Sales people for years have carried a certain stereotype; this image of an over confident, sharp tongued people person that has the ability to win anyone over with just a few sentences.
However, that does not mean you have to be that way naturally. And this got me thinking about the difference between introverted and extroverted personalities.
The fact of the matter is this; anyone can be a good sales person, regardless of their personality. There are plenty of personality typing systems and without going into those, I want to focus predominantly on introverts and extroverts – and ask the question; do you have to be extroverted to be a good sales person?
For me, introverts are those that remain calm and prefer to witness situations from afar. They find socialising difficult and spend a lot of their time alone. I read once that introverts prefer to be inside of their head and enjoy their own space and time. Extroverts on the other hand enjoy to socialise. They enjoy speaking with others and they love to be outgoing. Extroverts tend to have plenty of friends and are strong and confident talkers – you can see now why the stereotypical view of sales people tends to lead towards extroverts, right?
However, people naturally introverted are perfectly suited to sales.
You see, one of the biggest skills any sales professional or business owner
should possess is the ability to listen. As long as you can ask questions and
find solutions to the problems that arise then an introvert can be perfectly
suited to the role.
People whom are naturally extroverted will need to ensure that their ability to listen, and actively listen, is second to none. And that they do not try to talk over their prospect or try to waffle on too much. However, extroverts, as they love to socialise, may find that they can develop rapport and relationships far faster than that of people whom are introverted.
So, as you can see, there are pros and cons for both of these personality traits. However, for any sales person, or anyone looking to get into sales it is important to note that you should never let your personality trait hold you back. And for any employers out there; you shouldn’t feel the need to hold back from recruiting a sales person if they seem naturally introverted. It is their natural ability to listen, problem solve and advise that could help you see an increase in sales.
So in answer to the initial question: do you have to be extroverted to be a good sales person? The answer is simple; no, you do not have to be. Sure, the outgoing social nature of an extrovert can hold you to a massive advantage. However, if you have the ability to listen, problem solve and advise then you will do just as well as a sales professional!
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