Networking might be enjoyable for extroverts, but what about those of us who aren’t quite as outgoing, and struggle with finding something to say to strangers? What if there were a way to connect with the exact right people, cultivate mutually beneficial relationships, and form partnerships that benefit your business, all by avoiding traditional networking events?

In the last episode, Jay shared his terrifying experience being asked to speak in front of 20,000 people, and how he overcame his fears. In this episode of the Introvert’s Edge podcast, Jay shares his strategy for generating over fifty new and genuine relationships each year.

Welcome to Jay Papasan’s Great Introvert Experiment.

Not only is traditional networking uncomfortable for introverts, it can also make us feel a little sleazy to be constantly pushing our products and services on the people we meet there. The whole event can be an introvert’s nightmare. Plus, the way most people do it, they don’t end up even speaking to the people who could actually help their businesses. I could go on and on about the common networking mistakes I see every day – I even wrote an article about it called “Networking Does Work – You’re Just Doing It WRONG!” – but today, Jay shares an intriguing idea, which doesn’t involve traditional networking at all. He calls it “the Great Introvert Experiment.” It’s the simple act of setting strategic meetings, not to sell, but to get to know the right people and see how you can both help each other.

Many business owners think that the point of networking is to sell your products or services – but Jay believes this is a mistake. And while, yes, more sales are ultimately the goal, you can’t expect that simply attending a networking event is going to magically get you customers. You have to start first with relationship building, expanding your network to people who can help you, but whom you can help as well. According to Jay’s experience, laying the groundwork and establishing genuine relationships means that when a person in your network learns of someone looking for the product or service you provide, you’re the first one who comes to their mind.

Some Questions I Ask:

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

Resources Mentioned in the Show:

Thanks for taking the time to listen!

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We’ve all heard about the New York Times best selling book The One Thing. With this book, co-authors Jay Papasan and Gary Keller achieved something very few authors ever do, though most dream of it: they had penned a phenomenon.

Speaking requests came in from across the globe.

Jay thought he had it made; he was the introverted writer, and Gary was the brand, the one who’d be doing all the public speaking.

Then all of a sudden, late afternoon, he gets the call: Gary has decided he wants Jay to come on stage too – the very next morning.

And this was no normal stage; Jay’s first time speaking in public would be in front of thousands of excited attendees.

Ask any introvert how he or she feels about getting up to speak in front of that many people, and you’ll likely see a grimace of horror.

In this episode, you’ll discover the secret to how Jay overcame his fears.

It’s no surprise that introverts aren’t huge fans of public speaking. But if you’re a business owner, you know that there’s plenty you have to do in your day-to-day that you don’t necessarily like, but that is crucial to the success of your business. Yes, public speaking is one of those things, and yes, you can learn to do it well.

As an introverted writer, Jay was surprised to learn that his skill set needed to include competent public speaking; it makes all the difference between being an author and being a bestselling author. The same is true for your business. Delivering a pitch to a group of investors, attending a networking event, or discussing your product onstage at a conference or trade show, public speaking is a required part of growing your business.

Of course, it seems counterintuitive – how can introverts, who dislike the spotlight and generally hate public speaking, be the best presenters? It comes down to harnessing your inherent strengths, including careful planning and preparation, understanding your audience, focusing on the needs of the listener, and pushing past your discomfort. As Jay points out, “You can do what you practice.”

Some Questions I Ask:

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

Resources Mentioned in the Show:

Thanks for taking the time to listen!

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In the last episode of the Introvert’s Edge, Ryan Deiss shared with us how he went from a college student selling baby food recipes online, to the founder and CEO of Digital Marketer, the world’s premier digital marketing company, and how he sees introversion as a strength, not an excuse.

In this episode, it’s time for some tough love, as Ryan tells it as it is.

Introverted or extroverted, there are going to be times when you don’t enjoy certain elements of the work involved in building a business. The key is to be purposeful, self-aware, willing to learn, committed to pushing through, understanding what really matters – and letting go of the rest.

In the digital age of websites, eCommerce stores, payment gateways, and purchases made without speaking to a soul, are introverts finally free to stop worrying about learning a sales process? The clear answer is “no.” Ryan explains why it’s actually more important than ever to get face-to-face with your customers.

Forget analytics, A/B testing, and heat maps; at least at first. The most effective way to test your products and your market is by getting out there and talking to people. Find out how Ryan spent one single day – instead of months on end – learning exactly what his customers want.

Some Questions I Ask:

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

Resources Mentioned in the Show:

Thanks for taking the time to listen!

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For an introvert, it must be all but impossible to stay calm before and during a presentation in front of hundreds or thousands of people…right?

That’s what makes the insight and experience of my next guest so important.

I first met friend and founder of Digital Marketer, Ryan Deiss, just before he spoke onstage at Small Business Festival – and he was as relaxed as they come.

As a speaker myself, I was so impressed with how collected he was, and the easy command he took of the stage as I watched him present his keynote to the crowd.

I remember thinking to myself, “Wow, I wish I was that charismatic…what it would be like to have such a natural speaking ability?” (You may also know that Ryan founded, hosts and often speaks at Traffic and Conversion Summit, which attracts an audience of thousands every year.)

Imagine my surprise to discover that Ryan Deiss, the face of the global Digital Marketer brand, is, in fact, an introvert.

When Ryan started his first online business as a University of Texas student, he loved that he could hide behind his computer, not talk to anyone, and still make money. But as his multiple businesses grew and his entrepreneurial spirit developed, he discovered he’d have to push through everything he disliked as an introvert – not just public speaking – in order to achieve the level of success he desired.

