Having sales skills is necessary for everyone at some point in their lives. We may not get into sales and sell products to customers directly, but we do have to sell our own abilities.
When doing a job interview, we’re essentially trying to sell that we’re suitable for the role. If you’re asking for funding for a charitable cause or applying for college admissions, you’re also engaged in selling.
The art of selling is hard for anyone. But it’s especially hard for someone who is an introvert. Introverts prefer limited interactions with other people. And selling involves long conversations, charisma, and energy to be successful.
But anyone can sell if they have the right techniques and the right mindset. Here are tips for introverts or anyone who doesn’t feel confident with public interactions. Use them to sell your abilities, to sell products in your business, or to get funds for a worthy cause.
Focus on writing
Today, it’s possible to write instead of having to talk to sell something. And you’ve seen this happen all the time.
Whenever you see an ad, that’s a written form of sales taking place. The copy on a website takes the place of a salesperson pitching to you directly. Today, social media posts and blog posts are subtly selling to you.
In fact, your first attempt to sell will often take place through writing. If you want to get a job or partner with a business, it starts with an email. It’s not often that companies take your call and put you through a decision-maker right away. They will usually ask you to send an email even if they are interested in you.
So, this means that consciously using your writing to make sales is a great way to go. I suggest reading books on content marketing and psychology to help you understand how to write appealing content.
Generally speaking, you should always try to frame your content to focus on the benefits your reader gets. You should keep your content simple and friendly by writing as if the reader is a good friend.
Communicate from a place of passion
It’s only when you feel passionate about a topic that you can find the right words and also the courage to sell to others.
No matter how introverted a person is, when they are passionate about something, they can summon up enthusiasm and compelling arguments in their favor.
Even when you write an email, a blog post, or a social media post, think about why you care about the subject matter. And if you’re not particularly enthused by what you’re selling, you can still find good reasons to get excited about your job, product, or service.
If you can think of ways you can help someone with your product or idea, you’ll tap into feelings that make it easier to share your thoughts with others. Consider doing some keyword research based on what you’re selling to find information that sparks your interest.
Also, remember that when you care about something, your excitement will carry forward to others and they will respond to it with excitement of their own.
Plan your interactions
Even the most confirmed introvert enjoys social interactions from time to time. The key is to space out and plan such interactions so that you don’t get overwhelmed by too much socialization.
If you have to make a presentation or a sales pitch, try to plan your meeting at a time that’s stress-free for you. Space out your tasks so that you have time to recharge. Or take a break and then later follow up on your sales call out to reach out to others.
Practice helps
One of the reasons selling is hard is because of the element of uncertainty in it. Your client, investor, or employer could ask you questions that surprise you. And it is common to feel some pressure from the interaction.
But knowing your material well and practicing it often removes a large amount of stress. Even the most experienced salesperson spends a lot of time going over their pitch and practicing their movements and gestures.
Back to you
Whether you run a business or even if you just work in a normal office, you are still called to have sales-like interaction with other people.
Being an introvert is not a disadvantage and will not stop you from being an effective salesperson. An introvert’s quiet creativity and thoughtfulness can create compelling ideas that make a pitch successful.
If you only need one thing to be a successful salesperson, it’s a passion for what you are trying to sell. When you are actions come from a sense of believing in what you do, you automatically present yourself well and achieve your goals.