Success Principles
As I have stated in previous blogs, I really believe that introverted freelancers are hard-wired to succeed in client-facing professions within our WordPress Community. All clients enjoy working with professional who has honed the ability to actively listen, carefully ask additional questions to clarify a sticking point, summarize the essentials of an issue and methodically help the client reach a decision.
Introverts are naturals at understanding the essentials of the buying and selling relationship:
- be curious
- ask questions
- listen
- be more interested than interesting
- offer a solution
- investing the time to help a client reach a decision
Introverted Freelancers, we’ve got this!
The key to successfully converting an interested lead into a loyal and returning client is in understanding what primary needs drive your customer and what you can do to successfully address those needs while honoring the client stated constraints. Being an introverted Freelance is a huge benefit in this situation. We have been listing and watching the client, as they describe the problem they are trying to solve. Better yet, because we are active listeners, we did stop listening until the client stopped speaking. Introverted freelancers are comfortable asking the questions we need to find the best way to get where that client has indicated he wants to be, without violating the client-stated constraints. We are able to give a measured and thoughtful response that address all the clients issues and work cooperatively to reach a reasonable solution.
On any given day, the extroverted freelancer might fumble this same client encounter.
Most extroverts tend to “wing it,” They comfortable getting into a situation and figure things out as they go along. This impulsiveness can be a wonderful quality in social settings or a creative expression, but a worrisome trait in a client-facing career. Customers can become suspicious of someone who talks fast and delivers slow. Most customers just want a technical partner to solve their issue as efficiently as possible, they don’t need the floor show…too much smiling, joking, and laughing is not conducive to assuring the client you are focused on solving the problem.
Being extrovert is not necessary to be a successful WordPress Freelancer, being client-focused is. I think introverts are better at client-facing tasks.
- Introverted Freelancers have good listening and analyzing skills. They listen to the clients, understand their problems and them help them find a solution. Introverted Freelancers have a natural tendency to build strong and long lasting relationships. Introverted WordPress Freelancers might not have as many connections as their Extroverted collegues, but they tend to nurture the connections they have and maintain this connection over a long period of time.
- Introvert Freelancers are creative. They are early adopters of automation technologies that help them identify and reach their ideal client and use targeted content marketing to build a Tribe of online followers.
- IntrovertFreelancers are readers — in fact, they are usually voracious readers. They read and study about their client’s company, products, and services. They know about the client’s strengths and weaknesses, about competitors and their marketing strategies. They use their knowledge to become an ‘indispensable. resource to their client. When a client consults with an introverted WordPress Freelancer, that introverted consultant isn’t just actively listening to the client they are also reading between the lines of that conversation to suss out the useful information out of the conversation.
- Introvert Freelancers are not looking for a single sale, to cover this month’s expenses, but strive to build a list of loyal clients they can serve for years. The successful WordPress Freelancer doesn’t just look for short-term business but have a long-term business plan.
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