Sales Call: Think Introvert and Business First

by: Rob Reed

The expectation that most people have of salespeople is that they are extroverts. While this may be true, it is important for the extroverted seller to understand that there are also many people who are introverts – including many of your potential customers.

When meeting a potential customer for the first time, though, a good rule of thumb is to assume your counterpart is an introvert until he or she shows otherwise.  It is even more important for you to lean toward the introverted side of your personality, or at least try to get to the middle with what you say and do when you first meet a potential customer.

Why? Because if you walk into a first-time meeting as a high-energy extrovert, there’s a chance that you will immediately turn your potential client off if he or she happens to be an introvert. And since most buying counterparts already perceive sellers to be extroverts, they will be looking for cues to reinforce this belief. If you walk in as a high-energy extrovert, then, you’ve reinforced what the buyer already believes and you’ve already failed your first test to differentiate yourself from other sellers.

On the other hand, if you walk in with a more subdued, introverted personality, an extroverted customer will not be turned off by this, and as soon as it becomes apparent that you’re dealing with an extrovert, you can quickly switch to your normal, extroverted self.

In addition, you may also want to think about discussing business first and personal or social issues second. It’s okay to exchange a few pleasantries about the weather, local sports teams, etc., but try to quickly show your counterpart that you value their time and are there to conduct business. The small talk can always take place later in the meeting. By simply changing the order in which you bring up business and social questions, you will quickly differentiate yourself from many, many salespeople.