I’m planning to attend the Online International Virtual Assistants Convention next month. It’s an introvert’s dream come true - tons of learning and networking opportunities, all from the comfort of your own home!

One of the presentations that caught my eye is called Dare to Be Different: The Extrovert Approach for the Introvert. When I first read the title, I was quite excited to have a session just for us introverts, but when I read it again, I felt quite differently. I acknowledge that as a small business owner, it has been necessary for me to step outside my comfort zone on many occasions, either to do public speaking, or to mix and mingle with strangers. However, I consider myself to be fairly successful, but it hasn’t happened because I took an “extrovert” approach. It has happened because by being true to myself, I have attracted clients who value me for who I am. Many of my clients are also introverts, and are quite happy to communicate primarily via email or instant messenger rather than by telephone or face-to-face.

So, although I am curious as to what the presenter has to say about the subject, (the seminar description doesn’t tell me much), since there are so many wonderful topics to choose from, I think I’ll have to give this one a pass.

By Nancy Ancowitz

We’re about half of the population. We like to think before we speak. We spend time alone because it refreshes us, not because we’re lonely. And we would rather have a few in-depth conversations than work the room at a networking event. We’re introverts.

Many of us have some introverted and some extroverted inclinations, but most lean more one way than the other. Personality assessments, such as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, can offer context and insight into your tendencies, but basically, introverts are people who draw and recharge their energy from within, while extroverts get energy from people and other external sources. The list of well-known introverts might surprise you. These include Bill Gates, Steve Martin, and the late Katherine Graham, publisher of the Washington Post.

Introverts may excel at marketing other people and products, but compared to many extroverts, marketing ourselves does not always come naturally. In a world that seems to reward glad-handing and horn-tooting, how can we attract the best employers and clients? How do we compete in business environments that reward thinking quickly, knowing a little about a lot, and talking rather than listening — traits that aren’t characteristically our strong suits?

To read the rest of this article:

• visit ExecutiveRegistry
• click on Expert Advice
• click on View Article Archive
• click on Marketing Yourself
• scroll down the page to find this article

I’m sorry, but I wasn’t able to link directly to the article page.

by Donna Gunter

I’ve tried any number of ways to market my business: attending networking functions, joining professional associations, exhibiting at trade shows, just to name a few of my tactics. However, despite my best intentions, I’ve gotten little or no business as a result of my efforts. I know that part of the reason for a lack of return on my investment in these items is my poor follow-up with contacts I’ve made, but I think it goes a bit deeper than that.
[Read the rest of this entry »]

Here’s another helpful article. I have no doubt that the author is an expert in her field, but her website looks like a shopping mall on Christmas Eve, and I wasn’t able to find the additional tips referred to in her article. Maybe you will have better luck!

Introverts Can Network and So Can You
by Susan Dunn, MA, The EQ Coach

Tomaso arrives at the office with a bag of breakfast tacos for the staff. He sells paper, a highly competitive business, and he’s a top salesman for his company. Tomaso is also an introvert.

The smart people have always known that business is about relationships. Now it’s called “networking,” and it’s always been the way to make money. Twenty years ago, my mentor told me, “Here’s the key, Susan. People do business with people they like and trust. That’s all you need to know.” Networking is the only way to do that.

[Read the rest of this entry »]