Mlm for introverts
How to Find Success without Lots of Friends or Hosting Parties — Summer Tannhauser
So you’re an introvert and you’re thinking about getting involved with a network marketing company?
(side note: You might also know of them as an MLM, multi-level marketing company, or direct sales company)
I’m guessing you know that you want to be successful in network marketing (‘cause otherwise what’s the point!), but you’re likely worried that this is a business model for people who have a bunch of friends, are the life of every party, and have no problem chatting it up with every person they meet
Listen, I hear you, friend.
I’m an introvert who loves nothing more than retreating into my own home, hanging out with my kids, hustling my business (in my own introverted way of course!), and enjoying new adventures in life with our family.
(Along with owning a local employee-run company and an online personal brand. Oh, not to mention having 3 kids too. :) Yep I’m busy!)
So how does that work?
How am I finding success in a network marketing business model that has traditionally been all about in-home parties, and phone calls (ugh, I hate those things!), and always looking for new people to talk to?
Well, let me tell you …
I’m not hosting parties.
I’m not making lists of my friends to call.
I’m not bothering my family members.
I’m not chatting it up with random people I meet on the street.
I’m not sending “cold” Facebook or Instagram DMs.
And I haven’t suddenly become a social butterfly.
What I am doing, is I’m doing network marketing the introverted way.
Meaning that I’m leaning into my natural strengths as an introvert as a way to share my products and grow my team.
So what does that look like exactly - doing direct sales for introverts?
Well, let’s take a look!
How to be Successful in Network Marketing as an Introvert
Let me begin by saying that even though there are several standard traits held by most introverts - you like to recharge alone, you prefer small groups of people, and too much talk or too many people drains your energy - there are many nuances between introverts as a whole.
Being an introvert doesn’t always mean you are shy or don’t enjoy people or like talking 1:1 vs. to a group. There are many different ways that introverts present in the world, so some of the strategies that I share for doing direct sales as an introvert may resonate with you, and others may not.
For me personally, as an introverted person, I enjoy:
Sharing education online vs. in person - I feel much more confident that way
Teaching/speaking to groups vs. 1:1 - I’ve found there is less need for awkward “small talk” when speaking to a group
Bursts of interaction and sociability vs. feeling like I have to always be “on”
Sharing my business through words and graphics, rather than video and speaking; although I do both
I share that to give you an example of one introvert’s preferences and encourage you to take a look at what you truly enjoy and know you are good at, as you determine where you’ll focus your energy in your direct sales business.
The strategies that I’ve shared below are what I’ve found success within network marketing as an introvert, and I encourage you to evaluate each to decide if it’s a good fit for your preferred style and personality.
Teaching MLM Classes as an Introvert
When it comes to network marketing, there are a few income-producing activities that take priority over pretty much everything else that you do for your business.
One of those uber-important income-producing activities is presenting your product or opportunity to new prospects, and educating them on why they need this in their lives.
The network marketing company that I partner with encourages presenting our products through classes as their #1 preferred and most successful strategy for welcoming in new members. As a past elementary school teacher myself, I love how the focus is on using education to inspire sales.
As an introverted mom with 3 little kids, after having them hanging all over me all day … in the best possible way of course :) … I have little desire (let’s be honest .
.. I have ZERO desire) to put on makeup, do my hair, try to find a babysitter or wait until my husband gets home, and then go surround myself with a group of people (akkk!) and teach a class to them.
Could I suck it up, and make it happen? Sure, I could. But when we now have so many more options and ways to teach classes, that it’s hard to muster up the energy to do in-person classes week in and week out.
Instead, I teach all of my classes online!
Teaching MLM Classes Online
My goal is to always have several different classes available online at any given time, in a variety of different formats, so that people who learn best in different ways and on different platforms, can pick and choose what works best for them.
Here are a few of the online class formats that I enjoy:
—> FACEBOOK LIVE VIA ZOOM or ECAMM LIVEI consider this the direct online alternative to teaching an in-person class.
