Most marketing strategies and promotional tactics commonly used today sound like, well, nails on a chalkboard to introverts.
Here are some examples of online marketing strategies that most introverts just shouldn’t do:
- Hosting massive online events
- Hopping on live video after live video on 3 different social media platforms
- Running group programs with 100+ attendees
- Online networking in Zoom breakout rooms with other online conference attendees
- Influencer marketing (a.k.a. personal branding on steroids)
All of this sounds like a LOT for those of us who get our energy from deep connections and ample alone time. We know we wouldn’t be able to experience joy with these types of digital marketing strategies, even with the best of the team in place.
Which is why most introverts think that they “hate marketing”—because the forms of marketing being promoted online (and frankly, offline as well) don’t align with their personality type.
Which begs the question: How do we scale our businesses without sacrificing our introverted souls and overwhelming our nervous systems?
How the heck do we grow our loyal following and make more money without compromising our energy or losing track of who we really are along the way?
How can we, as introverts who run businesses, build wildly successful business that prioritize our need for lots of spaciousness and quiet time and snuggles with our pets and loved ones?
Marketing should never be about making yourself do things that feel utterly unnatural.
It’s about re-engineering the strategies you use to connect with your fellow humans in ways that feel good for you. We’re all about that joy—and you can find joy in your marketing efforts. Even if you’re an introvert.
So let’s dive in.
Marketing for Introverts: What Introverted Entrepreneurs Need
Introverts have very specific needs when it comes to growing a sustainable business online. And if we don’t honor those needs, we’ll inevitably burn out, feel isolated and lonely in our own businesses or sabotage our efforts.
Those needs are:
- Energy-safe places to gather: Social situations where people understand we aren’t going to show up with our energy dialed to the max and that we are quite fine listening deeply and sitting quietly.
- Deep talk, not small talk: We hate that ish. We desire to go deep with one another and connect with others on a soul level. That’s why introverts don’t like networking events (online or in real life) … business networking events are the epitome of small talk. There’s literally no other kind of talk on offer!
- A reason (soul goal) for why we’re attending: Remember, aimlessly mixing and mingling is our worst nightmare.
- Less stimulation: Asking us to dance, playing loud music, and speed networking are not good for our nervous systems. Slower, gentler, and smaller marketing events (and marketing strategies) are far less likely to overwhelm us.
Knowing what you need in order to thrive is an essential first step in growing your business. That’s my list above, but I encourage you to dig deep and figure out what your inner introvert really needs too.
The next step is to actually develop business systems for getting those needs met, so you can joyfully sell your services and products (without the hustle, grind, or burnout).
How To Do Marketing Like An Introvert
I haven’t always known I was an introvert. It’s something I discovered about myself a couple of years ago.
Following my introversion epiphany, I made some significant shifts to my business model, particularly in how I marketed and sold my services.
Here are some of the specific shifts I made to align my marketing efforts with my introverted personality type:
- I ditched the launch model and converted all programs to the Open Everyday model. (The launch model inevitably involved a lot of those live streaming and large online events—I left those feeling drained.)
- I added a business partner, Amy Hager, our lead coach and community creator, whose strengths build upon my own.
- I stayed in my Zone of Joy (teaching/training in community) and leveraged that joyful place for explosive growth.
- I hosted small intimate events (online and offline) that include lots of spaciousness in the schedule. And I use email marketing to promote online events (email marketing is a particularly friendly form of marketing for us introverts!)
- I only 10 days a month, ensuring that I have plenty of time to rest and replenish, so I can be the best coach and strategist for my clients.
The result?
By choosing to build and market my business in alignment with my personality, I no longer experience the crash and burn energy cycles.
I no longer work with clients in a way that zaps my energy.
And I no longer feel guilty for not being able to turn up my energy on demand.
Basically, I quit marketing and selling like an extrovert … and it made all the difference.
All of these tweaks helped me grow a sustainable, thriving business where I get to offer the specific things that I’m best at while giving my introverted self what I need to stay in the game.
But do you know what the biggest shift I made was that completely transformed my business?
I no longer hide that I’m an introvert in my marketing.
After 9 years as a successful business owner, I embraced being seen for who I am and what I need in order to show up as my best self.
And because of this, I’m able to bring awareness and call in perfect-fit clients who see that being exactly who they are is GOOD ENOUGH.
So if you’re an introverted entrepreneur or an ambivert entrepreneur (someone who just needs lots of quiet time to recharge) then I am here for you.
The amazing news is that there is a type of marketing for you that will bring you joy—it’s the type of marketing that aligns with your content personality. Don’t know what that is yet? Find out by taking our online content personality quiz.
Because there are lots of options for marketing strategy as an introvert, and finding the right strategy for you is as easy as completing this quiz. (Marketing tip: Written communication is probably about to become one of your go-to marketing activities.)
With a few tweaks, you too can have the business of your dreams. We’d love to show you the way.
