“The secret to life is to put yourself in the right lighting. For some, it’s a Broadway spotlight; for others, a lamplit desk.“

– Susan Cain, Quiet

You might be forgiven for thinking I’m an extrovert.  And in some instances you would be right. But you will never guess the deep sense of relief I felt when reading Susan Cain’s Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, and I discovered that I’m actually an ambivert.

What’s that you ask?

An ambivert is a person who displays both introvert and extrovert personality traits. Ambiverts possess a mix of traits, and their behavior may vary depending on the situation and the people they are with. They may enjoy socialising and interacting with others but love spending time alone and recharge their energy by being by themselves.

And yes, I’m one. Here’s how I know.

• After delivering a keynote or going to a networking function, you will likely find me at home on my own, shutting out the outside world, no music, no TV, just me and a novel – recharging.
• The thought of speaking up at events and asking a question from the floor gives me sweaty palms, my heart beat races and I even get word salad – it’s that stressful.
• And sometimes, despite having my LinkedIn content planned and ready to go, I’m just not feeling robust enough to put myself and my ideas out there – so I simply don’t hit publish, and wait again for a better day.

Why do I tell you this?  Because I too struggle with self-promotion. Despite writing a book about it, and knowing that it’s easier when you connect to your why, focus on serving others and on the difference you make, I still find it hard. And if I find it hard, a true introvert will find it even more challenging.

So that’s why I’ve collated a bunch of ideas on self-promotion tactics for introverts, because we all need to do it, but it shouldn’t be daunting.

SELF PROMOTION CAN BE A CHALLENGE – ESPECIALLY FOR INTROVERTS

Self-promotion can be a a big challenge for introverts who may feel uncomfortable talking about or even drawing attention to themselves. So much so, that if you’re an introvert you simply won’t do it. The problem is, in a world that values extroversion, you’re hiding your light under a bushel. After all, the world needs more insights and ideas from those who listen intently, think deeply, build strong one-on-one relationships, are independent thinkers and have great observation skills.

The problem is that the introvert isn’t going to be the one to highlight all those amazing benefits – and I’m guessing if you’re still reading this, that’s you – and you should. In a world where different is the competitive advantage, doing things differently is going to be your edge.

So here are six tactics that can help you self- promote while staying true to your introverted nature.

1. Focus your strengths: As an introvert, you may be a good listener, creative, and analytical. Emphasise these strengths when promoting yourself, and explain how they can benefit potential clients or employers.
   
   For example, in a job interview, instead of trying to hide your introvert nature, draw attention to it early on in the interview, and talk about the benefits. “You might have noticed I’m a bit of an introvert. The benefit of this is that I listen deeply to my team, and as a result they trust me more. It helps build loyalty and trust and it’s something I work with.”
   
   
2. Use written communication: If you feel uncomfortable promoting yourself in person, use written communication like your work intranet, LinkedIn or even your own website to showcase your work and ideas. This can really help you build an online presence and establish yourself as an expert in your field in a way that’s not as daunting.
   
   For example, I have several executive clients who set themselves up with websites – it’s a great way to feature your wins and achievements, plus awesome when it comes to job hunting as well. Why do I like this idea so much? It’s proactive and strategic and you’re in charge of creating the narrative. It’s a true quiet achiever approach and you can do this on your own terms.
   
   
3. Network in smaller groups: Look for opportunities to network in smaller groups or one-on-one, which may feel far less intimidating than large events. Maybe even find one or two others who feel similarly about large industry events, and team up so you can go together and have one to one interactions with those you know better. While it is possible to hide in a large event, it’s likely it would be so exhausting that you’d be like me – home on the couch, eating TimTams, drinking red win, and wishing you’d never gone.
   
   
4. Ask for introductions: I ❤️ this approach and I write about it in my book Invisible to Invincible (have I told you yet that I’m in the final throes of the 2nd edition?).
   
   When you absolutely must go to one of those big events, instead of standing there on your own and feeling like a fish out of water, talk to one person. Then ask them to introduce you to one new person. Talk to the new person, then ask them to introduce you to someone else. Many of my more introvert clients use this approach all the time and can even work their way up to being introduced to the speaker or the host which gives them a great sense of achievement. Don’t worry that you’re using people. In fact, what I’ve learned is that the introducer (often an extrovert) loves to feel helpful as well. This is such a great tactic, that anyone can do it.
   
   
5. Practice makes perfect: Like any skill, self-promotion can be learned and practiced. Start small by promoting your work to friends or family, and gradually work your way up to promoting yourself to colleagues or potential clients.
   
   For example: When I first started learning to public speak, I started with mini conversations with my coaching clients, then started delivering small segments of my presentation in small meetings, which then built out to a board room table, and finally a proper audience. There is no need to jump straight in the deep end. You can do this too.
   
   
6. Be strategically visible: Create your visibility (self-promotion) strategy at the beginning of the year, align it to performance appraisal time, networking season and bonus season, or other key dates in your professional calendar. Then build a repeatable, easy to enact plan, factoring in your own preferences – so you simply have to press play and it’s done.
   
   Regarding preferences: I’ve got some clients who only network in the morning when they are feeling strong and more confident. I know myself, I get far less word salad at around 10am in the morning so I factor this in when scheduling presentations. Perhaps you prefer to network over a meal. What works best for you?
   

“We don’t need giant personalities to transform companies. We need leaders who build not their own egos but the institutions they run.“

– Susan Cain, Quiet

BECOME THE STRATEGIC LEADER YOU WANT TO SEE

Successful leaders have learned the art of subtly powerful self-promotion – even if they tend towards introversion. They’re not over-exposed, instead they’re strategic – strategically visible, strategically vocal, strategically well-connected and strategically positioned to stand out for all the right reasons. Which more ideally suits the introvert nature.

Accepting that self-promotion is a necessary part of having the impact you want to have, adopting a strategic approach is a really smart approach and ensures it’s not as uncomfortable or stressful. Use the tactics I list above to promote yourself while staying true to your more introverted nature.

YOUR THOUGHTS? Drop me a note and let me know what tactics work for you.