It’s a misperception that all salespeople are extroverts who glide effortlessly into relationship building. Technology has changed the sales process, making cold calling less effective and increasing the importance of customer research, an exercise that is accomplished in solitude and with great focus, says Geoffrey James, a contributor to Inc.com and business blogger.
“Customers don’t find extroverted salespeople charming. On the contrary, most customers tune out the moment a seller looks or sounds like the stereotype,” James says.
Nevertheless, networking is an important component of sales no matter one’s personality. Sales leadership coach Liz Heiman says there are ways for introverted reps to make networking more comfortable:
Do your homework. The more a rep knows about a business event before arriving, the easier it is to navigate. Find out who will be there and how it will be structured. It may be worth researching board and members on LinkedIn to find out who they are. If there is someone it is important to meet, a rep should send a connection request with a note that lets them know they are looking forward to meeting them.
Brainstorm questions. All reps should think about what they would like to know about the people who are at the event, but this is especially important for introverts. Having questions planned will make the conversation easier. These questions will help reps frame their questions:
• What do you know about them?
• Why do you want to meet them?
• What would you like to know about them or their business?
• What do they see for their business or career in the next five years?
• What do they do when they aren’t working?
Find an empty chair. Rather than looking for people you might know, look for an empty chair where others are gathered and ask, “May I join you?” People are quick to include newcomers in the conversation.
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