| In 1998 I wrote my first book, Sales Skills for An | | | | 17. Learn to value yourself and what power you |
| Unfair Advantage: 104 Sales Tips for People in a | | | | bring to a much wanted selling environment. |
| Hurry. Sales professionals still seem to be in a | | | | 18. Pump up your composure and self-control to |
| hurry! With speed in mind and a focus being to | | | | communicate self-confidence. |
| help in particular, here are 35 tips to help | | | | 19. Get a massage to dissolve that tension carried |
| introverts and shy to sell more easily. Sales | | | | in your muscles from any extended times of |
| professionals can start and use these either in the | | | | extroverting. |
| final days of the year, or anytime. In particular, | | | | 20. Stay true to your nature in networking and |
| these are for introverts with a few for shy and | | | | always leave a little early. |
| even the reluctant extrovert salespeople. | | | | 21. After any networking take time to get |
| 1. Take time and use your listening skills to build | | | | organized by making notes of people you met |
| rapport and trust. | | | | that you want to follow-up with. |
| 2. Make your interest in research your strength | | | | 22. Perfect for our planning nature: practice both a |
| and take time to work in silence at planned times | | | | 30 second and 60 second version of the |
| in the day. | | | | introductory elevator pitch. |
| 3. Go with a friend to networking events so they | | | | 23. Create a blog for marketing so you can build |
| can make introductions for you. | | | | credibility while nurturing that introverting desire. |
| 4. Rather than try to engage in small talk, ask | | | | 24. Bring to mind something that makes you smile |
| open-ended questions when you are networking | | | | often throughout the day to lighten up your |
| and then listen and learn. | | | | thoughtful expression. |
| 5. To overcome shyness and avoid networking | | | | 25. Make asking for referrals one of your top |
| opportunities altogether, join a social group with | | | | marketing activities since you value personal and |
| friends to accustom yourself to the environment. | | | | deep relationships. |
| 6. To manage your introversion when networking, | | | | 26. Work from the inside out and convince |
| take planned breaks to grab a drink or go to the | | | | yourself first that you have a valuable product or |
| restroom. | | | | service. |
| 7. Boost your confidence and belief in yourself by | | | | 27. As your business grows, outsource some of |
| reflecting on past successes in any endeavors | | | | the more extroverted activities and do what you |
| before you engage in sales and marketing actions. | | | | do best. |
| 8. Take time to write a thoughtful thank you note | | | | 28. Approach sales meetings with an agenda; |
| after first meeting someone. | | | | written or spoken. |
| 9. Stay focused on people who you meet by | | | | 29. Keep a journal of successes along the way |
| maintaining eye contact through 80% of your | | | | and refer to it often. |
| conversation and you will eliminate external | | | | 30. Schedule exercise or meditation into days that |
| distractions. | | | | are going to be more extroverting than |
| 10. Take advantage of email to get your | | | | introverting. |
| message just right. | | | | 31. Just take a step at a time and only build the |
| 11. To get known and become memorable, write | | | | social skills you believe you would most enjoy. |
| articles for the internet as well as trade | | | | 32. Find role models to help you get out of your |
| publications. | | | | head and instead know that if one person can do |
| 12. Take advantage of social online networking | | | | it, you can too. |
| and set a goal for a comfortable number of | | | | 33. Find the right sales organization which might be |
| networks and number of contacts you want to | | | | one that balances selling with a product or service |
| make. | | | | that requires analyzing and problem solving. |
| 13. Be more curious about how you can help | | | | 34. Take advantage of follow-up meetings for |
| others and become known as a connector. | | | | breakfast or coffee since the structure is usually |
| 14. Focus on and use your strengths of listening, | | | | shorter than lunch. |
| planning and preparedness for all your sales and | | | | 35. Value yourself; you learned that in tip #17, |
| marketing. | | | | because you bring power in ways much wanted |
| 15. Develop a sales and marketing plan that fits | | | | by the buyers of today. |
| you instead of trying to follow some extrovert | | | | All professional salespeople do introverting and |
| model. | | | | extroverting all day long. It's the nature of the |
| 16. Perfect your ability to shine in discussing bigger | | | | selling process as you work toward the benefit of |
| and deeper issues by scheduling follow-up | | | | a prospect to go from research, to planning, to |
| meetings from networking events. | | | | sales conversations and follow-up. |