introvert: Fearless Socializing - the Favorit-est Tips!
- 11/20/11 11:03 PM
Thanks to everyone who attended last Thursday's SWS teleseminar show 'specially for introverts about Socializing Without Fear or Discomfort!
If you are naturally socially-inclined, you may think that going out into the world with a smile and a hearty hello for everyone you find there is an easy, natural thing to do! But for those of us who aren't quite as socially comfortable, who enjoy time with ourselves far more than time spent in a crowd, who become frazzled and exhausted after too much social interaction - we sometimes feel inadequate, inferior or even fatally-flawed because we aren't interested in being the … (10 comments)
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introvert: A Perfectly Reasonable "Excuse" Not to Cold-Call!
- 01/26/10 11:07 PM
I'm doing a little one-on-one consulting with a relatively new agent (who's gonna ROCK!) in Denver. We have similar personalities when it comes to our feelings about prospecting and business-building, so our conversations about prospecting always lead to some interesting A-HA moments for both of us.
Anyway, yesterday, my agent friend told me about a conversation he had with a like-minded career coach - one who specializes in matching personality types with business-building strategies. According to this coach (and my friend's score on the MBTI), my friend is capable of cold-calling and door-knocking for business, and he might even be rather good … (91 comments)
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introvert: The Sincere Introvert Interview, Part Deux
- 01/06/10 09:09 PM
Here's the interview - it was another fun one!
Right before Christmas, I did a live interview with PI Window on Business's Jon Hansen with the somewhat cryptic title: The Sincere Introvert: Sincerity and Vulnerability in the Age of Personal Branding. The premise of the interview was to discuss how a self-professed introvert (that would be me) was able to succeed in a sales-oriented career by creating a "quiet" personal brand.
Good stuff, if I do say so myself. I had a good time, anyway.
Well, my 45 minutes flew by, and according to Jon, the audience seemed entranced (okay, those are my words, not … (5 comments)
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introvert: A Live Interview - The Sincere Introvert: Sincerity and Vulnerability in the Age of Personal Branding
- 12/16/09 05:42 AM
The live show is over - but here's a link to it. I had a great time; hope the audience did, too... there's some good stuff here if I do say so me-self. Thanks Jon!
Hey, if you have a minute (okay, an hour) in the middle of the day today (12:30 eastern), please consider tuning in for my interview on the Introvert Experience with Jon Hansen! He sent me an outline of the program last night and yipes! He has some good questions - ones I've never answered before... some I've never even thought much about.
I better … (16 comments)
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introvert: Is Shaking Hands Too 20th Century in Today's Germophobic World?
- 08/14/09 12:20 AM
Last year (or the year before? Egads), I wrote a blog called "Always extend your hand first" which encouraged the more introverted among us to always initiate the handshake instead of waiting for the other person to do it. Why? Because if the other person doesn't do it, and no handshake ensues, the relationship starts off awkwardly.
I got an email yesterday from someone who didn't agree with me (and that's always cool). She said that she's finding more and more people avoiding hand-contact upon introduction due to concerns about germs & flu's & such. So, she's decided never to … (20 comments)
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introvert: My First Interview on the "Introverted Salesperson" Experience
- 07/12/09 11:04 PM
Been talking a lot about the Introverted Salesperson/Real Estate Agent experience lately - at least, here on Active Rain - so I guess I should say I've been writing a lot about it.
This Wednesday morning, I'll get to TALK about it on live radio! While I've done lots of radio interviews before, I've never addressed this particular topic live, so if you tune in, you can see for yourself how well I think on my feet.
Here are the details:
Get More Business! - Featuring Jennifer Allan, The Introverted Salesperson's New Best Friend Check out my interview with Jennifer Allan. Jennifer … (10 comments)
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introvert: Making New Friends to Sell Real Estate To - a Guide for Introverts & Other Reluctant Networkers
- 07/08/09 01:33 AM
I don't know what it is lately, but I'm getting slammed with emails from readers (that sounds negative, I don't mean it to be - I love hearing from y'all!) about how to meet people to add to their Spheres of Influence. Since a lot of my readers lean toward the introverted side of the personality teeter-totter, they bemoan the fact that they "just aren't that friendly" or "don't enjoy networking events." ME, TOO, and ME, NEITHER!
