Are you an introvert? Do you struggle with recruiting or sponsoring in your direct sales business because you’re shy?
Then I’ve got you covered with a range of ideas and resources.
What is an introvert?
The most significant difference between introverts and extroverts is that introverts ‘recharge’ from being alone, and extroverts gain energy by spending time with others.
There are a few more traits that introverts and extroverts tend to display, but don’t worry if they don’t (all) apply to you – we are all individuals:
| Introverts | Extroverts |
| Gain energy from being by themselves | Gain energy from being with others |
| Are more introspective | Are more action-oriented |
| Reflect more before making a decision | Make decisions quickly |
| Enjoy one-on-one conversations | Enjoy socializing in a group |
| Like to observe | Enjoy joining in |
The most important thing I want you to understand is that you can be confident and outgoing as an introvert. But then you’ll have to make time for yourself to recharge, which is perfectly fine.
Meanwhile, extroverts can be shy or lack confidence, and that’s okay. Confidence and shyness are not set in stone. These things can be changed if you’re willing to work on them.
Now, let’s look at recruiting tips for introverts and shy people.
Visual recruiting ideas
The worst mistake you can make is doing nothing to recruit. So make sure that you do something.
The best place to start is with your display and drawing visual attention to the business opportunity.
Consider adding this to your display:
- A position vacant sign
- A lightbox with words like “flexible” or “earn cash.”
- A shopping trolley with a sign saying, “Do you want to be able to put more in your trolley? Join…. to make some extra cash!”
You can also add sticky notes to your catalog to draw attention to the business opportunity. You can write something like: “Could you sell these products?” or “Is this your opportunity?”
Finally, I recommend adding recruiting information to your order form on a clipboard. That way, people are bound to see it at checkout time.
Play games
Recruiting games are a structured way to discuss business opportunities that aren’t boring.
Games are a fun and relaxed way to introduce career options without being ‘salesy’ or pushy. Guests are likely to be more receptive to the message when it’s shared in a fun way – especially if you add a little prize!
You can find some tips and printable games here.
Drop little hints to create sparks of interest
Throughout your party or demonstration, you want to drop hints about how great it is to join your direct sales business. You can make comments such as:
- I love that I get paid to party
- I joined to support my product addiction – I now get products at a considerable discount.
- I love getting recognition.
- This is so much fun. I can’t believe this is my job
- I love this company because.
The best way to get started with this technique is to pick just one that best fits your style and drop it at your next party. When that becomes natural, add another little hint to your repertoire.
You can find a little more on these little sparks in this article.
Conversation Starters
If you feel more comfortable talking one-on-one than in a group, you can start a conversation at ordering time. Pick one person you feel would be a great direct sales consultant and start the conversation casually without pressure.
Here are some ways to start that conversation:
- I think you’d be great at this, have you ever thought about it?
- You love the products/company. Have you ever thought about becoming more involved?
- You could get all these products at a discount when you join my team…
Follow-up for introverts
If you’re uncomfortable using the phone to follow up, there are other ways of doing this.
But you must do personal follow-up, not generic social media posts.
So you send them private messages, text messages, or even snail mail.
Read more on follow-up here and here.
How not to be spammy in your direct sales biz
If you’re worried about being pushy or salesy, chances are you’re not! People who consider other people’s time and feelings are rarely the type to be spammy.
Here are a few things to consider:
- When you do follow-up, you are not bothering people, but you’re providing a service. Trust that they’ll let you know if they don’t want to receive any further messages from you. And when they opt out from further contact, respect that.
- Your business is a gift that you’re sharing. It’s not something you’re pushing onto people who don’t want it. You’re only working with people who’ve shown an interest.
- Always strive to be of service. When you adopt an attitude of service towards your customers, team members, and leads, you won’t be spammy or pushy.
Party tips for introverts and shy people
You can do a few things to make a party or demonstration a little easier for yourself. Remember that people generally want you to do well and are understanding of you when you let them know what’s going on.
I recommend addressing the ‘elephant in the room’ by telling people that you’re shy or nervous at the start of the party. Keep it lighthearted, and make a little joke if you can, but by letting them know, they’ll let you off the hook. And once that’s out of the way, you’ll notice you’ll feel calmer.
If you’re a new-ish consultant, use an “I’m in training” sign to let people know you’re still learning. Again, you can joke about it or create a funny little sign. It’s a great way to generate some goodwill towards any small mistakes.
If you worry about forgetting what you want to say due to nerves, create cue cards for yourself. There’s nothing wrong with using some cards to keep yourself on track. You can even draw attention to it by saying something like: “I get so e“cited and want to tell you everything. This helps me to stay on track…“.
This trick has an added benefit: any guests who think they might want to join can see that you don’t need all the information in your head. It lowers the barrier for them if they’re wondering if they can be consultants!
Encourage yourself to grow.
Start small. If you currently do nothing to recruit people, don’t expect yourself to build an empire overnight.
Pick the most minor thing you feel you can do and start there. Then move on to another thing you can add to your routine, and then another. Move forward at your own pace.
It’s essentIt’sto encourage and reward yourself. Stepping out of your comfort zone is a big deal. Celebrate it! Setting goals (no matter how small) and rewarding yourself for achieving them helps you stay motivated and continue towards success.
Read more about the importance of celebrating wins here.
Another essential way to get more comfortable doing things is to focus on the action rather than the result. You set yourself goals in terms of action, not the outcome. For example, your goal could be to play a recruiting game, send follow-up messages, to start a one-on-one conversation at your next party. Then when you’ve achieved the goal – regardless of the outcome – you give yourself a small reward.
Read a little more on why this is so important here.
I hope you realize that you can recruit and be successful in direct sales as an introvert or a shy person.
Using the principles in this book, I built a global 20-million-dollar direct sales business at my daughter’s hospital bedside.
I’ve written the kind of book I would have loved someone to give me when I started out —it’s the HOW-TO OF RECRUITING.
Order your copy here.
