Gone are the days of the “hard sell” – that strength and skill we have so admired in the extroverted, gregarious individual in the workplace.
Today, technology has taken over, and businesses conduct their functions, their marketing, and brand promotion online. CRM software tracks every interaction with a customer; blogs, forums and social media are the venues for content marketing, which is used to build deep relationships and bond with customers.
The extrovert has difficulty functioning in this environment because s/he is used to “running the show” and to being in charge of the conversation. What businesses are now realizing that given the transformations in the way business is conducted, it is the introvert who will be in demand, and here’s why:
1. Introverts Are Good Listeners
A company with a strategic content marketing plan invites engagement from its customers and its potential customers. It asks for feedback; it promotes online conversations; it responds to every inquiry, every issue, every concern, and the desire to be informed, educated, or entertained.
The introvert is not focused upon getting his/her point across; s/he listens, reflects, and provides information and responses that are what the customer/potential customer wants. This is how relationships are built.
2. Introverts Are More Reflective
They take the time to “re-group” with alone time while the extrovert wants and needs activity and people around much of the time.
It is during these periods of reflection that the introvert summons up great ideas – ideas for promoting a brand or for the next engaging activity in which customers and followers will be enticed to participate.
3. Introverts Are Better Team Players
When team decisions need to be made; when the input of many is sought to resolve and issue, solve a problem, or make a plan, the introvert is probably the most valuable of those team members.
This individual shuns the impulsive responses that so often come from extroverts, but, rather, listens, reflects, analyzes and listens to the thoughts of everyone on the team and then perhaps comes up with the best option of all!
4. Introverts Tend to Be More Creative
Because they engage in more “think” time than others, introverts engage in more creative thought.
They are the ones who can come up with the great blog and forum posts, with the catchy title, with the creative story weaving, with the humor and the “entertainment” that will engage a target audience. They are far more often the ones that think “outside the box” and come up with the content marketing strategies that will beat the competition.
5. Introverts Are Better at Content Marketing
Much of the previous 4 items have addressed this, of course. But it is important to point out that, in an age when “content is king,” the really adept and creative writer, the individual who comes up with great content design ideas, and the individual who can “hook” a reader or a viewer, becomes a most valuable person to any organization.
6. Introverts Have Fewer Distractions
The extrovert thrives on activity, the presence of other people, and much going on at once. When s/he has a task that requires total focus, therefore, it is much harder to muster up that focus and complete the task quickly and adroitly.
The introvert, on the other hand, is comfortable going off by him/herself, focusing only on the task at hand, and getting it done well. If productivity is important to an organization, the introvert will be hugely important as well.
Thus, it’s true that introverts rule the day and bring more value to an organization than ever before. The wise hiring manager will understand this!
Good article, very positive and encouraging.I enjoyed reading it.
Joanna, Thanks for such kind words.