So, how does a not-that-friendly, networking-phobic real estate agent make new friends?
First, let's clarify why we might want to have more friends as … (46 comments)
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introvert: The Real Estate Numbers Game in Reverse - Did You Impress More than You Annoyed?
- 06/19/09 02:50 AM
As the Introverted Real Estate Agent's New Best Friend (I just made that up), I give out a lot of advice on how to make a real estate career work even if you aren't the most outgoing, charismatic social butterfly in town. The other day I was asked about the appropriateness of adding people to your mailing list (either email or snail-mail) without their permission. Spam issues aside (we're talking about people we know, not strangers), many introverts are hesitant to begin any structured communication with a friend or acquaintance for fear of annoying them.
I get that. Oh, how … (15 comments)
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introvert: Introverts are Salespeople, too! A Recap
- 06/07/09 11:58 PM
Kicked off the Summer of Soul over the weekend with Susan Haughton's interview "Introverts are Salespeople, too!" Good show, great crowd!
Highlights from Saturday's show include:
1. An introvert is a much better salesperson when approached, rather than when he does the approaching (when he attracts business rather than pursues it)
2. An introvert needs to know what she's doing before she can project a confident attitude (she can't fake it ‘til she makes it)
3. Being introverted is not the same as being shy
4. Introverts can (and should) trust their gut - we have great intuition and a … (19 comments)
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introvert: "Mismatched" Spouses - Introverts & Extroverts
- 05/17/09 11:32 PM
Got a great question from a reader yesterday!
NH writes:
Dear Jennifer,
What do you do when your spouse doesn't get the SWS* [Sell with Soul] concept? My husband is a born salesman if you know what I mean. He has no problem striking up a conversation with anyone, in fact I get some leads from him because he isn't ashamed to brag about me and refer me. I feel blessed to have someone who believes in me so much and supports my career. But we have now had two heated discussions because I was explaining the SWS concept and why … (30 comments)
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introvert: "Curing" the Reluctant Salesperson
- 07/09/08 11:24 PM
As a self-professed introvert (and proud of it), articles about the introvert experience frequently catch my eye. Unfortunately, so many of them center around "curing" introversion or "overcoming" introversion or "succeeding in spite of" introversion, especially when the topic in question is a career in sales.
Well, I disagree, at least for REAL ESTATE salespeople. Sure, if you sell widgets or gidgets or smidgets and it's your primary job to continually SELL your product, then yeah, the natural personality of an introvert might get in the way. We don't like to bug people; we don't like to intrude on people; we … (21 comments)
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introvert: Sphere of Influence Seduction Tips for Phone Calls
- 05/16/08 12:45 AM
I have an SOI Business Plan (that is, a plan for how often I contact the people I know) that includes a couple of personal phone calls every week. Before I continue, let me stress that I never ever ever attempt to prospect to my SOI during these calls - I'd hate to train the people I know to "let me go to voicemail!"
Anyway, I admit that I struggle with the personal phone calls. Don't know why it's so hard, but it is. I guess it's because I really don't like to talk on the phone myself, so it's hard … (21 comments)
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introvert: In Praise of the Un-Natural Salesperson
- 12/23/07 08:26 PM
Have you ever known a real estate salesperson who succeeds in spite of himself? He's sloppy, he's careless, he neglects to return his phone calls and he's always late? His listing presentation consists of an unorganized last-minute print-out from the MLS, handed to him by his assistant as he runs out the door (already 20 minutes late?). His planner is a collection of sticky-notes plastered all over his computer? Yeah, you know the type!
And darn-it, if he doesn't do well! How can this be?
Well, he's probably charismatic, charming and friendly. These characteristics will take a flibbertygidget salesperson a long … (23 comments)
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introvert: Real Estate Myth #1: Your Love of People Will Make You Successful
- 10/16/07 01:26 AM
MYTH #1Your Love of People Will Make You a Successful Real Estate Agent(excerpted* from Sell with Soul)
"She's not the friendliest person in the world, but she gets the job done" is how one of my biggest clients described me to a referral. After I picked myself up off the floor, I decided she meant it as a compliment, since obviously, she seemed satisfied with my service. And who am I kidding? No one has ever accused me of being a natural salesperson.
