Here’s something that’s rarely talked about in all those “How to Start a Business” products you find online: The importance of your unique personality traits. More than your chosen business model, more than the amount of money you have to invest, and much more than your skills and talents, your personality has the power to drive your success…or not.
But that doesn’t mean all successful entrepreneurs have the same mix of personality traits. Far from it! What it does mean is that the most successful business owners learn to work with their personality rather than fight against it.
1. Your Marketing Efforts
To hear some people tell it, the only way to grown an online business is to host endless webinars to grow your list, and to end each webinar with a sales pitch. Now, we’re not here to argue whether or not this works. Clearly it does. But that doesn’t mean it works for everyone.
If you’re not comfortable speaking live to an audience or appearing on camera, then this may not be the best marketing choice for you. You’ll avoid doing it, and when you do, your results will be lackluster at best. Your discomfort will show, and let’s face it, that won’t instill confidence in your attendees.
So what marketing tools resonate with your unique personality type? Do you love speaking engagements or prefer to hole up in a quiet room and write a book or two? Excel at cold calling or would you rather communicate by email?
Develop your marketing plan based on your unique personality traits, and you’ll be much happier, and much more successful.
2. Your Hiring Choices
Building an effective team can be tough. You may have to “test” a lot of service providers before you find just the right combination of talent, availability and personality to help your business grow.
Too many entrepreneurs make the mistake of thinking all they need to look for are skills, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, skills can be taught. It’s personality that really matters. After all, do you want to work closely with someone who doesn’t align with your core values or who has a completely different communication style? Sure, you might be able to make it work, but it will be a struggle.
Before you bring on a new team member, make sure you’re a good match personality wise, and you’ll both enjoy the relationship more.
3. Your Partnership Results
Just as team members must be a good fit with your personality, so must potential JV partners. That doesn’t always mean you have to choose partners who share the same personality traits, though. In fact, a pairing of an introvert and an extrovert can be a good mix, since each can perform the business and marketing duties that are most comfortable to them. The introvert can benefit from the extrovert’s outgoing marketing style, while the extrovert can enjoy the productive nature of the “prefer to work alone” partner.
The key is knowing—and openly discussing—the personality traits of both partners before committing to a long-term relationship. And that starts with recognizing your unique personality and style, and openly acknowledging how that affects your business.
Want to Make the Most of Your Personality Type (No Matter Which Type You Are)?
Pick up a copy of our planner, “Business Personality Assessment to Outsource and Network With Ease.” Inside, we dig deep into various personality traits and their effect on how you run your business. It will help you (or your clients) discover hidden stumbling blocks so you can build a stronger, healthier business on your terms—and without compromising your personality or values.
Warmly,
Nicole & Melissa
