Networking for introverts: is it any easier on the internet?

There's FaceBook, LinkedIn, Fastpitchnetworking, ecademy, Naymz, myspace and the number of social and business networking online websites grows daily.

Here's one introverts plan of approach. Javen Ackerman outlines his approach with his top three online networking sites of choice. Then he considers how to make a smoother ride of it your local business community.

What do you think? Are you online at any of the social and business networking sites? I am interested!

Patricia Weber
The Sales Accelerator Coach for Introverts, Shy and the MOST Reluctant
What is the area of sales of your greatest sales reluctance?
Take this sales survey. Read more!

Two Qualities for Top Sales Strategies

What would you guess to be at least two qualities to create more relationships and more opportunities?

OK; what would just one quality be?

Well, in Crain's Manchester Business being a good listener is one of them. He too claims that as introverts, or those with more introversion, there's a distinct advantage for this to be more natural.

Whether you are in sales or a small business owner, listening is a people skill to develop.

What do you think? Is he right? Is this yet another skill we tend to let limit our abilities?

What do you say? You know what I would say!

Patricia Weber
The Sales Accelerator Coach for Introverts, Shy and the MOST Reluctant
What is the area of sales of your greatest sales reluctance?
Take this sales survey. Read more!

Best salespeople traits

What do you think about a current article reprint of a 2007 article appearing in the sales career section of The Wall Street Journal? It's titled, Want to Work on Commission? Make Sure You Have a Nest Egg.

And, if you are an introvert like me, can I trust you to let the writer know, point number one by a sales manager he interviewed, "just ain't so!"


Patricia Weber
The Sales Accelerator Coach for Introverts, Shy and the MOST Reluctant
What is the area of sales of your greatest sales reluctance?
Take this sales survey. Read more!

2008 Sales Reluctance Survey Findings Revealed

The five categories in the sales reluctance survey I mentioned focused on: 1) networking events, 2) losing a sale, 3) delivering a proposal or presentation, 4) follow-up and 5) sales slumps.

Here's one of the problems uncovered about networking:

Do you go to networking events without meeting the right, and enough people, like 31.4% of people I’ve surveyed say they do.

But take one step back.

Before you can put effective networking conversations in place, your beliefs about the sales process have to support you in that same direction. It's techniques that allow you to make the value connection without feeling so self-conscious so that then the relationship will develop naturally from there.

Here's a networking strategy to loosen that straight jacket of sales reluctance:

Networking is one marketing strategy that finds you leads and connections. But how often do you go to a network event and have your energy sizzle out for you before you get what you intended to? I bet you've even experienced times when you wanted to turn around before you even arrived! The attitudes, behaviors and emotional methods that work need to be within your comfort zone so that you become energized about going to your next networking event. Really.

My Special Tip For Your Next Event.

First, here's one of my favorite techniques when you do go to a networking event.

Most sales training or even sales coaches might tell you to go to an event and meet as many people as possible. Talk with and get business cards from everyone you can. Then follow up with everyone to find out about your next step.

Whew, I'm exhausted just saying that as an idea.

Here's a little peek at what I know that you can do that you likely aren't already. Or else why would you be so held in the grips of sales reluctance?

So here's a strategy for the sales reluctant:

• Plan to go to an event.
• Decide in advance how many people or even who you want to meet.
• You might even want to ask a friend at the event to introduce you to just those people.
• Get only these people's business cards.
• Ask people to write their birthday on the back of their card – month and day only!
• If other people ask you for your card, give them only if you decide you intuitively know there is some worthwhile connection.
• Then, within two days, systematize your follow up with people and invite them to your next step to connect after the event. Also, use your system to send them a birthday card when it rolls around.

I'm headed to a local networking event this evening and I'll be both doing this myself and thinking that you might be out doing the same.

Listen.

Everyone loves to know you remember their birthday. Here's a great tip I stumbled on to make your telephone do JUST that for you!

Is this networking for the "right people", people you want to meet strategy more doable? Is it within your reach?

Give it a try and let me know how it works for you.

Pat Weber, America's Sales Reluctance Coach
Specializing for Introverts and Shy
http://www.prostrategies.com
Shy? Introvert? Reluctant about any part of the sales process?
Custom TIPAMONTH Marketing is an easy solution!
http://www.remembergreetingcards.com/easyfollowup test drive an account.

PS You can still take the sales reluctance survey! Read more!

Intoverts and Extroverts on Even Ground with Self-Confidence

I have an ecourse on Self-Confidence. Actually one that is for men and women and one for women only.