Ryan explains why you can’t run away from the elements of business you don’t enjoy if you expect to achieve success. For introverts, this can include things like being the public face of the company, hosting and attending events, presenting in public, and following up with clients and leads. But self-reflection and analytical thinking, two strengths of introverts, help us to understand that we’ve got no choice, at least until the first hires come along.

Just because you have to do the business tasks you dislike at first, that doesn’t mean you have to do them forever. Ryan explains the qualities he looks for in his core team members, who balance his introversion and allow everyone to complement each other’s strengths. And the best part? Once you have those team members in place, you can delegate to them and stick to what you love.

Some Questions I Ask:

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

Resources Mentioned in the Show:

Thanks for taking the time to listen!

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If you thought that Ivan Misner, founder of the world’s largest networking organization, gave a lot of value in the last episode of The Introvert’s Edge podcast, then this session is going to blow you away.

In this episode, Ivan not only supports my claim that introverts make the best networkers; he backs it up with research.

The data is in: The majority of the qualities that make a highly effective networker are introverted qualities – and the majority of characteristics that make for a poor networker tend to be associated with extroverts. This may seem counterintuitive, but when you think about it, it makes sense. People like to speak to and work with those who ask thoughtful questions, express interest, and listen purposefully, all fortes for us introverts!

When you attend networking events, are you looking to buy something? Neither is anyone else. Ivan explains why your goal should be building sincere relationships, not pushing for a sale. Craft 15-second descriptions of each element of your business, and share them over time at various events. People are more likely to think of you when they (or someone they know) has a specific need they know you can fill.

A USP, or a unified message, helps avoid the automatic eye-glaze that usually follows when you tell people what you do. Once you’ve expressed interest in the person you’re speaking with, and it’s your turn to share what you do, try the Eyebrow Test to see if you’ve got them hooked.

Ivan was kind enough to write a glowing endorsement of my book, The Introvert’s Edge, but while we were on camera, I thought I’d ask him to share his thoughts about the book. Here’s what he had to say.

Some Questions I Ask:

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

Resources Mentioned in the Show

Thanks for taking the time to listen

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Many introverts believe that to be successful in networking, they have to have an outgoing, contagious personality. We see the best networkers as people who always know exactly what to say, whose every word seems miraculously entertaining and insightful.

Today I know better. In fact, I often write about how introverted networkers with a system have a huge advantage.  As an introvert myself, however, I remember how hard it was for me to let go of that belief and trust that the best networkers (like people that seem to be the best at all things) are the people with a great system, which they practice and master.

That’s why it was so important to me, for the first interview of the Introvert’s Edge podcast, to address this misconception and to find the perfect guest to help me do it.

I wrote a list of the people I consider the best networkers in the world. It was important to find not only a great networker, but a fellow introvert, so I googled each of the names on my list, adding the word “introvert.”

Imagine my surprise when I saw that the number one networker on my list, Ivan Misner, was indeed an introvert. In fact, when I typed in “Ivan Misner introvert” into Google, the very first result was a blog post he wrote in February 2009 titled “OMG, I’m an Introvert!?”

So how did introvert Ivan Misner end up founding BNI, the largest, most effective networking group in the world – and why is it perfect for introverts? Discover all this and more in this episode of The Introvert’s Edge.

Introverts often struggle with networking. What do you say to a room full of strangers? How can you best employ networking to actually gain business? Ivan shares the strategies he’s learned over decades of perfecting his networking skills – and helping hundreds of thousands of others do the same.

Called “the father of modern networking” by CNN, Ivan Misner has decades of experience honing the networking strategies that actually result in productive relationships and business growth. From the most common networking mistakes to avoid, to the simple techniques that work to gain referrals, Ivan’s figured it all out for you – to the tune of over $11 billion a year in closed business for BNI’s members.

Just because introverts may not enjoy small talk and socializing as much as our extroverted counterparts, we’re still uniquely suited to be master networkers. Our listening, analytical, and preparation skills mean we’re perfectly equipped to nurture a network that’s both wide and deep.

Ivan was kind enough to write a glowing endorsement of my book, The Introvert’s Edge, but while we were on camera, I thought I’d ask him to share his thoughts about the book. Here is what he had to say.

Some Questions I Ask:

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

Resources Mentioned in the Show:

Thanks for taking the time to listen!

The post Small Business Networking for Introverts appeared first on Finding A Business Niche & Creating A Sales System - MatthewPollard.Com.

Growing up, I believed my introversion was a roadblock in the way of success, a wall that needed to be knocked down in order to accomplish my goals. The breakthrough came when I realized I had it backwards – instead of fixating on the difficulties associated with being an introvert, we introverts should harness our unique qualities to dominate in business and in life. Introverts are creative, empathetic, thoughtful, detail oriented, analytical, and well-prepared – talk about qualities that bring success!

The Introvert’s Edge Podcast brings together the best of the best in business. You’ll hear from billion-dollar brand founders, global industry experts, and business leaders across industries, all sharing their secrets to harnessing their gifts to stand head and shoulders above their extroverted competition.

Don’t think of these as your standard interviews. They’re action-oriented how-to’s that help you identify and leverage your own natural gifts. They’re real, honest insights that they have never shared before; sometimes because they’re making them right there, for the first time. These are lessons from world-class innovators sharing the tools and ideologies that put them at the front of the pack – not despite their introversion, but because of it.

This is your gateway to greatness. It’s time to embrace your own introvert’s edge, so you can break through your barriers and become the powerhouse you were born to be.

Guests Include:

Click here to start your Introvert’s Edge Journey with Ivan Misner, as he share with you why introverts make the best networkers.

What do YOU hope to learn from the show? 

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