Network Marketing for Introverts: How to Find Success without Lots of Friends or Hosting Parties
updated: May 2024
So you’re an introvert and you’re thinking about getting involved with in a social selling company?
(side note: You might also know of them as network marketing, MLM, or direct sales company)
I’m guessing you know that you want to be successful in network marketing and social selling (‘cause otherwise what’s the point?), but you’re likely worried that this is a business model for people who have a bunch of friends, are the life of every party, and have no problem chatting it up with every person they meet.
Listen, I hear you, friend.
I’m an introvert who loves nothing more than retreating into my own home, hanging out with my kids, working my business (in my own introverted way of course!), and enjoying new adventures in life with our family.
AND I’m an introvert who is in network marketing. (Along with running a local service-based company that I started in 2009, and now employs 15 women. Oh, not to mention having 3 kids too. :) Yep I’m busy!)
So how does that work? How am I finding success in a network marketing business model that has traditionally been all about in-home parties, phone calls (ugh, I hate those things!), unsolicited DMs, and always looking for new people to chat with?
Well, let me tell you …
I’m not hosting parties.
I’m not making lists of my friends to call.
I’m not bothering my family members.
I’m not chatting it up with random people I meet on the street.
I’m not sending “cold” Facebook or Instagram DMs.
And I haven’t suddenly become a social butterfly or consider myself a great networker
What I am doing, is I’m doing network marketing the "introverted way,"meaning that I’m leaning into my natural strengths as an introvert, and focusing on introvert-friendly alternative strategies that mesh well with proven methods.
So what does that look like exactly - doing social selling as an introvert?
Well, let’s take a look! Consider this an introvert’s guide to successful network marketing!
And if you’d like to find out more about the company that I’m a part of, you can request more info from me HERE.
How to Find Success in Network Marketing as an Introvert
Let me begin by saying that even though there are several standard traits held by most introverts - you like to recharge alone, you prefer small groups of people, and too much talk or too many people drains your energy - there are many nuances between introverts as a whole.
Being an introvert doesn’t always mean you are shy or you don’t enjoy people or you like talking 1:1 vs. to a group. There are many different ways that introverts present in the world, so some of the strategies that I share for doing network marketing as an introvert may resonate with you, and others may not.
However, if shyness is a trait that you hold, don't think that you have to let that shyness hold you back!
For me personally, as an introverted person, I enjoy:
Sharing online vs. in person - I feel much more confident that way
Teaching/speaking to groups vs. 1:1 - I’ve found there is less need for awkward “small talk” when speaking to a group
Bursts of interaction and sociability vs. feeling like I have to always be “on”
Sharing my business and products through words, rather than video and speaking (although I'll do both when needed)
I share these strengths of mine to give you an example of one introvert’s preferences and encourage you to take a look at what you truly enjoy and know you are good at. An honest evaluation of your own likes and dislikes will help you determine where you’ll focus your energy in your network marketing business activities.
The strategies that I share below are what I’ve found as the best ways to be successful within network marketing as an introvert. I encourage you to evaluate each to decide if it’s a good fit for your preferred sharing style and personality.
You'll find top leaders and others that have reached a high level of success throughout every network marketing organization.
It's all about finding the right company and the strategies that work for YOU!
Sharing your Products or Opportunity Online as an Introvert
When it comes to network marketing, there are a few income-producing activities that take priority over pretty much everything else that you do for your business. One of those uber-important income-producing activities is presenting your product or opportunity to new prospects, and educating them on why they need this in their lives.
As an introverted mom with three kids, I have little desire (let’s be honest ... I have ZERO desire) to put on makeup, do my hair, try to find a babysitter or wait until my husband gets home, and then go surround myself with a group of people (akkk!) and share with them in person. Could I suck it up, and make it happen? Sure, I could.
But when we now have so many more options and ways to share about our products or business model, it’s hard to muster up the energy to do in-person meetings week in and week out. Instead, I focus on sharing online!
