Marketing can be every introvert’s worst nightmare. It’s an industry, comparable to a marketplace. It’s where everyone is shouting at the top of their lungs to be heard and seen by customers. There is the pressure to churn out content, network a lot, and talk to people you don’t know. So, if you’re the kind of person whose energy gets depleted with large crowds and extended periods of socialization, then it’s no wonder that marketing sounds like the plague.
What marketing is
However, the idea that marketing is all about being an energetic and charismatic salesman is problematic. All that noise hides the true essence of what marketing is: an authentic and engaging conversation with people — and that is where introverts shine. Eddie Yoon, the author of Superconsumers and director of The Cambridge Group, claims that the best marketers he had worked with were introverts.
The introvert’s knack for listening and quiet reflection comes in handy in a world where consumers patronize brands who listen to their feedback. Gone are the days when advertising was a monologue of “our product is great, so you should buy it.” Nowadays, successful brands are those that make customers feel like they are part of a dialogue in a community. The preference of introverts for more quality and deep interactions instead of quantity is best suited for this direction.
How introverts can excel in marketing
Introverts should play to their strengths instead of pushing themselves to do what is taxing and difficult for their personality. The latter is a one-way ticket to job burnout. This lack of freedom and control over the decisions that affect one’s work is one of the major causes of burnout. Here are a few ways for introverts to conquer the field of marketing:
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Find your niche.
There are a lot of roles in marketing that can be an excellent fit for introverts. Content creation, for example, is mostly creative and independent work where creators write blog posts, produce podcasts and videos to promote awareness for the brand. Interaction with the audience is limited, and big corporations usually have a separate team for community engagement. Market research is also a niche that introverts can explore. Research analysts work behind the scenes and generate insights from feedback and surveys. The data can help determine what the customers want and the kind of content they will enjoy.
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Social media is your friend.
Social media is a godsend for introverts because it takes away the pressure of face-to-face interactions. People can take their time to think through how they respond instead of being put on the spot, which most introverts dread. For example, if a customer inquires about your business continuity services, introverts can set a discovery meeting to discuss their specific needs or even just send a FAQ guide.
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Target the top 10 percent of your audience.
The Pareto principle dictates that roughly 80% of the impact comes from 20% of work. Highly engaged fans can drive most of a brand’s sales because they are more likely to buy and read everything that is released. Introverts can take advantage of this by pursuing deeper connections instead of trying to connect with anyone and everyone.
As an introvert, marketing isn’t the dreadful industry that one initially thinks. Their personality traits can become the asset they need with the right niche and actions.
