Sales isn’t for everyone, but it can include a diverse number of people. The mark of a successful insurance agent is the ability to create a quality relationship. See how you can do that no matter what your personality type is with AGA’s sales tips for introverts and extroverts.

Misconceptions About Personality Type

Most people think introverts are shy and extroverts are the life of the party. That’s just not true. Introverts and extroverts differ on a few key characteristics:

• Introverts thrive in less stimulating environments (less noise, fewer people).
• Extroverts thrive in very stimulating environments (a lot of people, sound and action).
• Ambiverts are somewhere in the middle.

An individual can lie anywhere along the personality spectrum. An introvert isn’t necessarily shy; they just prefer being around less people and noise to function comfortably. So never let anyone tell you introverts can’t sell—they certainly can with the right approach.

Want to learn more about introverts? Check out this TED Talk by Susan Cain.

Sales Tips for Introverts

To excel in sales, introverts should play into their key strengths:

• Listening The ideal sales person doesn’t push a pitch. They introduce a dialogue and focus on listening. This is a strength of most introverts. Use your listening skills to understand their needs and help solve problems. While listening, keep eye contact and convey strong body language.
• Strategy Introverts are thinkers. They often need to spend time alone with their thoughts, leading to their knack for developing intricate strategies. Play into your love of learning and details to plan your selling strategy based on different buyer personas. Crack the key to what drives each persona and find out what their niche needs are and you’ll be golden.
• Value. Everything that makes up the essence of a true introvert will create value for your clients. Use your passion, listening skills, skill for preparing and love of learning to deliver consistent long-term value to your customers. Work on developing your relationships naturally to establish trust. You’ll create life-long clients and quality referrals.