When I was researching certain pieces of the lessons, I found a clarification between self-esteem and self-confidence:

Self-esteem is how you think and feel about yourself. It is how YOU perceive you.

Self-confidence is a belief in yourself and abilities. You can have different levels of self-confidence in different areas of your life.

You may have already understood the difference. But knowing this difference, you will possibly find 9 Steps to Unshakeable Confidence by 9 Steps by Dr Jill Ammon-Wexler more meaningful. What I like most about the article is that it puts introverts and extroverts on even ground with self-confidence.

Sign up to receive a FREE Report, FREE ezine and FREE Teleclasses from Pat Weber - America’s #1 Coach for Introverts, Shy and Reluctant People Who Sell at http://www.prostrategies.com.

Uncover your personality and #1 selling strategy with quick assessment tools at
http://www.prostrategies.com/free/Type_Assess.php Read more!

Introverts and Balance in Business Networking

If you are an introvert like me, belonging to more than one organization for networking, you want to balance your energy and time. Everyone though wants a balance of give and take in resources, contacts, or clients. This keeps you in a steady flow of receiving. But in particular as an introvert and a salesperson, what are some ways to achieve this balance?

1) In a structured or unstructured event, when you connect with a number of contacts or connections for your specific networking purpose, you take don’t you? You take away something of value for yourself. Do you follow-up with those contacts? Don’t leave it up to them. You can do it easily enough without much extroverting. You can use something like I do, sendoutcards.

2) Do you follow-up with something they want from you? If you can, be on the giving end early in whatever way you can no matter how small. Your reputation will grow to be a connector. Giving is fairly easy for an introvert easy on because of our wanting to have close, but few connections.

3) If you belong to the association or organization participate on a committee. Even if there is one specific thing you know you can contribute for a committee, let someone know what you can do. Yes; you balance your membership with giving.

4) You may have some specific comments for the facilitator of an event to know that it was worthwhile. After all, you got a positive return on your time and energy didn’t you? Pick up the telephone or email that person to thank them.

5) You meet someone you know would be a valuable connector for you. Another take. Balance by talking for a few minutes to build rapport, with an exchange of cards and then move on. As an introvert I love being free to move on and recharge.

6) You got a referral you asked for. Now what do you give back? It’s quite appropriate to write a handwritten note or give a small gift to appreciate the person who opened the door for you.

7) If you always take but are short to give, you will find yourself not reaping all you can. If you always give but do not take, you will find yourself on the short end and maybe resentful. Stay in balance to stay in the flow of networking.

It’s a studied fact that when you balance give and take, you reap more than you would than if you just take. Reflect on how your networking balances give and take. Then act to either be or maintain balance.

Sign up to receive a FREE Report, FREE ezine and FREE Teleclasses from Pat Weber - America’s #1 Coach for Introverts, Shy and Reluctant People Who Sell at http://www.prostrategies.com.

Uncover your personality and #1 selling strategy with quick assessment tools at
http://www.prostrategies.com/free/Type_Assess.php Read more!

Intoverts Can't Lead? NO WAY!

INTJ is my Myers Briggs assessment for at least 20 years. Really. In that time I have: lead a sales organization of about 30 salespeople as sales manager; as president lead a women's business owner association with 150 members; as VP of Membership for another women's organization took the lead to get a directory online and I could literally bore you with these leadership roles.

I was reading Introverts versus Extroverts in which the author implies that only extroverts lead. Oh, there is one sentence eluding to that there are introverts who lead, "Some will lead in a realm that will be readily recognized, others will lead in their own quiet way."

I know I wasn't quiet in any sense of the word. Gee. I can remember one of my outside salespeople gifting me with contractor boots and note about "Kick Butt."

I think there are some cases that this is true that an introvert WOULD lead in an unassuming way. But to say that extroverts are going to be recognized as leaders and introverts will lead but not necessarily be known by doing - it's just not true.

What do you think?

Sign up to receive a FREE Report, FREE ezine and FREE Teleclasses from Pat Weber - America’s #1 Coach for Introverts, Shy and Reluctant People Who Sell at http://www.prostrategies.com.

Uncover your personality and #1 selling strategy with quick assessment tools at http://www.prostrategies.com/free/Type_Assess. Read more!

Self-Talk to Sales Success for Introverts

As introverts we spend a good deal of time in our own heads. Do you listen to your self-talk? What is your self-talk saying? How is your self-talk serving you? If your self-talk is more negative, and sounds like a snake’s rattle, it will scare you off from moving forward. This is poisonous thinking for people who are salespeople.

