Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to be extroverted, to be successful in business. As an introvert, you have a unique set of skills you can bring to the business table. And, if you want to be successful as an introvert in business, you just have to learn how to embrace those skills instead of hiding behind them.
If you’re not quite sure how to do that, here are some pointers that will help.
Stop trying to be someone you’re not
Whether you’re an introvert or an extrovert, you can be successful in business. The mistake many introverts make is they think they need to change, in order to make that happen. You don’t!
You don’t need to be extroverted, loud, brash, massively confident or outgoing, to successfully run a business. It’s far more important for you to be YOU. Embrace who you are and stop trying to be someone you’re not – being authentic matters more.
Work to your strengths
A successful business owner knows their strengths. When you know what you’re good at, you can focus on expanding on those talents. Everything else can be outsourced.
But it’s equally important that you play to your strengths. If you’re not great at video – don’t do camera-facing videos. Opt for slides, animated videos, GIFs, or just opt for another form of content creation that allows your natural talents to shine.
Know when to push yourself
Just because you’re an introvert, doesn’t mean you hide away from everything. Like any business owner, you will have times when you don’t feel like doing something or have no motivation. Don’t use your introverted nature as your excuse. Sometimes, you just need to push yourself out of your comfort zone, to grow as an individual or to reach a bigger goal.
Find people who complement you
When you know your strengths, you also know what you’re not great at. Those are the things you look to outsource to others. But getting in help isn’t just about hiring a Virtual Assistant (although this will definitely help your business!). You want to build a support team around you that will complement you too.
If you’re creative, this could mean teaming up with someone who’s more practical. You may be great at the technical elements of business, but needs someone who can manage the customer service side of things. If you’re a visionary, you may need someone who can create a strategy and plan for you to make your dream a reality.
[If you’re not sure if hiring a Virtual Assistant or Admin Consultant will help you out, check out Why hire an Admin Consultant?]
Create the business you want
The key to business success is creating a business that works for you. It’s no good growing a business that doesn’t make you happy. As an introvert, there are ways you can tailor your business to suit your skills, talents and your natural desire to stay behind the scenes. That may mean focusing on email marketing and social media, rather than video and in-person events – but if that works for you, it’s the right thing to do.
Remember, it’s your business and it can look however you want it to look!
Delegating tasks is a great way for an introvert to be successful. Not only does it release the pressure of doing everything yourself, but it also helps cover those tasks you may currently be avoiding, due to your introverted nature. I’ve created a free download that will help you see what your time is going, as well as the tasks you should be outsourcing – plus there’s a list of 111 tasks a VA can do for you! So, head over and opt-in for your copy, here.
