Have you ever walked into a networking event full of strangers and wished you could be anywhere else?
Traditional
“business building rules” tell us that we need to network. Attending a
charity breakfast where you give a 2-minute spiel on your business,
community luncheon where you eat rubber chicken and another cocktail
hour where you feel like you’re on a speed date going from business
owner to business owner with barely enough time to remember their
names, much less make a great impression.
It doesn’t have to be that way!
Years
ago, while deeply involved in “Corporate America” (I still shudder when
saying that phrase), I took the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator – a
personality assessment. My fears were confirmed: I am an introvert
(actually, an “ISTJ” for those of you familiar with the Myers-Briggs).
High level summary introverts are people who recharge their energy from
within while extroverts get energy from people and other external
sources. I am one of those people who draws energy and ideas from
solitude and reaching within my own psyche.
Depending on the
situation, everyone is both an introvert and an extrovert. Put me in a
room with some of my friends and I take on the persona of a stand-up
comedian and couldn’t be more at ease. Put me in a large conference
room where I know nobody and am not presenting and I become the silent
wallflower.
Given the choice, I prefer to be with a few close
friends rather than at a large party where I know no one. While I’ve
been told I’m an excellent public speaker (birth by fire in the
corporate world does wonders), it takes a lot of energy for me to get
“in the zone” and I have learned to do this by being well-prepared on
the topic and discussing things I’m passionate about.
The following marketing techniques are some that I have used successfully and are designed to work for the introverted among us.
1. Participate in online forums and discussion groups.
It’s
easy to be authentic and true to yourself while marketing your business
by participating on online forums such as Yahoo Groups. You can spend
as much or as little time getting to know the other small business
owners, virtual assistants, etc. as you wish. There is no face to face,
“will they like me?”, “will they trust me?” type of feeling. You can
take your time in responding to those issues that interest you, rather
than feel “on the spot” like you may at your average networking event.
I
belong to several such groups and have met many wonderful people this
way and have learned much from different business owners. It’s a great
way to pick the brains of people in the same situation as yourself.
2. Write articles.
Take
advantage of your writing skills and write and submit articles online.
One of my clients was doing some research for her business and told me
she’d seen one of my articles on www.killermarketingarsenal.com. The
next day I received a notice from www.sbinformer.com (a small business
site) asking permission to use another of my articles. As a direct
result of my writing articles, I now have an audience that I may have
never otherwise reached. You never know what search engines just might
pick up on your article, or how your information could be valuable to
someone else.
3. Know your strengths.
Successful marketing requires that you know
your strengths and your weaknesses. Take time to ask friends, family,
and others what they feel are your greatest strengths and weaknesses.
You might be surprised to discover that what you thought wasn’t a
talent is perceived as such by others. When you find yourself in an
uncomfortable or nerve-wracking situation, focus on your strengths. You
will be naturally more at ease when discussing something that’s aligned
with your passions and that you have learned is valuable to others.
4. Visualization.
Have
you ever thought about something so much that when it actually happened
it felt like déjà vu? Visualization is a great tool that allows you to
script out an event before it happens. Just think – you can anticipate
the challenges (for example, no one speaks to you when you arrive) and
plan how to overcome them before they occur. Plan ahead for various
situations and scenarios to avoid being caught off guard.
5. Stick to your values.
It’s
important not to try and change yourself in order to successfully
market your business. You will be most effective when you allow the
natural you to come through. For those of us who are introverts, that
means establishing a marketing plan and environment that supports us as
well as follows the path by which we mean to grow with.
Go get ’em!
Sandra Martini, the
Automatic Business Coach, and award-winning author teaches small business
owners how to implement processes and systems designed to take them out of the
day-to-day running of their business. For more information and to receive her FREE e-course/audio series,
"5
Quick & Easy Ways To Put Your Marketing on Autopilot", visit http://www.SandraMartini.com.