I typically have slides created for the viewers, however, you could just as easily use notes and show off your products as you speak directly to the camera.
I schedule 1-2 of these classes per month and invite people to join a Facebook Event to view the live presentation. I typically give people about 5 days to watch the presentation and then pull it down (along with whatever incentive I was providing for them to sign up to my offer) as a way to create urgency for them to either watch the class live or watch the replay after.
—> TEXT MESSAGE CLASSESThis is a lot of fun. I use a system called Project Broadcast, and you can create entire classes that are sent out via text message. You have a code word that you ask someone to text to you if they’d like to sign up for the class. Then they are automatically sent the text message class over the coming week (or whatever time frame you choose).
The great thing about this type of class is that you can set it up once, and then let it work for you “in the background”.
It allows people to take a class right away, rather than waiting until your next live presentation.
This is very similar to the text message classes, except instead it’s run through Facebook Messenger using a program called ManyChat. Once a person opts in to your Messenger class, the automated messages that you set up will be sent out to them via Messenger at the correct intervals. Messenger is getting crazy high open rates right now, so it’s an awesome way to be sure prospects see the info.
You can even include fun Gifs or links out to videos or posts you want them to see, so you can really make it a very personalized experience. ManyChat can be “triggered” to send the class by asking a person to comment on one of your FB posts, so it’s a very easy process for your prospect, and provides some great engagement for you on social media!
—> FACEBOOK EVENT WRITTEN CLASSESIt’s just another format to share your product or opportunity information without having to be on video or in-person (YAAASSSS!!!).
Create a Facebook event that lasts a few weeks long, or even the entire month (so that it stays open and people can pop in when they want the info). Create numbered posts in the event sharing both photos and text information around whatever topic you’re presenting on.
I’ve personally found that using casual photos that you’ve snapped on your phone of you using the products in real life, works better than using professional photos that your MLM company may provide. Don’t forget to include a call to action at the end of the class, and an expiring incentive of why they should purchase now and not wait!
Now you’ve got 4 ideas of how to teach MLM classes online, and honestly, that’s only scratching the surface. You could create Instagram Stories classes, or post your classes on YouTube, or write a mini-class into a blog post.
My hope is that you see that if you hate the idea of hosting in-person parties or even holding 1:1 coffee chats, that there IS another way to find success in direct sales.
How Introverts CAN do Sales
It can be scary to think of ourselves as in “sales,” as we work our direct sales businesses, but when you think about it, if you’re a mom then you’re in the business of sales every single day.
When you try to get your kid to eat her veggies - that’s sales! (selling your kids on actually eating them)
When you negotiate with your hubby where you want to eat tonight - that’s sales! (selling him on why your restaurant choice is superior)
And the list goes on! You’re already in “sales” and you’re perfecting your craft every single day through your natural daily interactions with your kids and family.
Unfortunately, many of us think of sales as:
Icky
Sleazy
Slimy
Pushy
Bullying
….. Because that’s what we’ve experienced in our own interactions with salespeople in the past.
But what if we did sales in a different way?
Do you know what the real definition of selling is? “The exchange of money for a product or service.”
And if it’s a product or service that solves a REAL reason problem for your customer, does that sound icky to you? Of course not!
We’ve got to change our mindset to: Selling is HELPING
You have potential customers that are meant to help, and every day that the customer can’t find you or learn about your products or opportunity is another day that they stay in pain.
It’s your obligation to present your products or opportunity because if you don’t, then you’ll never have the ability to HELP the people you were meant to serve.
If you truly believe in what you’re offering, then you KNOW what others are missing out on if they don’t jump in. You can’t believe that people will find it all by themselves…
You’ve got to HELP them discover the value it will bring to their lives.
. And THAT’s what sales is ALL about. :)
The Fortune is in the Follow Up
I’ve found as an introvert, I naturally worry if I’m “bothering” someone when I’m in communication with them. So following up doesn’t always come naturally. However, the truth is that the fortune in direct sales is in the follow-up! Most bookings, recruits, sales, and commitments do not happen until the 5th-8th touchpoint.
