The Introvert's Edge. It was that unusual title that enticed me to pick up this book. There are more extroverts than introverts in our world, and to our introverted eyes, there don't seem to be many advantages or "edges" that we have over our peers.

"Introverts aren’t comfortable with traditional tactics like aggressively pushing a product or talking over a customer’s objections. That’s the beauty of The Introvert’s Edge: it doesn’t focus on the sale itself but on a sales system that helps introverts feel sincere instead of sales-y." says the blurb.

The book is true to this. It offers practical solutions to the 'the only way to sell is to pick up the phone and cold call people until you're done' dilemma. I think even extroverts would benefit from the stories. They're real, and get you thinking about your personality and how to use your strengths to do the job differently, well and in a way that is true to yourself. All good things, that should result in better outcomes, in my view.

I especially enjoyed the story-telling aspect of the book, and found it most useful.

I can't say enough wonderful things about The Introvert's Edge! While the principles in this book may seem basic too some people, if you actually take the time to put some thought into it & DO what is recommended, it will be life changing! You will still have to sell, but instead of feeling like a slimy salesman, you can learn how to create a system that is easy to follow & do repeatedly. I would highly recommend reading this book, if you have any introverted tendencies!

The shy, quiet introvert can outsell anyone and sell with the best of them: this is the core claim of this book that may give hope to those who assume that only the bold and brash can succeed. Whether the book can tip the balance and change the reader’s psychological state remains to be seen, but it doesn’t hurt to try. There is a lot to be said for a calm, authoritative and low-key sales process!

It is quite possible that even an extrovert, or someone who believes in any case they are neither extrovert or introvert, could get some salesmanship knowledge and support from the book. It might be subtle, it might appear to be commonsense, and it might appear to be less-related to hard-core sales techniques but when deployed all of the pieces may fit together and get the introvert talking and hopefully selling. The book’s low price mean that it is hardly going to break the bank and it is more than possible that something, at least, of use and value will emerge, even if you don’t fully get on-side with it.

As a reviewer, I am always sceptical of instant cure-type books, but this may also be subject to some cultural differences. Within this genre, in any case, this book appears to be quite authentic, helpful and guiding, without needing to rely on faux enthusiasm and propelling unrealistic promises into the reader’s mind. As well as the advice, it is backed up with various stories about introverted salespeople, business owners and entrepreneurs who have either overcome their introversion or have not really acknowledged it to be a hindrance within their work. Overcoming or circumventing something need not imply change, at least not anything traumatic! You may just be refocussing something…

Certainly, I can agree with a lot of the author’s sentiments and advice and perhaps introversion is not as black-and-white as many imagine. I believe it is quite nuanced at times, situation-dependent and by no means an automatic, uncorrectable negative. Viewing the book as a mixture of conversation and gentle guide, I found it a pleasant reading companion that was quite giving, even perhaps to somebody who doesn’t necessarily think that their behaviour and mindset needs addressing.

Definitely worthy of consideration, in other words.


The Introvert’s Edge, written by Matthew Pollard and published by AMACOM Books. ISBN 9780814438879. YYYY

It is a delight to read about business sales from the perspective of an introvert. Truly enjoying the section on storytelling.

Every time I read about introverts (being one myself), I laugh out loud -- some people just get it. While I'm not in sales directly, I feel that this is a pretty relevant book for introverts in general. The main 'advantage in sales we introverts have over our extroverted peers: We don't rely on our personality. In the absence of natural talent, we have to rely on a process...". At first I laughed, then questioned myself (do I not have a personality or natural talent?!), then realized, yep Mr. Pollard is right. The 7 steps to the introvert's edge that the author describes seems a bit simple and it should be commonsense, but it's neither. The examples provided prove that his steps are important to keep in mind and hone (especially if you're in sales). It's a great resource to have on hand and refer back to once in a while (probably when you're frustrated at being an introvert).