Monday, April 9, 2007

Calling all introverts! I need your advice!

If you're in business, chances are you've had to sell something to someone. Maybe it's a product or service. When a lot of people start their businesses and they look forward to building their empire, one thing many of them don't enjoy is selling.

They love to do what it is they do, but selling for many is not a skill they have mastered. They have book shelves filled with books on the subject, have fiddled with sales coaches and taken seminars. BUT, the one thing all of these self-help tools have in common is the assumption that the reader is an extrovert and have no problem stepping up and talking to strangers. NOT SO! Introverts would love to be able to act like extroverts to sell, but have a real struggle even approaching the proper mind set.

THIS IS WHERE I NEED YOUR HELP!

I'm developing an eBook.

I'm looking for great sales stories from introverts, shy people, those of you who struggle to sell.

If you're someone who isn't prone to jumping into the limelight and selling, what have you done to over come your reluctance? Tell the rest of us out there, what successful techniques you've used to jump the reluctance hurdle.

This is your chance to inspire thousands of your fellow business people out there who can finally read genuine tips from real people who are not 'born sales people'.

What's your sales tip?

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Ed

Came across your post from my google blog search and saw your 'call for help'

Can I direct you to two blogs that at this moment cover most of this item?
http://dmiracle.com/
(you might have to scroll to some posts of last week)
and
http://consciouscooperation.com/blog/

Not what you might have expected as 'helpful' stories, but still think worthwhile for your research.

Ed Roach said...

Thanks for jumping in there Karin. Two great resources in the sites you recommended. I especially like Conscience Cooperation. This is going to be a fun project. I posted my "request for help" over at Marketing Profs. com in the forum area and have some nice tips there also.

Have a great week!

Ed Roach said...

Ed,
You might also ask your readers and on Marketing Profs if any introverts have found success by enrolling in expensive sales schools like Sandler. It would be interesting to find out if those techniques help people to become more extroverted about sales, or require a bit of extroversion to be successful in the first place.

-from Marcia Hoeck

Anonymous said...

Hey Ed,

One of the best things which has helped me in the past when I had to do simple sales promos over the counter was a thorough product knowledge and deep understanding of the benefits customers received from buying the product/service. Although this wasn't as serious as selling a house or car, it made me appreciate the minor things like my state, non-verbals and basic use of NLP.

When will this ebook be ready? I'm really keen to check it out when it's done...

Ed Roach said...

I've just started it Rob, but I hope to have something by fall. I have about 15 to 20 tips to date. I posted it on Marketing Profs.com in the forum area much like I did with the Windsor question. Ideally 101 sounds like fun. Marketing wise it is the old "101 handy tips to blah, blah, blah".

I know it would have been the one book I could have used when I started to take selling more seriously. As it is I'm learning quite a bit from this exercise.

I got the idea to move forward from Marcia Hoeck of Brands That Connect, who is also writing a book of her own. She was encouraged by Nettie Harstock who has written a few books herself and who's blog has some great resources on publishing and book writtin'.

 
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