Introverts in Marketing? They do exist! Content Marketing in the Digital Age.

White-knuckled, I clutch my portfolio in my clammy hands like a shield. My anxiety skyrockets as I shuffle into the boardroom at Sterling-Cooper Ad Agency for my interview. At the head of the table sits Don Draper, flanked by his team of elite 1960s admen. I awkwardly slump into a chair, nearly falling off. The admen’s slick suits glisten like peacock feathers through the fog of cigar smoke. Don scowls at me. I can barely breathe let alone speak.

“Bad news, Schmitz. The results from your Myers Brigg test came back. You are an…” he takes a deep breath, “INFP”. He shudders as if he just uttered Voldemort’s name. Roger Sterling does the sign of the holy cross, while Pete Campbell gags on his Bourbon.

“Now GET OUUUUTTTTT!!!!!!!!!” Roars Don.

I jump up and scurry towards the door.

Laser beams shoot from his eyeballs piercing my portfolio. It bursts into flames (along with my soul) as I slither out into the hallway and into oblivion.

Then I wake up in a cold sweat.

The “Extrovert Ideal” of Traditional Marketing

It was all just a dream, but the feelings of introvert inferiority are very real to me and many others.

Traditionally, introverts have been undervalued in our American “culture of personality”, even though we account for one-third of the population. The judging of a person based on external appeal over internal character was greatly shaped during the 20^th century. With the business boom following the industrial revolution, companies relied on heavily on Marketing to distinguish themselves from competitors. Those with the loudest voice and shiniest package got the most attention (and the most success).

Marketing is an industry that has historically stacked employee rosters with outgoing alpha personalities over quiet, reflective types.  Sales were generated through interactions between a customer and a salesman. An extrovert is an ideal choice for sales because their charismatic personalities give customers a positive experience. However, forcing an extroverted standard on everyone is oppressing and leads to a huge waste of potential that stunts the growth of society.

Digital Marketing opens the door for Introverts

The digital revolution has completely transformed the marketing landscape. Job opportunities have opened that are a perfect fit for people with introverted personalities and sensitive temperaments. Content creation is a marketing role that can play to the strengths of an INFP, like me. Just as an extrovert can form connections by personable interactions, we can wield a lot of influence if we do it in our own way, using our strengths, and by embracing creativity over conformity.

Face-to-face interactions with consumers are becoming a thing of the past as most sales transactions occur online. Decades of unethical marketing, scams, and exaggerated claims have conditioned consumers to be wary of aggressive marketing tactics. The Salesman has become an archetype of distrust in the psyche of today’s tech-savvy consumer.

Consumers in the 21^st century prefer to browse and do research on their own by perusing informational content rather than speaking with a sales rep. That is where the pull tactics of Content Marketing comes in, inverse to the push of sales strategy. Effective content is not about selling a product, it is about helping a customer solve a problem. Through content, you share information that will influence a buyer’s decision.

If you have read this far, perhaps we are kindred spirits. You might even be an INFP or something on that spectrum. Maybe you have always been interested in marketing but never pursued it because you didn’t “fit in” with the business crowd.

Luckily for us, digital marketing is opening opportunities for introverts to wield influence: by creating content. Read on to see how an INFP can leverage their traits to become a successful content creator.

I-Introvert

If you are an introvert, you get energy from being alone to recharge, whereas an extrovert generates energy through being around other people. Introverts often perform their best work alone because being around others can overstimulate and exhaust them. Traditional workplaces with their loud noises, office drama, and rigid structure are often highly uncomfortable for introverts. This causes anxiety which hinders them from performing at their peak.

The pandemic shift to remote working options eroded the traditional idea of the workplace environment. Companies realized that computer work can be done from anywhere with a computer. Almost all digital content creation is computer-based, so there are many options for content creation jobs that allow you to work remotely instead of at an office. This is an optimal option for introverts who have anxiety in busy workplaces. Creativity can be a fickle mistress who only comes out when she’s comfortable.

Being an introvert does not mean we are anti-social; we just socialize with people in smaller doses because it depletes our energy. Content is a different way to have a conversation with people. It’s not our voice, but our content that does the speaking. For those without the gift of gab, this is our ideal way to have conversations.

N-Intuition

People with an intuitive function process information by paying attention to the patterns and possibilities. They often ponder the deeper meaning of things and see the “big picture” in life.  Intuition is sort of a “sixth sense” that makes us seem to know what will happen before it does. This is because we keenly recognize patterns and details, which allow us to form new connections and ideas that help us foresee the future. This is a very helpful skill in digital marketing because trends rapidly change. Our intuition allows us to predict new industry trends before our competitors, giving us an advantage.

Intuition can be a foreign concept to people who are always talking because to access intuition you must quiet the mind and listen. Many profound insights and creative ideas are whispered into my ear by intuition. Knowledge lies in fact, but wisdom comes from intuition.