product or service they can’t use and how do you know if your prospect can use your product or service? LISTEN. Not only does listening help you figure out if they can use your service, it will tell you how they can use it and why they need it. If you fill all of these needs, then that person will be thrilled, and happy customers are your best sales team.
  2. You don’t like to wing it. If you’re a translator, it’s very likely you hate winging it. You’d rather research and spend time finding the right word for your translation. If that sounds like you, this is a huge asset for sales. You’ll tend to study and analyze your business and sales process more naturally…assessing how people are reacting to you and adjusting accordingly. You’ll tend to be that person that reads anything and everything about something you want to conquer and you’ll proceed methodologically. You’ll also tend to look at conversations with your prospects as your single opportunity to present your service, placing more value on that single event intuitively and, as a result, you will do everything you can to make it count.
  3. You’re an expert at building deep relationships. One of my best friends is an introvert, and if you ask her how many friends she has, she’ll tell you five…spanning 4 countries. Ask extroverts how many friends they have, and they’ll likely pull up their Facebook friends list to answer. Extroverts have friendships ranging from extremely close to barely an acquaintance and, as such, they can usually talk to anyone. But if you’re an introvert, you’re far more likely to look at your potential clients with a view to the long-term. You might have fewer total relationships with clients but you’ll tend to have deeper connections with those clients, investing in them over time. This will go a long way in generating referrals and repeat business.
Selling is about building relationships and problem-solving. If someone else has a problem, and you have the solution, then you have something of value and if people value what you have, then they will be happy to pay for it. If you’re an introvert learning the sales process, you’ll find that you will have no need to “break through” the barriers many people may have built to protect themselves from the used car salesmen of the world…instead, you’ll be invited through and asked to stay for dinner.
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Author: Jenae Spry

Jenae has been a French > English translator for over 10 years and a productivity and performance coach for freelancers for over 5 years. Jenae launched the Success by Rx blog to help freelancers achieve success.

Posted in Business.

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