Marketing for Introverts: How to Promote Your Services When You Hate Self Promotion
Nov 03, 2021When you speak to someone about your business—whether it is a professional pitch or a casual plug—do you find it easy or do you struggle with it feeling forced, unauthentic, and draining, resulting in no prospective clients?
If you answered the latter, rest assured, the problem isn’t you; it is what you are doing (or not doing) that is hurting you.
If you are struggling with promoting yourself or, worse yet, fearful and therefore not doing it at all, I am here to help you overcome your fear with some tips on marketing for introverts, because you are just as deserving of public recognition as your outgoing counterparts.
It is time to dissolve the fear that keeps you stuck and invisible! With these introvert-friendly marketing tips, you will be prepared the next time an opportunity presents itself and you won’t leave feeling drained.
Have you read my post: Entrepreneur Mistakes: 3 Ways You’re Sabotaging Your Success yet? If not, do! You are already making one of the mistakes—being too humble and not marketing yourself. So, make sure you aren’t making any more!
Marketing for Introverts: The Importance
Marketing—the action of promoting products and services—is extremely important for any business, of course, but especially for a small business like yours. And as a one-woman show, it is all on you, my friend. So, go ahead and add “expert marketer” to your resume.
It can be a lot easier when you are a naturally sociable person and love to spread your wings in public—chatting to anyone and everyone. On the contrary, this can be a rather difficult task when you are more reserved. In fact, socializing in general may be a stretch, let alone talking about yourself.
But that’s just it—in order to get your name out there, you have to talk about yourself. You need to share how your business can light up people’s lives. Here are a few ways to get noticed.
Self Promotion Tip 1: Use Your Clients
Your clients are your easiest and most important marketing strategy and best of all, it is absolutely free! Here’s how it works: you simply do what you always do—produce a high quality product or service, offer great customer service and, in turn, your clients will rave about you to others. Their enthusiasm will entice other people to want to know more about you. This word of mouth strategy is timeless and effective.
Of course, do not forget to ask your clients for a review so you can also share the good word on your website and social channels.
Online reviews and ratings actually have a psychological effect on us. There is a phenomenon called social proof, where positive recommendations influence your decision.
Think about it: When you see a business that has 100’s of 5 star reviews, there is an automatic assumption that they treat their customers well and their product or service is top quality. This is social proof.
When your clients boast about you, they are providing valuable insight into the services and/or products that your business offers.
To encourage your clients even more, perhaps offer a promotion to those who refer others to you (and actually sign up for your service). You can also reward the new prospective client.
Marketing for Introverts Tip 2: Use Your Strengths
Find your strengths and lean into those marketing avenues that light you up as opposed to doing what “everyone else” is doing.
As an introvert, you are probably a keen observer, intuitive, and a great listener, naturally. Use these skills to attract your ideal client.
Listen and empathize with your audience. People are drawn to authenticity.
Not sure what strengths you have? Read this post: How To Find Your Purpose (And Build A Business Around It).
Self Promotion Tip 3: Be Purposeful
Make genuine connections with people—sometimes one person at a time instead of trying to appeal to the masses.
In a world where we are inundated with information and ever-emerging trends, it can be hard not to be swayed by others and get wrapped up in constant comparisons. Remember to be true to yourself; that is your superpower.
Social Media
I have a love/hate relationship with social media. For personal use, it is great for keeping in touch with people and remembering past times. For professional use, it can be great for gathering inspiration but while you are admiring other people’s work, you have to be careful not to let the inspiration become intimidation.
Try limiting your scrolling and focus more on marketing your business by: writing engaging content, posting interesting images and graphics, commenting and “liking” certain profiles to get their attention and attracting potential clients.
Marketing for Introverts Tip 4: Be Soul-Aligned
When overcoming the fear of self-promotion, make sure the vision and mission of your business are driven by your soul’s desires. You’ll remember from this post that a successful business needs to fill a void in someone’s life somehow.
What is it that you most deeply desire to contribute to the world? And what problem does it solve for people?
When you are so aligned, it will not only be easy for you to share your business with others, you’ll be excited to do so!
Self Promotion Tip 5: Be in Tune with your Tribe
While you are soul-aligning your values and vision, make sure you are in tune with your specific tribe as well. When you are in tune with your dream clients, the time you spend writing copy for your social channels and website won’t be wasted—and the writing won’t go unseen. It will attract the exact people you want. Sing the right tune to the right audience!
How many of these tips are you implementing in your business already? Make sure to read the two other posts I referred to:
How to Find your Purpose (And Build a Business Around it)
Entrepreneur Mistakes: 3 Ways You’re Sabotaging Your Success
Remember, the problem isn’t you, it is what you are doing (or not doing). So, utilize these tried and true self promotion tips and dissolve your invisibility cloak, literally and figuratively.