Sharing your Product or Opportunity through a Group Setting
While I could take it upon myself to host a bunch of online calls to share about my business, that's not the best way for one very important reason:
The way you share needs to be duplicatable
Maybe you're a "unicorn" that loves hosting Zoom meetings and has all the free time in the world to host multiple meetings each week to accommodate everyone's schedule. While that might be your life, I've got a feeling that most of the people that you share with about your business don't have that same drive and time freedom.
So it's extremely important and a good idea to share in a way that is duplicatable for others!
Some social selling companies (including the one I partner with!) offer multiple Zoom calls hosted each week by top leaders throughout the company (who are likely natural extroverts!), some focusing on the product and others focusing on the business, that anyone can invite potential customers or future business partners to.
Most of the time, these calls will be posted in a Facebook group specifically for brand partners of the company.
While anyone who wants to can host their own calls, or share their personal testimony or experiences on others' calls, there is no requirement to do so!
That means, as an introvert building your business in this type of sharing model, your primary job is to:
invite interested people to a call being hosted that week by a leader in your company (either product or business-based)
remind that person to show up to the call
follow up with that person after the call to answer questions and/or help them get started
Don't worry, we'll talk more about how to naturally attract people interested in your product and business to invite to these calls without having to be super social or doing cold reach out. Keep reading and I'll share my strategy!
How Introverts CAN do Sales
It can be scary to think of ourselves as in “sales,” as we work our social selling businesses, but when you think about it, if you’re a mom then you’re in the business of sales every single day:
When you try to get your kid to eat her veggies - that’s sales! (selling your kids on actually eating them)
When you negotiate with your hubby where you want to eat tonight - that’s sales! (selling him on why your restaurant choice is superior)
And the list goes on!
You’re already in “sales” and you’re perfecting your craft every single day through your natural daily interactions with your kids and family. Unfortunately, many of us think of sales as: icky, sleazy, slimy, pushy, and bullying… because that’s what we’ve experienced in our own interactions with salespeople in the past.
But what if we did sales in a different way?
Do you know what the real definition of selling is? “The exchange of money for a product or service.”
And if it’s a product or service that solves a REAL problem for your customer, does that sound icky to you? Of course not! We’ve got to change our mindset to:
Selling is HELPING.
You have potential customers that you are meant to help, and every day that the customer can’t find you or learn about your products or opportunity is another day that they stay in pain.
It’s your obligation to present your products or business model because if you don’t, then you’ll never have the ability to HELP the people you were meant to serve.
For example: I personally was struggling with motivation and energy. I didn’t want to rely on adding additional cups of coffee to my daily routine to “get me going” because I knew it wasn’t really serving me or my health. So I found a drink that I enjoy as much as I enjoy my coffee (and that’s really saying something!) AND it supports my gut health, increases my feel-good endorphins, helps with my focus and give my that afternoon energy boost that I need. I LOVE this drink and what it has done for my health, so it’s only natural to believe that other women with similar issues would love a solution like this Happy Juice drink!
If you truly believe in what you’re offering, then you KNOW what others are missing out on if they don’t jump in. You can’t just believe that people will find it all by themselves…You’ve got to HELP them discover the value it will bring to their lives...
And that’s what sales is ALL about. :) It's also my personal philosophy that I follow when sharing my business and products with others.
How Introverts Can Easily Gain Leads for their Products and Business Model
As I've shared I'm not a super social person, I don't love posting on social media, and I'm not one that easily reaches out to others.
However, a KEY part of network marketing is having LEADS to invite to learn more about your products/business.
So how does that work when I'm not reaching out to people individually?
For me, I have several strategies that I use to naturally attract people who are ALREADY interested in the business/products (that's key for me!) and want to know more.
My favorite strategies for attracting pre-qualified leads include:
Writing blog posts (like this one!):
I like writing, so I use SEO-optimized blog posts (I use RankIQ to help me find low-competition keywords that are easy to rank for) to attract people that are already searching for keywords that show they are interested in either my products or business model.
When writing blog posts, I'm careful to never mention the name of my company or the actual product names. The articles are more focused on education about how my type of products work, or how the business model works. Within those blog posts, I invite people to contact me or join my email list to learn more. I can then connect with the pre-qualified leads directly.
