I am 100% introvert. I enjoy spending social time with my immediate family and close friends, I need time alone to recharge, and the thought of meeting large groups of strangers fills me with terror. This is exactly opposite of the personality that most people picture successful business people with. In order to sell yourself and your brand, a certain degree of extroversion is needed. You have to be able to risk putting yourself out there (something especially difficult for introverts), and be able to reach out to people, even if “networking” sounds absolutely nightmarish to you. But, being a little on the shy side does not mean that your business will fail. In fact, there are many successful introverts out there! Check out this post by the Biz Ladies at Design Sponge for tips on building your brand as an introvert:
-Send an individual email out to someone you admire, ask to go out for coffee. Networking on a one on one basis is much easier than dealing with large groups.
-If you are going to a conference, research the guest list. Reach out to one or two people online before the event so you will have a familiar face!
-Have a strong online presence- have a blog, share others’ posts, email others and ask to write guest posts.