Most of us have reoccurring thought patterns which we repeat over and over again. Research shows that these repetitive thoughts create a neural pathway in our brain. If you have heard the term ‘limiting beliefs’, then you know it is negative self-talk over time that does this to your brain. The good news is that you can change the pathway.

Having a positive outlook and self-talk is a must have for salespeople. Yet, how is this possible if you are in a slump, just lost a customer or find yourself reluctant to even follow-up? How do you move away from the snake’s rattle?

Negative self-talk affects your emotions, which in turn affects your actions, and in the end can limit your sales performance.

Listen to yourself. Have you ever said something like “I don’t have what it takes”, “I didn’t deserve that sale anyway”, or “Why can’t I succeed?” The first part to change that neural pathway and shake off the snakes rattle is to recognize what you are saying to yourself, in particular what you say repeatedly.

Change your focus. Have an opposite and positive affirmation to replace the negative. Replace the thought “I don’t have what it takes,” with “I’m learning what works.” Instead of saying “I didn’t deserve that sale,” rephrase it to “I can learn from that experience.” The key is to say something to yourself that moves you in a more positive direction.

Challenge your thinking. You might want to ask yourself, “Is this thought beneficial to me now? What is underlying this negativity? How is it helping me? Or is it?” You want to be easy with yourself yet challenge the relevancy and benefit of such thinking.

James Lane Allen (1849 –1925), an American novelist, is credited with saying, “You are today where your thoughts have brought you; you will be tomorrow where your thoughts take you.” You could reframe Allen’s quotation with “Your sales results today, are where your thoughts today have brought you. Your sales results will be tomorrow where your thoughts take you.” Where do you want your sales results to be?

Put It Into Action:
- What one thought, one self-talk phrase, can you identify right now which you believe is the most negative one for you?

- What one thing can you plan do to when you next hear this negative self-talk? (Hint: Decide on an action that moves you to the total opposite thought.)

- Once you have a more positive thought in place of this working in your self-talk, what will that mean for you? Stay focused on this benefit for you.

Want more ideas for being the best introvert in business you can be?

Sign up to receive a FREE Report, FREE ezine and FREE Teleclasses from Pat Weber - America’s #1 Coach for Introverts, Shy and Reluctant People Who Sell at http://www.prostrategies.com.

Uncover your personality and #1 selling strategy with quick assessment tools at http://www.prostrategies.com/free/Type_Assess. Read more!

Sales Results Group for Introverts Like A Library

As a sales coach for introverts, shy and reluctant, I know that at times I find it worthwhile to work with a small group of other like-minded coaches to help me through any business dilemmas. With this is mind, the Sales Results Group is born.

The Sales Results Group is designed to be like a library, a safe place to explore and learn. You add to sales skills and knowledge, refine what you have already with the support of an expert, and you are required to take action week to week.

If you already have a foundation for sales and marketing, but want more results, more easily and more often, this is the program for you.

The Sales Results Group is for Salespeople, Independent Professionals and Small Business Owners who sell, who want to get to your sales goals sooner, not later. It is for people who want an environment that gives you additional skills information that you may not already have and moves you more quickly to your goals.

The Sales Results Group is for you if...

• Your sales attitude is mostly positive about wanting to help customers to buy from you.
• You have the basic understanding of the selling and buying process.
• You have prospects that are moving along the marketing channel to a point of making a decision.
• You have a good idea of the high priority activities of selling.
• You know have best customers who buy from you.
• You don’t think of yourself as a salesperson.
• You claim there’s not enough time to prospect AND follow up.

You can learn more about it at my website. Read more!

Where are you along the introversion and extroversion continuum?

This month I have done more extroverting that I normally do so needless to say, I am exhausted. Yesterday I was invited to be a guest speaker in a local Chamber of Commerce networking group.

Let me pose the same question to you as I did to them: knowing that we ALL do introverting and extroverting all day long, can you identify some of your favorite activities of either type?

Not surprising to me, however to the group it was, once they got going, light bulbs began to come on!

Yes; many people like reading - on the introvert side of the continuum. On this side are also activities like contemplating, planning, preparing, meditating, gardening, having lunch alone, listening to relaxing music at a low volume, and listening.

I believe that listening is more toward the middle of this "doing" continuum.

And then the extroverting actions are more like hosting a party, lunching with friends, happy hour events, networking events, speaking or in public, going to a party.

Most people, once they understand the continuum, can identify their preferences of "doing" and then have more understanding of what gives them energy.

What other activities do YOU like doing and which side of the continuum would you list in on? Read more!