The Introvert Entrepreneur

Ep70: Insight Selling and What Sales Winners Do Differently - A Conversation with John E. Doerr

What's your favorite part of being an introvert entrepreneur? My guess is, it's doing what you do best, making a difference and having freedom to create the life you want. I also think it's safe to guess that it's NOT sales! Implementing a sustainable sales process is often – not always, but often – the most stressful part of being an introvert entrepreneur. Most introverts I work with and speak to don’t consider sales a natural strength. What they often don’t realize that many of their natural strengths are actually integral to an effective sales process. That’s what we’re going to explore with author and sales consultant John E. Doerr in this podcast conversation.

We look at what behaviors and beliefs make the difference between winning or losing someone's business; how the Insight Selling model is ideal for introverts; and how technology and social media have changed the sales process.

Co-President of RAIN Group, John E. Doerr  is co-author of the Wall Street Journal bestseller Rainmaking Conversations: Influence, Persuade, and Sell in Any Situation (Wiley, 2011), Insight Selling: Surprising Research on What Sales Winners Do Differently (Wiley, 2014), and Professional Services Marketing, second edition (Wiley, 2013). In 2011, John was named the Top Sales Thought Leader by Top Sales Awards.

Effective Leadership, Introvert Style: A Conversation with Jim Hessler

Much has been written over the past few years about introverts and leadership. While the conversation has been rich and informative, there is still progress to be made when it comes to introverts being seen as leaders... even among introverts themselves.

In this edition of The Introvert Entrepreneur Podcast, I speak with leadership development consultant Jim Hessler. We talk about three strengths that can increase an introvert's leadership effectiveness, the role of suffering in finding your true career path, and why introverts might have an edge when it comes to sales.

Jim Hessler is founder of Path Forward Leadership Development and the co-host of the popular podcast “The Boss Show.” Jim has spent the last 11 years as a leadership educator and facilitator after a long career as a business manager specializing in turning around underperforming business operations. Jim is also the co-author of the book “Land On Your Feet, Not On Your Face.”

You can learn more and listen to episodes of "The Boss Show" at www.thebossshow.com.

Connecting through Personality Types with James Wedmore

We know that understanding if someone is an introvert or an extrovert gives us certain insights into their personality and why they do what they do. But how can that information be utilized in marketing our business? My guest today is James Wedmore, a proud introvert, serial entrepreneur and serious student of personality types. In this podcast, James shares with us a few tips on leveraging introvert energy, building your team and the importance of setting clear intentions for your business and relationships. We also cover:

• How the internet is the global Land of Opportunity
• Why it's important to put the "I" (introvert) in TEAM
• The biggest mistakes introvert entrepreneurs make in their businesses, especially online

How to Create a Cycle of Success with Julie Fleming

Sometimes in business – as in life – we get stuck. We find ourselves spinning our wheels or just not making the progress we want. The key is to move from the Cycle of Failure to the Cycle of Success. My guest today, Julie Fleming, shares a few tips on how to do just that. Julie works with small business owners who love what they do but don’t love marketing. Julie helps them learn how to attract their ideal clients by doing what they do best – serving clients. The result is that they get all the business they need, make more money, and love their thriving businesses. Julie is the author of The Reluctant Rainmaker: A Guide for Lawyers Who Hate Selling (Crow Creek Press, 2009) and the upcoming book Ignite It! Explode the Profit in Your Service-Based Business, due to be published in January 2011. Julie draws on her success as a lawyer, coach and business development expert to tell us:

• How to define success for yourself
• What it feels like to be caught in the Cycle of Failure
• How to make the move to the Cycle of Success
• Which business development activities have the most impact on your bottom line

Selling as Spiritual Practice with Tshombe Brown

If you are tired of struggling with your sales goals and are just plain frustrated with the pushy, manipulative approach to sales and selling, you’ll be interested in what my guest, Tshombé Brown of Your Signature Coaching & Consulting, has to say.

As a Spiritual Business Coach, Tshombé helps independent sales professionals release themselves from struggle, differentiate themselves in the market place, and to easily attract only their perfect clients. In his time with us today, he will share with us what typically gets in our way as entrepreneurs, and how we can instead be magnetic, creating a sense of ease and flow when it comes to sales and marketing.

Our lively conversation covers critical information such as

• What "selling as spiritual practice" means and how it can help you reframe your relationship with sales
• How to orchestrate your life to support your introvert strengths
• Getting past the "Used Car Salesman" myth and creating a new sales story

During the podcast, I have an "aha" moment about my own sales story... my guess is that you'll have one, too!

Be sure to listen all the way to the end; Tshombé has a special offer for "Beth's Peeps" (I have peeps! :-) )