Marketing for Introverts 101: What are the challenges that introvert solopreneurs and entrepreneurs face?

Specific marketing strategies, tactics, and tools, tailored to your needs and nature as an introvert can help you grow your business sustainably while enabling you to live a life of meaning. And I know that the latter is something you hold dear and for which you are willing to sacrifice things and fight.

For that to happen, you need to be mindful and not get distracted by all the shiny objects around: from the wealthy social media stars showing off their perfect life to know-it-all marketing gurus advising you on the next big thing. And the next one, and the next after that. 

Definitions first

Before rolling out the introvert-specific way of doing business and marketing, let's start with defining the three most important keywords:

1. introvert
2. solopreneur
3. entrepreneur

If you wish to jump directly to the juice of this guide, click here. However, I suggest going through the following definitions to get a better context and perhaps correct your view of yourself as an introvert solopreneur or entrepreneur.

Let's go!

Who is an introvert?

There is no universally accepted definition of an introvert person. Instead, we focus on what characteristics introverted people have and how they affect their personal and professional lives. 

However, there are many misconceptions about what the meaning of introvert is. Let me start with what an introverted person is not:

• Shy. The difference lies in the intent. Shy people wish they were more outward and feel this is something they can work on and improve. It's more about confidence. On the other hand, introverts usually acknowledge that they are more inward-looking, quieter and reserved, and are OK with it. They don't wish to change that. Moreover, both introverts and extroverts can be shy. 
• Antisocial. Perhaps this is the most common myth about introverts that they don't like other people and prefer to be left alone. It's simply not true. Introverts do like other people and social interaction. It is just that they quickly get overstimulated and lose their energy because of this. Therefore, they seek time alone to recharge their mental batteries. 
• Sad & depressed. Another common myth is that introverted people are unhappy and face depression. Being a quiet power in the room doesn't mean that you are sad and have a mental health issue. It's just about the amount of social interaction they want to engage in. They avoid small talk but enjoy "big talk" (deep, meaningful conversations). Introverts also choose to talk when they have something valuable to say or contribute to the discussion. Otherwise, they feel happy with their thoughts and simply enjoy listening to what other people say. Introverts and extroverts have the same chances of becoming unhappy or depressed. 

See? We, introverts, are extensively misunderstood because our society is prepped for extroverts. Anything different from being loud, talkative, extra social and energetic simply gets labelled as problematic.

Are introverts problematic? Do they need to feel that something is wrong with them? Can the science back this up? 

Introverts of the world, I got news for you. And they are happy news! Being an introvert is not a condition or an illness. On the contrary, it is about human biology, and science can now prove it. 

Biology can explain how introverts behave the way they do. It has to do with stimulation. Introverts are highly sensitive to external stimuli (like when in a party, at a meeting or in busy and loud environments). Our brain is wired to receive many more stimulants than extroverted people's brains do (hence we have excellent observation skills). The more stimuli you get (and process mentally), the more energy you consume. Tada!

Can you see the connection now? It's about how we are born, and there is nothing we can do about it. It is a physical issue and not a mental one. It is how we are wired, and we just have to live with it in peace the same way some of us are shorter or have dark hair and light skin. Simple as that! 

So, who is an introvert? As I wrote before, we can't create a 100% accurate and complete definition, but we can write down a list of signs that show you are most probably an introvert: 

• you are a quiet and reserved person who enjoys solitude and working independently (it is why you became a solopreneur or entrepreneur in the first place, right?)
• you spend much energy in social situations and get quickly drained
• you get easily distracted because you are very observant and get quickly overstimulated
• you are introspective and curious, which makes you very self-aware
• you are very empathetic to other people's feelings
• you have a few but very close friends

Important note: you don't need to tick all these boxes to consider yourself an introvert. Plus, there is no absolute boundary between being an introvert or an extrovert. Most people are somewhere along the spectrum, towards the one or the other side. However, researchers have estimated that perhaps 33% to 50% of people are on the introvert side. 

