Dear Fellow Introvert,
Running a business can mess with your head. I know you have this burning desire to have a successful business and to change both your life and others, but there are times when you sit there wondering whether you can really make it in business because of your introverted tendencies.
I mean…how can you possibly create a thriving business when just the thought of networking, talking to lots of potential new customers, juggling all the different aspects of working both on and in your business, and putting yourself out there and being visible leaves you feeling exhausted!?!?!
But you can do this you know!
There are plenty of big, and I mean BIG business owners out there who are also self-confessed introverts. I’m talking about the likes of Richard Branson, Denise Duffield Thomas, Mark Zuckerberg, Susan Cain, Bill Gates and JK Rowling.
Being an introvert doesn’t mean that owning a successful business is impossible for you, and nor does it have to be difficult either. It simply means you have a different set of skills and a different disposition that needs to be factored in when building your business.
So now you know it’s possible, how can YOU achieve it…?
Well, it’s really all about finding the right balance for you…
The first thing you need to do is BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF. Do an audit of the various aspects of your business and how they make you feel, including things you may have tried in the past. Try to look at things objectively and work out which are as a result of your introverted-ness, and which are driven by your limiting beliefs.
The one thing you don’t have to do is try harder to be someone you’re not. You just need to get real, identify what zaps your energy and learn how you can play to your strengths. This is why it’s important that you get to know yourself and ACCEPT YOURSELF FOR WHO YOU ARE.
We are all unique and the way your introverted-ness comes through is no different. Not all introverts are the same. There is a scale of introverted and extroverted-ness, and you need to understand where on this scale you sit as it can help you understand how to build a business that will work for you by FINDING THE PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE.
The most important thing you can do for yourself as an introvert is to protect your energy by SETTING YOUR OWN BOUNDARIES. If you love doing in-person services but find them draining, limit the number you do each month. If being in a room full of people leaves you feeling overwhelmed and completely drained, try webinars or FB Lives as a way delivering your content to lots of people. If you know that you have days where you feel energised and full of life and others where you just want to curl up on the sofa, eat chocolate and binge on Netflix or read that new book that just popped through your door, take advantage of those good days to create extra content that you can post when you need to take time out. And also look for ways to put in place systems and automate wherever you can.
Just because you’re an introvert it doesn’t mean you are a socially inept wallflower. You are more than capable of doing everything you’ve dreamed of doing, and probably a whole lot you hadn’t thought was possible for you too…so STOP HIDING! As an introvert, I can often go for days on end without leaving home, unless I force myself to go out. And the same can go for my online presence. I get completely absorbed in a project and forget all about interacting with others online, and worst of all, sharing offers. As with everything, it’s about trying to find the right balance, and being more self-aware because let’s face it…if you’re not building relationships with potential customers and letting them know what you do, you won’t have a business!
When it comes to making money, you need to remember there is MORE THAN ONE WAY TO BAKE A CAKE, or in this case your business. There are lots of promos out there in the online space that try to tempt us in by offering to show you a ‘proven strategy’ that helped them grow their business. But just because it worked for them it doesn’t necessarily mean it will work for you. Trying to implement someone else’s strategy and expecting the same results can be soul destroying, leaving you feeling a failure because you couldn’t make it work. The truth is there are lots of different strategies you can use to find and attract new customers, lots of different products or services you can offer them and different pricing models you can use. It’s all about experimenting and finding what works for you.
As an introvert, PASSIVE INCOME IS YOUR FRIEND. Picture this…you only have to spend time and energy creating your product once and then you can sell it over and over. And the best bit…when customers buy from you, you don’t need to interact with them, except maybe to deal with any issues that may crop up.
Another thing to remember is that although you quite enjoy being on your own, you don’t need to try to do it all alone. It’s important to SURROUND YOURSELF WITH PEOPLE YOU TRUST. Having someone you can reach out to and ask for help or support will save you a lot of time and energy, and help you stay positive and focused.
And last but not least, LISTEN TO YOUR INTUITION, especially when it comes to other people. This will stop energy vampires from leaving you feeling drained.
So as you can see, there is no right and wrong in business, just what’s right for YOU!