Here are a few example blog posts I’ve written:
Liquid Collagen Review Post: https://morethanmom.co/blog/liquid-collagen-review
Network Marketing for Busy Moms: https://morethanmom.co/blog/network-marketing-for-moms
2. Pinterest
I don't love posting on most social media, but I do love Pinterest! In fact I have a couple of Pintest accounts that I use. I use Pinterest pins as a way to have more people find my blog posts and join my email list. It's a great way to drive traffic to my content, in addition to Google search
3. Email List:
Throughout my blog posts and Pinterest pins, I'm always inviting people to join my email list, typically by opting in for a “freebie” or taking a fun quiz related to my products and/or business model. This is a great way for me to continue to communicate with people who have expressed interest, both in a mass-email "newsletter" style of communication, as well as individual reachouts.
4. Facebook Page:
My Facebook page, More than Mom, is another way that I attract women to my brand. You can learn more about how I quickly grew my Facebook page here: How to Grow a Massively Engaged Facebook Page from Scratch in 2024.
5. Instagram:
Although Instagram doesn’t come naturally to me, I’m a life-long learner at heart and I’m doing my best to grow a new Instagram account from scratch. If you’re starting a brand new IG account, or have struggled to gain followers, I highly recommend the digital guide “Small Following, Big Impact”. You can read about my experience with the Small Following, Big Impact course here.
The Fortune is in the Follow Up
I’ve found as an introvert, I naturally worry if I’m “bothering” someone when I’m in communication with them. So following up doesn’t always come naturally. However, the truth is that the fortune in direct sales is in the follow-up!
Most bookings, recruits, sales, and commitments do not happen until the 5th-8th touchpoint.
So what does this mean for you an introvert?
Well, for me at least, it does NOT mean picking up the phone (as some will suggest to you). I know myself and personally, I despise talking on the phone, so why would I want to put that agony (joking! … kinda) on someone else?
For me, follow-up typically takes the form of text messages, FB/IG message, tagging on social media, or email. Instead of thinking of it as “bothering,” you’ve got to change your mindset to… how can I help?
It’s not about pressuring them towards a sale. It’s all about checking in.
Creating a simple system that you can follow for following up is key. I suggest deciding in advance on pre-determined time frames that you’ll follow up with each prospect that expresses interest in your product or opportunity. Here’s an example follow-up system:
Action: Prospect watches Zoom Call, and then...
Directly after the call - ask what they thought and if they have any questions
24 hours later - invite to get started with the product/business and continue to address any hesitations
for the next week - comment and engage with their content on social media, so your name stays top of mind
1- 2 weeks - you crossed my mind today; are you still...(whatever their point is that caused them to attend the call)? I have a sample that I'd love to send you!
1 - 2 months - I think you might like this - send a resource (article, post, etc.) that helps with their pain point/struggle
3 months - how are you? did you ever find a solution for “xyz” that you were struggling with?
Notice that this system gives you 5+ reasons to follow up with a prospect authentically, and statistically, we know that most people get to the “YES” after 5 or more touch-points.
When you commit to a system like this in advance, then you don’t have to worry about “bothering” anyone. You have a simple plan designed to be of service, and then it’s just a matter of following the plan!
Can you find Success in Network Marketing as an Introvert?
The good news is that you CAN be successful in network marketing as an introvert that isn’t the life of the party, and who doesn’t have a huge network of friends.
It’s all about honoring what you’re naturally skilled at already, and what you enjoy, while at the same time pushing your boundaries just a bit and expanding your comfort zone.
Introverts can be successful within any social selling company, however, I think that it’s always beneficial when you’re on a team that understands, honors, and supports you as an introvert.
As an introvert who found a social selling company that I personally love, I’d love to invite you to see if our team is a good fit for you!
I believe it’s important to find a way to never stray TOO far away from our natural tendencies and who we truly are as individuals, while still finding a way to follow best practices for success.
I truly believe the opportunity in network marketing is unmatched in business (otherwise I wouldn’t have added this income stream to what I’ve already got on my plate!), and the potential in the model is incredible for those that stay the course.
It is worth it. And we CAN do hard things.
It’s our one life to live, and I’d love to invite you to join us on this incredible journey of self-growth toward wellness, purpose, and passion!