So what does this mean for you an introvert? Well, for me at least, it does NOT mean picking up the phone (as some will suggest to you). I know myself and personally I despise talking on the phone, so why would I want to put that agony (joking! … kinda) on someone else?
For me, follow-up typically takes the form of text message, FB/IG message, tagging on social media, or email.
Instead of thinking of it as “bothering,” you’ve got to change your mindset to … how can I help? It’s not about pressuring them towards a sale.
It’s all about checking in.
Creating a simple system that you can follow for following up is key. I suggest deciding in advance on pre-determined time frames that you’ll follow up with each prospect that expresses interest in your product or opportunity.
Here’s an example follow up system:
24 hours later - thank them for their interest, further address any questions that came up, ask what other questions they have; invite to take action
Within the week - continue to address any hesitations that come up
2 - 3 weeks - you crossed my mind today; are you still looking for “xyz” results?
1 - 2 months - I think you might like this - send resource or sample
3 months - did you ever find a solution for “xyz” that you were struggling with?
Notice that this system gives you 5 reasons to follow up with a prospect authentically, and statistically, we know that most people get to the “YES” after 5 or more touch-points.
When you commit to a system like this in advance, then you don’t have to worry about “bothering” anyone. You have a simple plan designed to be of service, and then it’s just a matter of following the plan!
Can you find Success in Network Marketing as an Introvert?
The good news is that you CAN be successful in network marketing as an introvert that isn’t the life of the party, and who doesn’t have a huge network of friends.
It’s all about honoring what you’re naturally skilled as already, and what you enjoy, while at the same time pushing your boundaries just a bit and expanding your comfort zone.
Introverts can be successful within any direct sales team, however, I think that’s it’s always beneficial when you’re on a team that understands, honors, and supports you as an introvert.
As an introverted leader in my MLM company, I’d love to invite you to see if our team is a good fit for you! We honor our strengths, and push ourselves together as a TEAM, while never straying TOO far away from our natural tendencies and who we truly are as individuals.
I truly believe the opportunity in network marketing and direction is unmatched in business (otherwise I wouldn’t have added this income stream to what I’ve already got on my plate!), and the potential in the model is incredible for those that stick the course.
It is worth it. And we CAN do hard things.
It’s our one life to live, and I’d love to invite you to join us on this incredible journey of self-growth towards wellness, purpose, and abundance!
How Introverts Can Succeed In Direct Sales and Network Marketing
Are you an introvert who thinks they can’t be successful in direct sales or do you have introverts on your direct sales team & want to learn how to help them succeed?
As an introvert myself who also attracted a lot of introverts to my direct sales team, I understand the struggles introverts face with building a successful direct sales business.
I can, however, tell you that being an introvert or extrovert really has nothing to do with how successful you can be in direct sales or any business! Everyone has their own superpowers and you simply need to tap into them and do what you are best at for your business to thrive!
I started my journey through the direct sales industry in 2006.
I started just for the discount and said I would never hold a party or build a business. I was in my mid-20s, shy, introverted and had zero self-confidence. While I had experience in retail sales, I never thought direct sales or leadership would be something I would be good at. I loved the product though and was just naturally sharing with friends and family while not trying to work the business.
Three months after saying I would never build a business, I lost my full-time job. I was 25, single and had less than $1,000 in savings. I knew I did not want to go back to the corporate world but wasn’t sure what I was going to do.
I decided to start working my direct sales business more until I figured out what I wanted to do. I had nothing to lose, so I dove into the business. I quickly realized how many opportunities there are in direct sales, not just for income, but to gain support, confidence, friendships, having a flexible schedule and so many of the things I wanted in a career.
I promoted up each month, and within less than six months, I was able to replace my previous full-time income. I never considered another “job” again and have been enjoying the CEO of Me lifestyle for 10 years now.
