by Patricia Weber | Featured Contributor
When hearing the word romance, my preference leans towards smaller, quieter and gestures that are more thoughtful. I’m an introvert and that’s how I work and play.
Depending on where you find you’ve positioned your business online, you may or may not find cyber love. But if we are online, let’s make it work for us.
In honor of #RomanceAwarenessMonth here is:
Quick guide for introverts to romance your business online
The first online business date
The biggest learning for me from being in sales and marketing over close to 30 years is people want to feel important. Guess which personality style has a decided advantage in doing that, in particular starting with the first meeting?
If you guessed the more introverted, you may be on to something. Even better news is this personality preference can be just as they are and make someone’s heart beat more lovingly from that first date.
Here’s an online play. Using LinkedIn as a business to business or business to consumer social media hub for doing business is the place to stand out.
You can easily research your connections and find people who you want to move further with a conversation. It may be you think they can offer you a service or product you need, or you might have some offering they might find a solution. But just because of being connected doesn’t give you a certain knowing. You have to have a conversation.
Being online and having to market or sell is an introvert’s dream. Do a little research, check out someone’s profile, and discover some common ground. Then create a short but personalized email. Then maybe one sentence about why you’d like to telephone talk, Skype or other venue, to see if there is something you can help them with in the way of connections or resources.
Now be wary if you are one who tends to do a lot of giving: can you also ask for what you want?
But because it’s a first date, keep it as you prefer, be other focused. Listen (or read as is often the situation), pay attention to details and then comfortably make the connection in a one to one fashion that helps us thrive.
A key to romancing online: You can’t always know from a picture if someone’s more of an introvert or extrovert. Allow for some planning when connecting. This consideration goes a long way as a most welcome surprise for the more introverted. If you make an extrovert connection, use listening skills to know what they like, and be prepared to go more with their spontaneity moving forward.
Check in with yourself
Your business might consist of both in-person and online relationship building, or it might be solely online. In either case, it’s important to someone more introverted to be aware of your energy levels.
You may find you can do more throughout any particular day because of research or planning. Contemplative activities for many introverts are energizing. If you find you’re on the telephone, Google Hangouts or meeting in-person – whew, exhausting just thinking about it – then romance taking control of your time to recharge.
Step away and do what recharges you best.
A key to romancing online: One of the biggest benefits of doing business online, whether part-time or full-time is the element of some control. You can take the time to reply to an email. You are also free to say no or yes more easily, to furthering a conversation. Take care of yourself daily with recharging in a way that works for you. If you’re more of an extrovert, get off the computer and out with people more! We know you thrive on people stimulation.
Gift yourself
Often we introverts fall victim to so many misconceptions and myths. You’ve heard them – we’re anti-social, aloof, shy and want to be alone. Party-pooper; that label makes me laugh. There are so many myths, which is why there are so many articles about them.
Gift yourself with knowing the introvert truths. These truths give us strength and serve us well in business online and in-person. Once you know the truths, stay the course being authentic.
“You, yourself, as much as anybody else in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.” ~Buddha
Another key to romancing online: Focus more on what you are doing right, and less on what you want or need to do differently. This habit will keep your business romance flowing.
What other romance gestures can you add to introvert friendly business?
If you’re an introvert, how do you allow for your online business needs? And what do you do as an extrovert?
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Patricia Weber: I understand the possible difficulty of being an introvert in business and am on a mission to build the confidence of those more introverted, with a variety of practical tools to navigate communications work and life.
Since 2007, recognized internationally, on radio and in print, for most things introvert I blog at http://patricia-weber.com Followers, who regularly comment find the messages both resonate with them and inspire them.
My recent book, Communication Toolkit for Introverts: Find your voice in everyday business situations, is something a publisher asked me to write –imagine that.
If you are fed up with the often, uncomfortable extrovert rules, or tired of being tired, be ready to be inspired.
I am NOT shy. Many introverts are not either.
My work is not my life. I have other interests, in the past: had my own Harley Davidson (FX model no longer manufactured) until I slid horizontally a few times!
That’s why now; I go along with my husband in our safer car hobby.
Also, we enjoy traveling. We go from one coast to another to have the joy of seeing my son and his family including two granddaughters. On occasion, it’s off to Europe.
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