Marketing to Introverts

The Top 10 Ways to Market to Introverts (you know, the ones with the high income)


Statistics indicate that introverts make up 10-30% of the general population but as IQ increases, the proportion of introverts rises dramatically. Since there is a correlation between intelligence and income, you target more introverts as buying power rises. The greater the price of the product or service you are marketing, the greater the chance you are selling to an introvert. It pays to understand your audience.


There are some critical differences in the way introverts initiate consumer dialogue, process information, make decisions and put their decisions into dollars and cents.


1. Introverts are territorial. This includes their personal space.

Introverts don't like interruptions, uninvited visits or phone calls. What's new about that? you may be asking. No one likes telemarketers. But here's the difference that you need to know. Whereas extroverts will huff, puff, hit the high blood pressure button, yell, take a drink or hit somebody, they do answer the phone. Introverts get an unlisted number, a fancy answering machine and they turn the ringer off. Also they have no qualms whatsoever about hanging up on you or closing the door in your face. This is the reasoning: if you are rude enough to invade their private space, you are sub human and they treat you that way. Jackie Kennedy was an introvert who hit photographers with her purse when they got too close to her.


2. Introverts love to read.

See that person over there on the cruise reading the small print on the cereal box? That's an introvert. See that woman across the aisle there, actually reading the inflight magazine? That, too, is an introvert. Whoever thought about putting advertisements in elevators and inside toilet doors had introverts in mind. Well ... it's better than having to talk to the other people in the elevator!!


3. Introverts, despite appearances, are not shy and they are frequently not braindead just because they don't say anything while you are talking to them.

Never assume you have reached your introverted audience just because you have talked to them. As you leave (and make it quick), put a fact sheet on their desk and tell them you would like to hear from them in a few days if they have any thoughts or interest.


4. Introverts are not impressed by personality.

Having none ourselves, except the one we drag out on State Occasions :-) we do not put any value on yours. Please don't be cute, peppy, positive, enthusiastic or motivating. Instead, be polite, know your stuff, get to the point, leave written material and invite a response at a later date.


5. The assumptions, guiding principles, underlying beliefs and expectations of introverts are so different from the extroverted majority that you may not even realize you have a bad map to the territory. May I give you a few examples.

A client of mine recently complained that her husband was impressed with a woman we'll call Monrovia because she hung out with movie stars and threw their names around. My client posed the question, "Why is he impressed with that? We don't even know these people." She was quite serious.

A young man was having trouble with his career and had failed again to establish a permanent position for himself as a commnity college professor despite talent and dedication. A peppy extrovert suggested that he make the best of it. "At least tell people you got a better offer but it won't materialize for a few more months. Do a little window dressing. That way you won't feel like such a loser." His reply: "That's ridiculous. I am very disappointed and what other people think about it makes no difference at all."


6. Introverts hate being rushed.

This means N O H Y P E. Never. Not ever. No hype.

Not only does it not work, it is exhausting to introverts because we give energy while extroverts take energy. As every introvert in the world is only too aware, people who use hype suck more energy that should be legally possible in 52 states.


7. Introverts are greatly afraid of making mistakes in public and of humiliation in public during a learning period.

If you have a new product or service for them to try, make sure they will be able to do this in private. Give clear instructions and a demonstration. Then leave it with them and go!

A brilliant introvert I know has many interests and hobbies beyond her career as an attorney. She is an intense amateur astrologer. As a result of her interest in astrology, she became curious about astronomy and the Night Sky. Her daughter surprised her on her birthday with a gift basket that contained a Night Sky map, a flashlight covered with red cellphane, several printouts about the mythology of the constellations and suggested that take their chairs up on the roof to get at it.

Bad idea. The woman couldn't figure out how to relate the scale of the map to the stars in the sky and became absolutely speechless with mortification and humiliation because of the presence of a third party as well.

Sound ridiculous? Not to your favorite introvert.


8. Introverts hate small talk.

If you would like to make an excellent first impression, be polite and come quickly to the point. Above all, don't ask personal questions and by that I mean things you think don't matter such as how many children I have or what work my husband does.


9. Introverts hate phones and especially cell phones.

Don't expect a return phone call. We figure, why bother someone when we can dash off a note, leave a message on an answering machine or click off an email.

Above all else, do not use your cell phone in our presence. Introverts are hysterically vexed by what we consider this ultimate rudeness. If you want me to give it you straight, we also think you are pathetic because you can't be alone for a moment with yourself.


10. Introverts say what they mean.

No means no.