The words ‘selling for introverts’ are not often enclosed in the same sentence. Indeed, the two are quite mutually exclusive. But a great many introverts find themselves in sales positions, or some other form of customer service, whether retail, food, hospitality, or other.

Most introverts discover their own unique ways of coping with the demands of a sales career. A few introverts even excel at such careers. Here are a few tips to bear in mind as an introvert salesperson and a few reasons that make introverts great salespeople.

It’s An Act

Did you know that a large number of famous actors, musicians, and artists are intensely introverted (whenever off stage and behind the camera)? Conventional wisdom regarding the narcissism of performing artists contradicts this idea. But in fact, greats like Ella Fitzgerald, Barbra Streisand, Cher, Michael Jackson, Meryl Streep, and many others have spoken passionately about their introversion. Introverts are atypically attracted to the arts because the stage gives them permission to perform in ways they would never in their personal lives. Fascinating, no?

The world famous pop star Beyonce, for example, has frequently mentioned the alter ego she crafted and invokes before each performance (Sasha Fierce). Just like a pop star, salespeople are selling more than product. They are selling an experience, whether that experience entails the features and benefits of a product, or a possible spike in the happiness quotient that a particular purchase will bring to a customer’s life.

Just like a performer, introverted salespeople can invent a sales persona, an alter ego with which they can inject their idea of the ultimate salesperson. You can give this persona use of your body and send the persona out onto the sales floor. This technique has been tested in studies and utilized brilliantly by painfully introverted customer service reps and introverted salespeople. This would be Lesson # 1 in Selling for Introverts. Create your ultimate sales alter ego, then become that person on the sales floor. Be patient and don’t criticize yourself. Just step into your character’s shoes and follow where they lead.

Use What You Have

Having crafted your persona, don’t abandon all your introvert qualities. Many of them make you a perfect salesperson. As an introvert, you’re great observer, more attentive, perceptive, highly sensitive, and you always think things through. This means you spend more time listening to customers, truly understanding them, reflecting back what they’ve said, matching them to the right product, and offering lots of useful, well thought out advice. You’re more than a salesperson, you’re a ready-made best friend, the ultimate salesperson.

Other Possibilities

Selling for introverts may entail having to find just the right sales situation within which to maximize your inherent gifts. Not all sales has to be in a stuffy showroom, on a car sales lot, or the floor of a high volume clothing store. You might enjoy telephone sales, internet sales, or overseeing the online sales department of a medium size bookstore, or other such retail establishment. Perhaps you’d like to do B2B sales within a particular industry? The sales possibilities are endless and a great many are suitable to introverts. Whatever sales path you choose, you’re sure to be a rock star. Or at least your sales alter ego is.