As you may know, I have three free newsletters that you can sign up for on my website. Each newsletter is written for a specific audience - one for Rookies, one for SOI'ers and one for Introverts. Not surprisingly, the newsletter for those who want to "SOI" is the most popular. But a close second is the one for Introverts.
Introverts? In real estate? Nooooo.... How can that be? Don't you HAVE to be an outgoing, charismatic social butterfly to succeed selling real estate?
Short answer... Nope.
Longer answer... Being an introvert does not preclude success in real estate any more than being an extrovert guarantees it. In fact, there are some personality quirks of an introvert that make us better at this career than our more outgoing associates! If you're an introvert, you know what those are; if you're not, it doesn't really matter <<hugs to my extrovert friends>>.
But even I'm surprised at the interest my little newsletter for introverts drums up. Hey, we're OUT THERE! We've just always thought that the word "introvert" was somehow a pejorative term and figured it was something we needed to overcome, so we didn't really make our presence known...
If you've read Sell with Soul, you already know that I'm an introvert. You also know how I made my personality work FOR me in my successful real estate career. But don't just take my word for it.
On June 6th, I'm interviewing my soul sister, Susan Haughton, who is a top producer, a Master SOI'er and an unapologetic introvert. She'll tell us how she came to be the Rookie of the Year and now has more business than she knows what to do with... but has never made a cold-call or knocked on a stranger's door. How she's never, ever asked for referrals, but gets them all the time. And why she refuses to step outside her comfort zone to generate business.
If you don't know Susan, visit her Active Rain profile and you'll feel as if you do. Seriously - it's hilarious. In fact, Susan's profile is the epitome of NON-DORKY, but that's a topic for a different day.
Susan's interview is part of the Summer of Soul, which is a 9-part series of teleseminars on topics near & dear to us soulful-types, starting with "Introverts are Salespeople, too!" I hope you'll join us. To do that, just click here ;-]
It takes all kinds of people to make the world go round --- Thanks for sharing!
Good post, . .I can't believe you offer 3 newsletters to your clients. . I'm having problems with one!
Jennifer,
I just wanted to tell you thanks for sharing. I don't mean just this one post, I mean the volume of things you share within posts and teleseminars, your forum, and well, I could go on and on. I am really looking forward to the entire series. Signed up last night...
It is good quality stuff for certain!
I will sign up for the seminars and I recommend my agents do to. I think your perspective is new on the money and refreshing
Interesting... I enjoyed your post and totally agree. I'm a introvert and use the Internet to let people get to know me. Took me a long time before I would even comment regularly here in the rain. Now it's a daily habit.....
Introverts CAN do well in sales...I have seen it time and time again... YOU are an example of what an introvert can accomplish if they put themselves to it, Jen !!
YOU GO GIRL !!!
=-D
Thanks, Alexander!
Mark - We introverts are pretty good at the online stuff...
Charlie - Ahhhhhhh... thanks! I love to be refreshing...
Bill - Thank you, too, my friend...
Fernando - I'm an over-achiever... nah, actually, I just love to write.
Norma - Absolutely! Thanks for being my first visitor today!
I hired an introvert to work for me. He has the personality and quietness of a librarian, but he's a faithful and diligent servant. Let me tell you that he's tearing it up and I couldn't be happier for him.
Jennifer, I am more Ex than IN, but I have a little bit of thee In in me... There are all types of people in this world, and Introverts buy houses too, and would probably rather work with some one just like them and may be pushed away by a true extrovert.
After meeting you I bet you actually have the ability to turn on and of your IN and become a bit of an EX when need be!!
I don't think anyone can ever call me an introvert. lol But you're not the first one to blog about this here. I have to ask the question... Are you feeling the need to defend yourself for being an introvert in real estate? I'm just wondering, since this isn't the first post I've seen like this, and I don't think we'll ever see a post like this by an extrovert. lol
My husband and I didn't need to take the Myers/Briggs test to tell us that I'm as much extrovert as he is introvert, yet we're both in careers that require us to be outgoing, friendly and bring us into contact with a great many people. The difference is I get my ideas, creativity and energy from this interaction with others. He, on the other hand, needs to occasionally retreat from the world and be alone to think in order to be productive. Both styles work. They're just different.
p.s. Jennifer, I love your new signature!
Thanks, Dianne! You nailed it - we introverts aren't necessarily shy and withdrawn - we CAN be friendly and even outgoing when the mood & situation are right. I've even been accused of being "personable" once or twice!