In addition to direct sales, I have been successful at blogging and website design. Now as a Certified Coach & Business Mentor, I teach other direct sellers and online marketers how to develop the mindset of success, overcome fear and gain confidence, how to authentically share about their business without being pushy or salesy and how to create and implement systems that help them work smarter so they can get more results in less time.
I want you to know that if you are an introvert, it doesn’t mean you can’t be successful in direct sales (or any marketing type career). Most introverts don’t like small talk or being caught off guard, and typically their energy gets drained from being around a lot of people or in highly social environments.
The first thing is to understand that fear is normal and natural.
It is simply a chemical reaction in your body when your brain senses a situation that is either unfamiliar or uncomfortable. You can learn how to work through that fear by changing how you think about marketing your business.
Second, is to be prepared!
When I feel like I know what I am talking about, I feel more confident to share with others. Take the time to learn about your products and promotions, to learn word choices, write out scripts, practice and memorize them until you feel confident saying them. Practice makes confidence.
Third, start small.
Start with sharing with just one or two people at a time. Then continue to work your way up until you are more comfortable in larger groups. Last but most important of all, make your mission about serving and helping others, and focus on building relationships. When you stop worrying about yourself so much and instead start being genuinely interested in others and how you can help them, that passion can help you overcome the fear.
By focusing on building relationships, providing solutions and being authentic you can attract customers to you. Remember it is important to follow up and nurture your relationships and continue to stay in contact. Most bookings, recruits, sales and commitments do not happen until the 5th-8th conversation / follow up.
Get to know your customers and potential customers, what their needs are and what their personalities are. Cater your party themes and options to them and what will excite them.
Following up is important too.
Instead of worrying if you are bothering people, think about how you are providing a service and that when you don’t follow up it looks like you don’t care about them or their needs. Don’t be afraid to ask people either. If you don’t ask, you have a zero percent chance of getting a yes. If you do ask, you have at least a 50 percent chance of a yes! You never know from where that next party might come, and one party can lead to dozens more parties.
Last, but not at all least, whether you are an introvert or not, it’s important to be your best self and let go of perfectionism.
You will learn as you go just like everyone does so don’t be so hard on yourself. Focus on serving others. Be passionate about what you do. Be consistent and persistent. Understand that direct sales is more of a marathon than a sprint. It takes time and hard work, and it won’t always be easy, but the rewards are always going to be worth it so keep going for your dreams!
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Can an introvert become a successful entrepreneur? — Career on vc.ru
Hello! I'm Vera Ivanova, lead tracker at Admitad Projects startup studio. Today I would like to share my observations about introvert entrepreneurs. It used to be kind of indecent to be an introvert.
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Remember all these motives from the last century: "Strength in the team" and others "It is important to be open to comrades.
" Well, if a person lives more “in himself”, then he is secretive - you can’t trust him!
Such stereotypes have been hammered into the heads for years and quite successfully formed a certain structure "introvert = almost a loser." What kind of entrepreneurship are we talking about here?
But has this model of perception passed from the system of the past to the modern one, or is it not a stereotype at all, but a harsh truth? And an introvert is such a 100% exclusively hired worker who does not want and does not know how to build a business with all its complex components: daily communication, expanding connections, the ability to defend one's position, and so on?
It looks like quite the opposite
The International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Development noted an interesting fact recorded by scientists in a number of field studies: introverts have their own management style - Servant Leadership. And it is this style that allows them to become more successful leaders, outdoing extroverts in their achievements.
How so?
After all, an open and energetic extrovert-boss, radiating confidence - here he is, the image of a classic leader_successful_businessman? We constantly see such guys around us: in public life, at work, on YouTube and on TV, after all! And this seems to be logical: people who like to be in the spotlight, recharged from the energy of other people - these are the true leaders, aren't they?
But introverts, with their eternal detached position of a solitary observer, are not so simple.
We don't understand introversion in business?
