I am an introvert and learning how to market myself and my business was one of the most challenging things I’ve done so far.

Here is what used to make me uncomfortable:

1. Public speaking
2. Speaking about myself and my accomplishments
3. Talking about why my business is amazing
4. Going on live videos
5. Getting my photo taken
6. Networking
7. Communicating verbally (I am much better at writing than speaking)

Showing up online not only drained me, but it also made me feel really insecure.

On top of that, I also struggled with a major case of impostor syndrome as my business began to flourish. 
But I got through it… and here is what I have learned.

Marketing tips for introverts

1. Being an introvert makes my business more successful! Why? Because I do a lot of listening.  I listen to my clients and audience and I make sure that I provide them EXACTLY what they need.  So listen to your audience, implement what they need, and this will set you apart from the rest!
   
   
2. Deciding what success meant for me.  I would often compare myself to influencers and Instagram accounts that had “viral” content and tens of thousands of followers.  I realized that I had VERY little in common with these people/accounts and I realized that comparing myself to them made NO sense.  I needed to determine my own way to measure success.
   I now determine my success by:
   1. My revenue – I am building a stable, long-term business that can financially provide for my family, allows me to hire staff, and expand and grow. The numbers matter to me – but not influencer numbers, income numbers.
   2. The clients I serve. I provide a direct service – our websites and branding packages make a significant impact in the businesses we work with.  I measure my success by the quality of our work and the impact it has on other businesses.
      
      
3. Staying true to yourself.  I am a nerd, I like start trek, technology, and learning (a lot). For so long I wanted to be the “cool kid” but what I realized is that trying to market my business in a way that wasn’t authentic to me was actually putting a halt to my success.  When I stepped into myself and began to show my audience and clients who I am things changes significantly. I began to gain their trust, increase my authority in my field, and really connected with my clients and following.   So stay true to yourself, it’s so important!
   
   
4. Doing the HARD work.  I knew that as an introvert I would NEED to work on my communication skills and sales skills. This part of growing sucked.  I would practice speaking in a mirror. And then to my husband.  And then on recorded video. And then on LIVE videos and webinars. This didn’t happen overnight but within a month of constantly working on my communication, I saw a massive improvement in my ability to speak and share my thoughts. I now work on my communication daily and feel much more confident in how I show up to my audience.
   1. I also read a book on sales called To Sell Is Human by Daniel Pink it gave me a fresh perspective on sales and really changed my mindset around “selling”.
      
      
5. Get help from a few selected individuals.  I don’t have a large circle – I prefer to stick to myself and my select few.  Part of my small crew is my mentor and my marketing team.
   Yes, I hired a company to do my marketing – but this wasn’t until I worked on all of the above. Without doing the above-mentioned work, I wouldn’t have had the revenue to be able to hire out my social media and marketing. I did this because it allowed me to focus on my strengths (website design) – and my team could focus their attention specifically on my marketing.

So if you are an introvert and if you find marketing and sales hard, I get it, I was there too. Just keep on going and keep on practicing!

• Laurel, Owner LB Media