There is a common misconception that salespeople need to be as assertive and enthusiastic as possible in order to be successful.
Up until recently, it was assumed that extroverts were best at selling products for this very reason.
However, the results of a psychology study carried out by the University of Pennsylvania indicate that this is not actually the case.
Ambiverts Beat Extroverts and Introverts
Whilst it is true that introverts may not make particularly good salespeople, etailers are actually more likely to buy from people who are ‘ambiverts’. This term refers to individuals who possess some of the characteristics of introverts and some of the qualities of extroverts.
Mistakenly believing that people buy from your sales team because it is comprised of extroverts may lead to poor decisions when recruiting new members.
Salespeople who are intensely extroverted are as bad as extreme introverts when it comes to generating sales. They appear excitable and overconfident, which can be off-putting to online retailers.
Listening Is The Key
Ambiverts make good salespeople on account of the fact that they are enthusiastic when they want to be but also capable of listening to what customers have to say.
Etailers react badly to people who attempt to sell their products without encouraging them to put their own opinions across. They want to feel as if their concerns are being taken into consideration.
Ambiverts’ social flexibility makes them a major asset to a sales team.
A Happy Medium
The perception that extroverts are adept at closing sales probably stems from the fact that people who are very introverted are clearly not very good at pushing a product or service.
However, as with all things, a balance is needed in order to gain the optimum result.