It takes all kinds in sales – what are the best sales strategies for introverts?
If you’re an introvert working in sales then you may feel like you’re at a disadvantage. After all, the dominant rhetoric around successful salespeople is that they are go-getters, ready to jump into a sales pitch at any moment.
But you don’t need to be an extrovert to be a successful salesperson. In fact, many of the most successful salespeople are introverts who have learned how to use their introversion to their advantage.
Here are our top 5 sales strategies for introverts working in the sales world.
#1 Be an Expert
This is advice that every salesperson hears at some point, but it’s especially true for introverts: be an expert on your product. Educating yourself about your product will help you feel more confident in high-pressure sales situations. When you enter into a sales interaction with a wealth of background knowledge, you’re equipped to handle challenging customer inquiries and have the confidence to demonstrate the benefits your product has to offer. Of course it’s practical to be an expert in order to answer questions, but it’s also enormously helpful when it comes to building confidence and assuaging pre-meeting nerves.
Your ongoing professional education might include:
- Reading industry-related books or articles.
- Following social media pages dedicated to your industry.
- Listening to podcasts.
- Watching webinars hosted by peers in the industry.
- Checking in with your supervisor about upcoming changes to your products.
#2 Focus on the Relationships
There’s no need to be a social butterfly flitting from client to client. Sometimes, slow and steady really is the best way to succeed. Introverts thrive by focusing on their relationships with clients, rather than constantly seeking new business. For this reason, introverts are particularly successful when it comes to maintaining clients over a longer period of time. Use your ability to build strong connections to your advantage, and don’t be afraid to focus on quality over quantity.
#3 Emphasize Your Desire to Solve Problems
A common trap many salespeople fall into is trying to sell their products to customers based off of deals and sales prices. While some customers will respond to “limited time offers” and “exclusive sales” nowadays the trend is leaning towards demonstrating the value a product has to offer each customer. This is good news for introverts!
Focus less on flashy sales and promotions, and instead utilize your intuitive capabilities and relationship building skills to illustrate how your product can genuinely improve each customer’s life. This is called “value-based selling” and is a popular technique with consumers searching for a more personalized solution to their problems.
#4 Practice Listening
As an introvert, you probably don’t like doing all the talking. Luckily, you can use your dislike of the spotlight to your advantage and focus on listening to your customer. This plays into the previous tip about value-based selling: the more carefully you listen to your prospect, the better equipped you’ll be to directly address their concerns. Active listening is an important sales skill, and introverts are naturally gifted when it comes to empathizing and listening to other people’s problems.
#5 Know When to Recharge
Last but not least, it’s important to know when to hit the recharge button and take a break from interacting. Recharging at work can entail numerous strategies.
- Schedule your day so you have space between sales meetings.
- If you have a busy day take 20 minutes to take a walk alone outside.
- Listen to calming music.
- Practice some mindful breathing.
- Try to maintain a respectful separation between work and home.
Prioritizing your time to recharge is absolutely essential if you hope to have a long career in sales. This special time for self-care will prevent you from becoming burnt out.
Train Your Sales Force with Acquirent
Sales is a big world, and there are plenty of strategies for introverts to shine in this business. Still feeling like your team needs professional advice? At Acquirent we take every business as a unique case, and tailor our sales strategy to incorporate your goals and values. Acquirent offers training, recruitment, and sales technology support, helping you build a dynamic and successful sales team. Plus, with our scalable outsourced sales support, you can integrate Acquirent’s professional reps into your business should you need more help.
Contact us today to get your free quote.