Yes, it may be uncomfortable for them to communicate with a large number of employees or clients, but they can see the situation from the outside. A detached, coldly calculating view of business is no less important than the ability to actively and aggressively overcome all sorts of work difficulties. Yes, and face-to-face negotiations for an entrepreneur are no less, and often more important, than the ability to stay “in public”.
It is in such negotiations that an introvert can show his strong side: listen and hear the opponent, think over his words and give a balanced answer. Or take a pause for such an answer: after all, an introvert is usually not about fleeting decisions.
In addition, it is easier for an introvert to increase his presence in communication with a client, and this will most often be taken as a sign of rapprochement. But it is still more difficult for an extrovert to “reduce” his obvious bright personality, because this is a way of life.
It is also impossible not to note the advantage that is extremely relevant in modern society with its post-pandemic realities of remote communication. Here, by the way, well, it’s impossible not to remember this meme:
After all, extroverts are used to 100% use their personal charm and literally put pressure on a person with their charm, but now this possibility is severely curtailed in many industries.
And introverts, on the contrary, got new opportunities - to use the power of their "textual" charm in correspondence or in remote negotiations through the same Zoom.
When they don’t even have discomfort from the physical presence of a person at arm’s length (of course, there is no escape from the very need to communicate).
Of course, it would be wrong to say that extroverts are not good at entrepreneurship, because various social skills such as the ability to sell and acquire connections are important. Here 1:0 in favor of extroverts.
But is it enough to achieve business goals? Is it possible to increase its value by selling only and expanding its own network of conditional sellers-buyers?
After all, you can expand the network, or you can understand whether the product has additional value.
And if it exists and the audience is willing to pay, then raising the price x3 will generate more revenue than another open store. More income and significantly less effort. It is at such moments that an introvert comes in handy with his habit of looking at a problem from all sides, rolling it inside himself.
But introverts, due to their psychotype, have advantages not only in analytics and co.
Strange as it may sound, sometimes an introvert is a much better conversationalist.
Greg McKeown, best-selling author of Essentialism writes, “No one wants to have a 'business conversation', especially those at the highest levels of business and politics. They crave real conversations and real relationships. You have to be authentic and sincere."
Judge for yourself, with whom would you like to communicate more: with a dominant speaker or a person who knows how to listen and hear not only himself?
Total: Introvert Entrepreneur Advantage
The issue discussed in this article has been repeatedly discussed in various venerable publications - Business Insider, Industry Weeks, Inc.
The same idea runs through all materials: it is easier for introverts to find a solution to a problem, and their thinking allows them to see the whole picture of the business. Introverts are better at resolving conflicts and are better leaders.
Let's try to collect in one list the traits common to most introverts and evaluate their possible importance for business.
So, introverts:
- are more often realists than builders of cloud castles;
- put their peace of mind first;
- avoid contact with toxic/cynical people;
- do not try to please everyone, are picky in their social connections;
- listen more carefully than extroverts, can better understand the problem.
Each of these features can help the entrepreneur solve the problems of his company. And some of them will allow you to solve the same problems with really high quality.
So is it worth it for introverts to "get into business"?
Ask Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, Larry Page, Mark Zuckerberg or Elon Musk. One side.
On the other hand, they took their places on the business Olympus not because they were introverts, but because they were able to develop in the right direction. Including using the strengths of the personality type.
If the introvert who reads this article is ready to work on himself, by analogy with these guys, then yes, he has every chance of becoming a successful entrepreneur.
And if not - ...well, being hired or freelancing can also get a good job. True, you may have to carefully hide your features and pretend to be an extrovert - because that's what management likes so much.
P. S. Both extroverts and introverts successfully coexist and work in our startup studio Admitad Projects. Look into our chat and Telegram channel - perhaps you will find something interesting for yourself.
Marketing for Introverts: 7 Ways to Become Popular - Ideonomics - Smart about the Essentials
Paul Jarvis is a designer, writer, consultant. You have something to say. You kept it to yourself for a while, patiently listening, writing down, researching. You want to be heard, but you are afraid to open your mouth. It's interesting to read about self-promotion and personal branding, but it's not at all in line with what you think is right for you and how you want to share the results of your labors.
