Introverts Speak Out on What Doesn't Work for Them - and What Does

Successfully marketing your business needn't mean regimenting yourself in accordance with the advice of the "must brigade" - those who preach only one valid way to attract clients and customers.  Below are stories from introverts who rebelled and found their own way.

Forget About Cold Calling

"I know how I feel when people cold-call me to sell products and services. It's annoying. It's also frustrating when they don't want to take 'no' for an answer. As a result, I refuse to buy anything from them - even if I need it. I do not want to subject potential customers to this, because I feel that they probably would be annoyed and wouldn't ever consider me for my services.

"Instead of cold calls, I network, but not in the traditional sense of the word. When I go to meetings, I focus on meeting one or two people and taking the time to get to know them. We exchange contact information, and I keep in touch, but my communication is not to sell my services. 

"I follow up by saying it was nice to meet them and I would like to stay in contact. If I find information that they'd be interested in, like an article, I will send it to them, and just check in periodically to say hello. I have received work and referrals this way. It's about developing relationships, not gathering a pile of business cards."

Thumbs Down on Hype

You need to position yourself as having 'secrets' of great writing! 
You should tell people you guarantee they’ll ‘write like a pro.’

"Really? But I don’t have any secrets—just time-tested techniques to share. Today, many of the tips and tools I share are all over the Internet. The difference that I offer is my gentle-yet-effective approach to guiding people to write from their hearts. I encourage them to express their values and principles, not mine. 

"And I can’t guarantee anything but my own offerings. What people do with the techniques I share is up to them, governed by their motivation and dedication. I can inspire, support, and foster, but I cannot guarantee they’ll 'write like a pro.'

"Almost every day, I see new book titles, PDF reports, and marketing content that shout the most preposterous messages: How to Write a Book Proposal that Makes Publishers Beg for Your Manuscript! or Secret Writing Method: Write a Bestselling eBook in One Day Without Writing a Word! It’s difficult to imagine that anyone believes this hype.

"I’m grateful that I’ve made my peace with what I can offer authentically. I’ve fashioned my Web content and promotional copy so that it represents what it’s like to work with me. That’s the 'secret' of my success." 

Turning a Cheek to Facebook

"Confession: I absolutely loathe using Facebook to post status updates to my business 'friends.' An early adopter of Facebook, I have well over 1000 such friends, and nearly all are complete strangers to me.

"After my initial curiosity I found Facebook to be distractingly intrusive. And outrageously time-consuming, with little value received for the time invested.

"A private person who loves quiet, I ignored Facebook as best I could but felt slightly guilty for never posting anything. And then I discovered the Facebook business page.

"This is a page I can use to provide business information such as a newly released e-report or participation in an online event. Others can 'like' my page or posts or even respond – but it doesn’t matter either way.

"Having a Facebook business page also allows me to use Facebook’s remarkably inexpensive and targeted ads. So far I’ve mostly used ads for list-building, and they work.

"But if creating Facebook ads didn’t make me happy, I wouldn’t do it.  The beauty of marketing is in the immense variety of activities available to any business owner, all of which can bring you customers and income. Just focus on the ones you like – and freely forget the others."

Instead of Pursuing, I Sit Back

"Am I an introvert? Hard to tell. Put me on a stage, in front of a microphone, or in a room with a group of business colleagues, and it’s hard to shut me up.  But I am a bit of a hermit. And one thing is for absolute sure…I don’t take rejection well. 

"Nor do I feel comfortable blowing my own trumpet.  It’s for this reason that over 30 years as a freelancer I have never once made a cold call, or written a letter prospecting for work.

"I never ask for work. And this means I never have to make outrageous claims about my abilities or expertise. Or deal with people rejecting my advances.

"What I do instead is seed the marketplace with articles, posts, books and speaking engagements. I get out there a lot, and have slowly built the impression that I’m very good at what I do. I don’t make that claim, but I don’t mind giving that impression.

"As a result, prospective clients seek me out. I don’t have to go to them, because they come to me.

"Of course, when a client comes to you, it’s usually possible to charge them quite a bit more than when you go to them. Particularly if you give them the idea that you’re very busy. Whether you are or not.

"This approach works really well for me. And I’m thankful for that, because I don’t want to join the clamoring cloud of freelancers who are all screaming from the rooftops, claiming they are the best thing since sliced bread.  I don’t believe them, and I bet their prospective clients don’t either."

"The typical marketing advice sounds like this in my ears: 'Go go go, more more more.' In other words: Meet more people, exchange more business cards, call more people, speak as often as possible, host lots of webinars so you can reach more people, and on and on. It's all about quantity.

"However, quantity is not enough, and it's very misleading. You can go go go and get a big list and be very unsuccessful. Also, that typical marketing advice has no room to breathe or enjoy connecting with people in meaningful ways. People are reduced to numbers. And there's no room to tune in to what actually works for me and follow that path. I hate anything cookie cutter because it ignores what's true for an individual.

"Instead, I've learned to tune into what I love doing, and what seems to resonate with my audience, and to focus on that sweet spot. I get the best results right there. Everyone's sweet spot is unique.

"I believe in finding my kindred spirits and going deep. Quality over quantity.

"I follow my heart over anyone else's prescription. I still listen to what works for someone else but I always adjust any ideas for my way of doing things and then follow what works for me."

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