Lisa - Defensive? I don't think so. Although maybe I do get tired of being told that my personality is something to "overcome" or "deal with," or that because I've been successful, I must not be an introvert! I write on this topic a lot because other introverts feel as if they're all alone in the world of real estate sales and I want them to know they aren't. And that they don't have to apologize for who they are.
Robert - If I'm the guest of honor, I'm not shy! But if I'm at a trade show, or at a party, or some other event where people network (and they don't give a hoot who I am), I'm a basket-case. I went to a WCR party last week where I didn't know anyone and about died for the first ten minutes before someone rescued me! I sneak out of parties regularly, sometimes in tears because I'm SO pathetic!
Larry - Good for him! A big challenge for us introverts is accepting who we are and working within our comfort zone. I'm glad he's able to do that.
Hi Jennifer, I don't know Susan, but I'm going to pop over there and see what she up to.
I think it's interesting that Susan has the ABR designation. As a new person in the industry, I've just completed the course and buyer agency is what I want to concentrate on. I wonder if introverts are drawn to this aspect as it seems to fit my introverted personality.
I have to agree with Diane! I'm much more drawn to buyers than sellers and listsings. Buyers tell you what they want, and you research and help them find their perfect house. Sellers? YOU have to tell THEM what to do to get the house sold, and if it doesn't sell, they're unhappy with you. I HATE it when people aren't happy with me!! Do all introverts feel this way??
I'm glad to hear introverts can make it? Can we still make it we look like Drew Carey?
Feel like I've come a long ways on this topic. I am still an introvert and never thought that personality could take me to successfully selling real estate. Thanks for helping me and telling me that's okay.
Interesting topic. This is coming from an extrovert in a way.
I was a huge introverted before I became a police officer, that job will force it out of your real quick. Then I got in to real estate. Although I've come out of my shell quiet a bit, I still prefer to not surround myself with other people. The internet levels a lot of that field because I'm a good writer and have been blogging for years now. I correspend via email often (which seems to be something that most clients prefer anyway). It's also great because I can drop links to articles I've written or other resources, so rather than rambling on and on I can just say, "There is more about WHATEVER here".
In the end you do have to meet people though and while I don't like big groups, I do great one-on-one, especially after learning about someone through emails. Money is also great at helping you face your fears. If you know there's a possibility that you can make a good commission if you walk up and introduce yourself then you're going to do no matter how shy, just PUSH YOURSELF.
Daniel - you make great points! I've always said that real estate changed my life because it forced me to make friends so that I could make money! Left to my own, I'm easily a homebody who doesn't need much social interaction to be happy. But once I figured out that if I had a social life, my business thrived, well... I made that happen. And y'know what? It's FUN to have friends!
Loreena - it's more than okay...
Gene - no, I don't think so ;-]
Sue & Diane - Let's talk about it on Saturday!
Ann - Isn't her profile great? She doesn't blog, but her comments on others blogs are brilliant.
Thanks, Jennifer, for this topic. I'm an introvert and a successful agent for over twenty years. My fellow agents never understand why I have no interest in attending company social and awards functions. But I have found that you don't have to be part of the cocktail crowd to be successful. I've signed up for your newsletter. I suggest that you start another newsletter for all those agents with attention deficit disorder out there.
Jennifer,
I just had another thought. One of the reasons that I enjoy the social media like Facebook is that I can be social from the privacy of my own home.
Jennifer - as a card-carrying introvert myself I enjoyed your post! Introverts are so often mis-understood by the more social. They sometimes see us as brooding and plotting away in the background when all we are doing is relaxing. LOL. The difference between introverts and extroverts is simply in the way we recharge our batteries. Extroverts recharge in social situations, and we re-charge during our alone time.
Carol - ADD, eh? Unfortunately, I'm the most organized person on the planet, so I can't speak to it! But I'm with you - I'm a terrible networker.
Jackie - EXACTLY! And some of are downright charming (as long as we've had our downtime).
Carol...I thought adult ADD was a job requirement! ; )
Another thought...just when I think I'm "overcoming" my introvertedness, something happens to remind me that I am what I am! Yesterday was part 1 of a 2-day, 10 hour workshop. Speaker: "Stick around tomorrow for a cocktail party...." <shudder> Just the words "cocktail party" made me want to run home and hide on the couch with a good book!