A general liking and appreciation for other people is a dandy characteristic for anyone to have, … (11 comments)
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introvert: An Introvert's "Guide" (of sorts) to Prospecting Expireds & FSBO's
- 08/31/07 03:34 AM
Before I write another word, I want to state, for the record, that I have absolutely no experience prospecting to expireds or FSBO's. So take what I say with the proverbial grain of salt.
And, please note... this blog is not meant for outgoing, extroverted, natural salespeople. You guys don't need my help! I'm writing for the Reluctant Salespeople among us - those who hate to take the risk of bothering or pestering anyone ‘cause that's just our nature (and no, we're not weak salespeople or scaredy-cats, we're just different from you).
Okay, enough disclaimers & disclosures.
If you choose to … (20 comments)
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introvert: Sex, Lies & The Assumptive Close for Real Estate Agents
- 08/30/07 01:22 AM
I’ve been watching Sex, Lies & Videotapes on DVD this week. Remember this movie? No? Well, it was made in 1989 so probably many of you missed it due to your crazy elementary school schedule. Anyway, earlier this week I promised to help out the more introverted among us with some tips for “smoothly closing” our clients when it’s the right thing to do and lo and behold... right there on my movie screen is a perfect example of a Soulful Assumptive Close! So, I’ll start there.
In the movie, Graham (james spader) asks Cynthia (laura san giacomo) to let him … (20 comments)
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introvert: Real Estate Introverts, Pick up that Phone!
- 08/29/07 06:20 AM
Okay - calm down. I'm an introvert thru and thru, so trust me, I won't ask you to do anything I wouldn't do myself.
We introverts like our email. It's safe, it's efficient and we know we aren't hassling anyone with our attempts at communication. Our prospects can choose to read it... or not. They can choose to read it NOW... or later. We're oh-so thoughtful that way. We don't want to impose our friendship on anyone who isn't open to it.
(As in my earlier post about hand-shaking, the EXtros are now saying "HUH?" But the Ntros know what I'm … (28 comments)
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introvert: Salesperson, PLEASE Sell Me! (Especially for Introverts)
- 08/27/07 12:44 AM
Salesperson, Please Sell Me!
As I write this, I'm on a big boat somewhere in the Caribbean... On Vacation... on a vacation where I swore I wouldn't work... but is writing/blogging work? I guess that depends on how well this blog-writing effort goes.
Anyway, this morning, I had my hair French-braided by a charming English girl in the onboard salon. Being a Fun Day at Sea, I'm looking for ways to spend my time and my money on luxuries I wouldn't dream of in the real world at home.
So, I ask my braider about the Total Body Detoxification and Purification … (22 comments)
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introvert: Introvert Tip #4 - Show Up When it's the Right Thing to Do
- 08/09/07 12:16 PM
There's nothing we Ntro's like more than a wedding, a funeral, a Christmas party or a Candle party... right?
Uh, no. Not so much. Just the sight of a wedding invitation puts a panicky feeling in the pit of my stomach that just gets bigger as the big day draws near. A whole afternoon and maybe evening of small talk with strangers? Not my cup of tea. I dread it.
But here's the thing. You, as a self-employed real estate-type, need to go. Now if you were a writer or a computer programmer or a 911 operator, you could probably get away with … (9 comments)
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introvert: A Great Niche for Introverts!
- 05/11/07 01:35 AM
When I was a full-time real estate agent, I found myself with an unusual niche... Vacant Homes!
I was "Denver's Vacant Home Specialist!"
I LOVED it! I could do (or not do) an open house whenever I felt like it. Show up when it suited me, leave when I wanted, no worrying about small-talking with the homeowner who was trying to get her toddler ready, her dog penned up and her lunch dishes washed at 2:20 (for my 2-4 open house). I could show my listing at any time, without calling ahead. No dealing with seller complaints about agents who showed … (17 comments)
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