When I first started in business, I had no idea where to begin with my marketing. I knew that I was good at my coaching craft. But marketing myself well – and in a way that felt genuine and authentic to me – was a totally foreign idea! And partly because I’m a natural introvert.
Marketing for introverts can be a bit of a challenge. It’s hard to put yourself out there in your socials, in your ads, even on your website, when you’d rather be behind the scenes servicing your clients.
But there is a way to market yourself and your business even if you’re not a natural marketer. And for me, a few years in, it’s much easier.
So, if you haven’t quite nailed your marketing yet because you’re shy, an introvert or don’t feel very confident, follow along.
Marketing for introverts
When you’re an introvert and looking to market your business, I’ve found there are three things to focus on:
- Aligned content
- Practice
- Discipline
Aligned content
First, when you’re creating your content, you need to know what you stand for, and what you don’t. For my team, our values are kindness and generosity, and my individual voice is also enthusiastic and optimistic. That’s how I want to write.
We also take a very practical approach to our content. I want people to be able to take what I say and implement it immediately, so they can see for themselves the results they get.
When your content is aligned with who you are, then it will feel congruent and far more natural, even as an introvert.
Practical advice for creating aligned content
My practical advice for creating aligned content is to find someone who can help you understand what you stand for and how to share that with your audience.
For me it really helped when I worked with a copywriter who was awesome at understanding my voice. Together we created content pillars for me to focus on, which were aligned to my knowledge. I now have a content plan that guides my writing.
I also highly suggest getting a social media manager. I couldn’t live without mine. I send her my content and she makes magic happen on socials.
Practice
The more you write, the better you get – especially when it comes to creating marketing content. I still cringe at some of the content I put out when I started (don’t get me started on video!). But found that the more I did, the better I got – as with anything in life.
So, when it comes to marketing for introverts, you just have to take the plunge. Just get started. Not all your content will be perfect. But it won’t get better unless you start practicing.
Practical advice for getting practice
Start today writing something… anything. Maybe it’s five minutes a day. Maybe it’s one blog a week. Whatever your goal, just start to work on those items. Do the writing. Get the practice in. And you will start to improve. When you improve you will feel more confident in your marketing overall.
Discipline
I have the gift of discipline – it’s one of my top five strengths – so out of all these elements, this one comes the most naturally to me.
When I started my business, I decided to spend time building my email list. And I committed to writing an email a week. That lasted for five years. It’s only this year that we have dropped back to fortnightly. But it’s feeling like we might make another shift in 2024.
Practical advice for developing discipline
Don’t underestimate your email list. It has power. Power to reach people. Power to sell. And power to help you get your words and ideas out there.
Your email list are your VIPs, so you need to treat them that way. They have given you their email address, so reward them with valuable content, offers and first-to-knows. They will love you for it.
Getting started
Here are a few ideas for you to get started with your marketing when you’re an introvert, shy or just not very confident (yet!):
1. Social media marketing
Create engaging content for social media platforms where you don’t have to interact face-to-face initially. But don’t ‘post and ghost’. By that I mean don’t pop up a post and then leave without engaging in the comments. Social media is meant to be social. It’s a conversation. Not about you talking AT people.
2. Content marketing
Develop blogs, e-books and guides related to your business. This helps to establish your brand’s presence.
3. SEO
Optimise your website for search engines. This allows people to find your business organically.
4. Email marketing
This one gets another mention because it is SO important!! Build an email list and send out newsletters with useful information and updates about your business.
5. The power of cheerleaders
Susie* jumped into my Revenue Raiser program a few months ago. She was shy and not confident and very unsure of herself (a prime example of how difficult it is to accomplish marketing for introverts!). And that made is difficult for her to focus on marketing herself and her business.
So, I asked her start engaging with her audience, attending some events and making sales calls. Reluctantly Sarah did all those things, knowing that our group had her back and that we were helping her to market herself in an aligned and congruent way.
Now, four months later, she is feeling confident, she is doing all the right things and interesting opportunities are popping up for her. This is the power of creating a group of cheerleaders.
Get in touch!
If you’re still looking for your own group of cheerleaders, Thriving Women might be just the thing. We have three different ways for you to engage, at varying price points. We have gratefully almost filled our ‘all in’ tier for 2024 but still have space available for our community and business tiers. And we’re ready to help you learn to nail your marketing, especially marketing for introverts!
*Name changed to protect client privacy.