In my past lives, I've recruited, hired and trained hundreds of sales people. Personality type is the least important predictor of someone's success. The important thing to do is to be aware of who you are and be able to recognize who you're dealing with.
Wilson Learning used to teach a 5 day class called Social Style Sales Strategies. It's a variation on Myers Briggs but with some very cool twists. Part of the class is topre mail personality profiles to 5 people you know and they send the data in analysing you.
When you start the class, you have your personality profile in front of you. Then they spend the next portion of the class learning how to recognize the other styles by body language, rate of speech, etc.
The last part of the class teaches you how your specific personality type best interacts with each of the other three.
Anyone can be successful in sales if they choose to be. The key is to learn how to interact with others using the strengths of your own style.
It's something I learned in the 1980s and it is have served me very well.
Introvert, extrovert, aggressive, passive, quiet, outspoken, fast-talked, slow-talker - doesn't matter in term of your success as a sales person.Success in sales is about listening to your client's needs, following up every detail and always treating the customer the way you would treat your Mother.
Actually being an introvert has allowed me to gain clients who felt "overwhelmed" by some of my more extroverted associates! I may form fewer "relationships" but the people I do have relationships with know that I'm always "all about the client" and so, I get many referrals that I do not ask for.
Nice to know other introverts are successful in this business. Thank you so much for your post.
Wow, how nice it is to meet fellow introverts. I too have felt in the past it is something to overcome but have come to terms with it and it's just who I am and it's OK. Social functions to leave me emotionally drained but that does not keep me from going I just look it as a way to grow...
Thanks for bringing up this not-so-talked-about subject. -Jill
Jill - there are a lot of us and we're pretty darn interesting once you get to know us. And exceptional real estate agents. I'm glad you enjoyed the blog - some of the commentary has inspired additional ones, so stay tuned.
Kellie - I heard that all the time in my first few years - not exactly that it my personality, but more so that my low-key, low-pressure approach was refreshing. And that approach came naturally from my more reserved personality - not something I did on purpose!
Good post Jennifer...It seems like you stay pretty busy - Kudos on three newsletters!!
Best, Dan
Jennifer. Introverts spend less time socializing and more time working on the computer. This sometimes can lead to more results. I like to mix in both. Socialize when business is slow and be the hermit when there is lots of work to do. It works great with everyone, except my fiancee.
I considered entering the field but never did before because I always thought I had to be a Type A, extroverted, talkative type (no offense to those who are like that). I am a complete introvert and I'm SO happy to have found your blog and book!!!! For the first time in 20 years I feel that maybe I could actually be an agent and broker. Thank you so much!
It's true that some people see introverts with suspicion because we don't say all that's on our minds or blurt out all our thoughts. I have had this misconception hurt me many, many times. I don't talk up a storm unless it's with my sister, so everyone else I know (sometimes) thinks I have not much on my mind. I am happily willing to be social when I need to be, and have gotten quite good at it for my current business, but I'm always relieved when it's over and I can be in silence again.
Thank you to all the others who posted. I've had a good laugh at many comments. Thanks Rick S. for your wisdom. And North, I just love what you said about the cocktail party. When I hear the word 'party' or "networking" session, I make a run for the door!
What a relief that introverts can do this! Wish me luck!
Sincerest heartfelt thanks,
Noel
Noel - that's the first time I can recall that anyone accused of dispensing wisdom. :)
Seriously though - do not ever presume that sales success has anything to do with being Type A or any other type. Outgoing types have some skills that serve them well but so do the quiet types. One of the mantras I used to teach is something I learned from a manager of mine in the 1980s. He was from the deep south and always had colorful sayings to illustrate his point. This was a comment directed at sales people who did not listen very well -(that would be me)
"The good Lord gave us two ears and one mouth so we'd listen twice as much as we talk"
As I mentioned in my post, above, listening is the first vital skill a successful sales person needs. One of the characteristics of many quiet people is that they already have the listening skills.
I'm a great listener - now. I was not when I was younger. It took me years of practice. I was always good at "getting out there", prospecting and the like. I could make presentations sing - but as an extrovert I was not a natural listener. You quiet types already have that going for you and if I had to pick listening skills or being glib - I'd pick listening every day of the week and twice on Sunday.
Jennifer, the spirit you exhibit in your posts inspired me to order your book. It arrived today, with your warm, encouraging inscription. I can't wait to dig in! Even though I've been a practicing REALTOR since 2005, I'm looking forward to learning a lot and, I suspect, finding a kindred spirit.