Introverts Can Sell Too!
Use Your Personality Type as a Strength to Increase Sales.
It’s no secret that in general most people associate salespeople with possessing a gregarious extroverted personality. So much so, that when asked to list the characteristics of salespeople, having an extroverted personality is usually at the top of the list.
Yet in fact, “a meta-analysis of 35 studies that surveyed 4,000 salespeople found almost zero correlation between extroversion and sales performance” *. Also, numerous studies indicate that those with an introverted personality type make excellent salespeople, and also outperform those who associate with being an extrovert.
How is this possible? Don’t extroverts have an immediate advantage in social skills, easily engage in conversation, and love being around people? Don’t introverts struggle in social situations, have only a few close friends, and would rather work alone?
To answer those questions keep this in mind:
Personality types do not present an accurate assessment of skill set, ability, and willingness to succeed in sales.
What matters in sales is the ability to recognize and understand customer needs and implement the skill set to act on those needs. A professional salesperson positions to gain trust and spends more time listening to the customer than talking, which is a strength of an introvert. In the same token, the salesperson partners to present solutions that solve problems, meet customer’s needs, and provide a benefit to the customer’s business. In this regard the salesperson earns the right to ask for the order at the right time in the buying process.
Introverts inherently possess and exemplify these key traits during the buying process:
· Presents a Serious approach to the customer’s scenario
· Builds Trust and rapport by being credible, relatable, legitimate
· Questions with relevance to the customer’s situation
· Listens for full understanding
· Gathers Customer Data to support a logical sales presentation
· Maintains a Positive Attitude throughout the process
· Uses Critical Thinking to offer solutions others may overlook
· Is Detail Oriented to ensure all options are explored
· Relates Experience with other customers in similar circumstances
· Recognizes Body Language for buying signals
· Shows Modesty and Humility when asking for the order
Whether in a call center environment, working a territory, handling key accounts, or engaging in online presentations, an introvert knows how to use inherent strengths to be an effective professional salesperson. Sales skills can be taught, learned, and implemented and introverts can be more studious than their extroverted counterparts.
In fact, depending on the complexity of the product or service being sold, and the transactional versus relationship nature of the process, I would lean toward hiring an introvert for more complicated selling – buying situations. I contend this to be true in pharmaceutical, engineering, financial and business planning, and education, among others.
Being an introvert myself, and proud of it, I used my inherent traits to have a successful sales career. I may not have been the best at cold calling, and certainly had to overcome my fears in this regard, but once positioned with the customer, I used my natural tendency as an introvert to gain my customer’s respect. I used my introverted personality as a strength, which proved beneficial for both me and my customers.
I hope you find this brief bullet point article to your benefit. For more information visit my website at tedkaye55.wixsite.com/21lessonslearned or contact me directly via LinkedIn.
All the best in your sales endeavors,
Ted
*Ye, Leslie, hubspot blog, How to Be in Sales as an Introvert, December 2019
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