2017 is the year you dominate selling

There’s no doubt that introverts are talented people. We almost all accept the fact that we’re creative and see things differently. Some of us are even borderline geniuses.

So why do we fail in business? Why is consulting and freelancing so tough for us?

Project work is the easy part

The difficulty has nothing to do with our talent, skills, or work-ethic; You know, the actual project work. But it has everything to do with the business side of things. The biggest pain for most freelancers, turns out to be prospecting and selling.

Most people (introverted or not) underestimate how vital the skill of selling really is when they start their business. It’s even more vital for us freelancers since we usually don’t have employees and have to wear every hat in our business.

Project work is the easy part since it’s the time where we get to be alone and do what we do best—create magic.

Whether you like it or not, selling is what keeps your business running

If I’m honest with myself, I have to admit that my business has began to be successful not because of my awesome project work or high-level skill set but because of my ability sell.

Actually, when I first started freelancing, I was an intermediate full-stack developer. But my selling skills were good enough for me to sell my fourth project for $40,000.

Turns out that my selling skills didn’t only pave the way but also gave room for my programming skills to develop and catch up to the quality of projects I wanted to sell.

This is where I was different from most introverts who begin to freelance. Usually, introverts already possess a high-level skill set but can’t seem to sell projects with price tags that reflect it.

Skills to do project work, of course, are important, but you could get by without it for some time.

You can’t get by without selling, though.

Go ahead and try it. Your business will quickly become a hobby. Well, according to the IRS that is.

That’s a hard pill to swallow. We introverts don’t like to hear that. We take pride in our work, skills, and creativity. Nevertheless, it’s the truth—one that we need to accept.

What is a business without selling? Heck, selling skills are needed even in pro bono or volunteer projects (Salesforce knows it).

If selling doesn’t come natural to you as an introvert, chances are that you probably avoid it until you absolutely have to sell something.

It’s time to stop avoiding it.

This year, I’m inviting you (and challenging you) to be great at selling.

My main focus this year will be to help introverts like you and me, to stop scaring away from selling and become great at it.

I want to help you make selling feel natural, because I know introverts make for better salespeople in the long run.

You don’t have to magically turn into an extrovert or sacrifice your introversion to be great at selling—I never had to. So I’m convinced that you don’t have to, either.

What I have in the pipeline for you this year:

#1 – The Beginner’s Guide to Building a Freelance Business

I’m creating a mini e-book discussing foundational principles that I wish I would have known when I first started to freelance. This will be free and of course, you and the rest of my readers get first dibs on it.

Launch month: February 2017.

#2 – Free Video Course

I’m updating my Prospecting for Introverts email course into a 5-part video course. It will still be free and you’ll have first dibs on it too. The content will also be updated according to the feedback I received last year.

Launch month: March 2017.

#3 – Selling for Introverts Workshop

An online workshop which will refine you and your selling skills as an Introvert. I’m not talking about traditional, suit-wearing, old school type of selling. I’m talking about upping your prospecting and selling skills with legit practice, real people (including myself), and turning your introversion into your most valuable asset when you sell.

Launch month: September 2017.

#4 – Weekly Newsletter

My weekly newsletter will continue to mostly discuss business but sometimes life too (since we can’t escape it). And, yes, the newsletter is still for Introverts and written by yours truly, a fellow Introvert.

I’m also experimenting with a new way of delivering my articles to you. You’ll now receive a short summary of what the article is about and you’ll have links to read or listen to the complete article.

Launch month: Now.

So, there you have it. We have some work to do this year.

Let’s make 2017 the year we stop scaring away from selling and dominate it like the Mighty Introverts we really are.