Can you believe that? One in three or even two people out there is like you. The same goes for your prospective clients and your fellow solopreneurs or entrepreneurs. We are not a tiny minority, as many want us to believe. We are an almost equal part of society and should be treated as such. 

Who is a solopreneur? How are they different from an entrepreneur?

Going solo is, for most of us, introverts, the natural choice. Working on your own, independently, pursuing your passion and serving your purpose makes you feel in your natural environment. This way, you enjoy work, get motivated to do your best and feel you live a meaningful life. 

Long story short, you are a solopreneur if you:

• work independently, pursuing your passion
• own a small business that is based on your personal brand and is usually growing slowly but surely
• work alone and multitask extensively 

Do you tick the boxes? If so, can you also see the connection between being an introvert and a solopreneur? Based on my experience working with my clients, I have to say that most solopreneurs are more or less introverted.

What about being an entrepreneur? What distinguishes an entrepreneur from a solopreneur? 

According to no other than entrepreneur.com, there are four main differences between a solopreneur and an entrepreneur working alone.

1. Solopreneurs build their career around their passion, whereas entrepreneurs (although often pursuing their passion, too) wish they get bought out by a major company at some point so that they can jump to the next venture.
2. Solopreneurs prefer to work hard on their product or service and spend less time networking as this drains their energy quickly. On the other hand, entrepreneurs are more into searching for and finding the investor who can fund or even buy them out. 
3. Solopreneurs are not in a rush to outsource parts of their work and hire people. Entrepreneurs usually hire people to delegate work quicker than solopreneurs. However, at the beginning and perhaps for a long time, they may work all alone.
4. Solopreneurs are hard workers, whereas entrepreneurs are hard-working managers. The former roll-up their sleeves to get everything done while the latter prefer to delegate and manage.

I agree with this distinction, more or less. However, there are a couple more perspectives I would like to add: 

• Different growth rate. Solopreneurs prefer to grow slowly but surely, whereas entrepreneurs aim at rapid growth (since they wish to sell their business pretty quickly).
• Different growth goal. Both solopreneurs and entrepreneurs want to scale their business. Regardless of the growth rate (slow or rapid, as explained above), solopreneurs usually aim to run a profitable business and grow together with their personal brand. The more they expand their brand, the more their business grows, too. On the other hand, entrepreneurs usually want to scale it as much as they can. Since their goal is to sell it and move on, the more they grow it before the acquisition, the more money they get when the deal is signed. 

By definition, an entrepreneur may not seem like the most introverted person in the room. However, there are a lot of famous introverts who excelled in their entrepreneurial quest. Bill Gates (Microsoft), Larry Page (Google) and Marc Zuckerberg (Facebook) are only a few. 

Can you imagine? Being an introvert is no obstacle to achieving your dreams and goals as a solopreneur or entrepreneur. 

You don't necessarily have to aspire to become the next billionaire or mega-influencer. But whatever your goal (always a meaningful one), you can still make it as an introvert. All you need is the right mindset and marketing. 

The Top-7 challenges introvert solopreneurs and entrepreneurs face

Being a solopreneur or entrepreneur working alone is a roller coaster in itself. Add to this the introversion-related struggles, and you can easily understand how challenging it can become.

I am sure you would write down a massive list of challenges you face. My clients and I have talked about them extensively during our sessions over the years. 

I have come to identify a few patterns in most of them. So, I will now share the 7 most common challenges introverted solopreneurs and entrepreneurs working alone have to deal with

🦌 lack of niche or proper target audience

🦌 slow or unsteady or no growth

🦌 multitasking & lack of focus

🦌 skipping #marketing altogether

🦌 time management & prioritization (=procrastination)

🦌 isolation or disconnection

🦌 fear of inadequacy & fear of failure

So, how do you feel after reading this? Which one of these challenges resonates with you the most? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

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I am Pavlos Rizos, also known as The Nordic Marketer and I am on a quest to help other fellow introvert solopreneurs and entrepreneurs grow their business with the power of content and a Nordic twist! Join my community at www.thenordicmarketer.com