Are you an introvert and struggling to get clients, and maybe letting that mindset get in the way of your getting clients? I can totally understand, because actually, even though I love doing videos and I love an audience, I am a huge introvert! You wouldn’t know that from watching me on these videos, but I am. Being labelled as an ‘introvert’ is actually determined by how you get your energy.
Being around a lot of people and big crowds is a huge energy drain for me. It’s very difficult for me to sustain that for long periods of time because of all of the noise that’s in the room, and all of the listening I have to do to be able to hear people. It’s hard for me to hear and understand people in large crowds, and I just pretty much start shutting down, and want to go back to my room and crawl in the fetal position.
Being an introvert is about deriving your energy from being alone, and for me it’s being alone in my thoughts, which I really treasure. It is a challenge then to be around a lot of people because it can be a draining experience. I will give you a few tips for how you can overcome some of the things that may be keeping you from getting clients because you are an introvert.
Tip #1: Think about the types of activities or events that you attend. You may want to do some events that are more structured as opposed to going to a bar late at night drinking with a bunch of people. To me, that’s not very appealing, but I’m much more willing to go to a business meeting or a business lunch. I prefer something that has more chances for quiet moments in between to give my mind a bit of a rest so I don’t get so overwhelmed by all of the noise in the room.
Tip #2: Don’t let the fact that you are an introvert keep you from meeting people and from doing things. Yes, it is more work for us who are introverts because it is actually a mental drain on us to do that, but when you own a business, you have to do the things that make you uncomfortable – that’s just part of owning a business. You have to be willing to put yourself out there and go through these functions and events that will be more draining to you. That’s part of business. Don’t let the mindset, “Well, I can’t go and network because I’m an introvert” get in your way. No, you need to do it! Maybe you don’t need to do it as much as other people do, but you need to do it.
Tip #3: Limit the length of time in which you attend an event. If an event is two hours, maybe you’ll just go for an hour. That’s all you can do at one time. Attend the event for just one hour rather than staying there the entire length of the meeting, and then also look for places where you can maybe talk to a few people in a quieter environment. Sometimes you can go outside (there may be outside seating). Maybe it’s just a corner of a room that’s more quiet than other places. Seek out opportunities for more quiet and intimate settings to talk to people.
Tip #4: Be willing to introduce yourself to people. You have to introduce yourself to people in networking events or events where you’re meeting people, and don’t be shy. Everybody’s a little scared at first of meeting other people, so just stick your hand out and say, “Hey, my name is _______ and what’s your name? What do you do?”. Ask people questions that you would want them to ask you. What do they do? Why did they start doing what they’re doing? What are they passionate about? How long have you been doing your job, or why did you start your business? Ask questions! The person who asks questions is the person who controls the conversation. What happens is that when you’re asking questions, you are in control of the conversation, and generally the person answering your questions will ask you the same questions back.
Tip #5: Have business cards and then hand out business cards to the people you meet. Say, “It was great meeting you. I’ll connect with you on LinkedIn,” and then move on to other people. The goal when you’re networking is to make just a few connections. You don’t need to collect 20, 50 business cards. You want to make some quality connections. As I said, you may be there for a shorter period of time than other people, so focus on making those quality connections rather than talking to someone for a very long time, or not talking to anyone and just standing in the corner.
Tip #6: Join the group. As I said before, it is is hard to meet people, and sometimes people are in a group. Join the group. Don’t be shy. They’ll let you in the group, so just walk in and join the circle (usually people get into a small circle). Join in, listen, and engage. At some point they’ll introduce themselves, or, if not, look for an opportunity to introduce yourself, and just get to know people.
So, those are my tips for really just building relationships first. Think about building a relationship with other people when you’re an introvert. The client part will come later, so first focus on building that relationship and getting out there, while understanding that it is more overwhelming, and it is more work for you. So, make some adjustments that I mentioned in these tips, and pretty soon you’ll feel a lot more comfortable going to networking events or meeting new people.