Spreading these results, talking, exposing yourself - it takes a lot of energy, and most often you want to focus on work instead. In addition, if you are a secretive person, it is usually uncomfortable for you to do this. So how do introverts promote the results of their work?
My story
Many people think that I am an extrovert because I am not shy. I rather consider myself an introvert, because I am energized by loneliness, both during work and during leisure. If I'm left to my own devices, it's easier for me to be alone - to wander in the forest alone with my thoughts (and, probably, with a camera). I am silent when I am around others - not because I feel uncomfortable, but because I am carried away by another, I am happy to sit in silence with my own thoughts. Once I'm fascinated and interested in something, I have no problem talking to people, even people I don't know. I like being alone; but timid people may want to be more savvy in communicating with others. I actively promote my work and even write about how I do it.
And since I have a tendency to be alone and quiet, this is my approach to marketing and promotion.
1. Plan your courage
Talking about your work drains your energy. So I plan them for those moments when I have energy, when I pump myself up enough for it. So I sometimes compose emails weeks before they go out, schedule blog posts to automatically go out on certain days, and even schedule tweets ahead of time. Luckily, social media (and tools like Buffer, MailChimp, and WordPress) allow you to schedule as many posts as you want for future dates.
2. Not everything needs to be discussed openly
I am very picky about comments on my texts. Not because I'm such a know-it-all, but because I don't have the inner strength to constantly respond to the discussion of my ideas. That's why comments are disabled on my site, and that's why I don't reply to every tweet and I don't have a Facebook account. Interaction requires a certain state of mind, which I am not always in, so I choose places and areas for interaction myself.
In particular, I make sure to communicate on the mailing list (because that's what I enjoy the most) and sometimes on Twitter. You, too, can choose the types of interactions with people and turn off some of them if they do not suit you.
3. Focus on the audience
I only focus on "my" audience. If some people don't like your work, if they hate what you do, if they don't even think to support you, it's okay to turn a blind eye to them. Do not respond to their letters and comments on social networks - pretend that they do not exist. Difficult? Yes. But it matters in the long run.
4. Share what makes you stronger
People talk a lot about authenticity, vulnerability, and honesty—and while these are all good things, advice rarely tells the whole story. You can share honest thoughts, admit your vulnerability in whatever way you want, but keep the rest to yourself. You don't have to share everything - just what doesn't make you uncomfortable or gives you strength is enough.
If you are a secretive person by nature, then share only crumbs. If you don't feel comfortable talking about yourself to strangers, share more privately with those who know you (who subscribed to your mailing list or joined a private Facebook group).
5. Recharge
The most important thing about self-promotion is that you don't have to do it all the time. Save it for the end of the day, set aside a specific time for it, or do it once or twice a week. And then immediately return to your work or recharge. I found ways that worked for me - spending time in nature, reading books, watching science fiction movies. It is also important for you to figure out where it is best for you to extract energy, especially when you know what is draining it from you.
6. Find your environment
I know I'm not the best speaker. I don't like big meetings (conferences, gala dinners) and I communicate better in writing. And this does not bother me - I just rely on my strengths and only sometimes push the boundaries of my weakness.
Whatever it is - writing, video, audio recordings, drawing, dancing, etc. - find the environment in which you are most comfortable and share with the public primarily in this environment. And sometimes move into environments where you don't feel very good in order to grow above yourself.
7. Practice telling your story
Introverts are generally bad at talking about themselves and their work. I practice this - writing and rewriting my autobiography. I write and rewrite book synopses. Sometimes, if I need to sell a design to a client, I write down in advance all the points and benefits that I want to talk about with the client. Practice before taking something out into the public space. I also enlist the help of other people (those to whom my books and products are addressed) and ask them to describe to me exactly what I will be selling to them. It helps me choose the right words and build wording. Remember that you are your own master. Whether you are an introvert or not, it is you who determines what suits you and what does not.
