No matter what line of work you’re in, there’s a good chance you’ve had to deal with social anxiety at one point or another. Sure, some trades demand less social interaction than others, but as a general rule, most vocations imply a certain level of interaction with either coworkers, clients or administrators.
One vocation in particular relies heavily on social skills and interpersonal interaction: real estate. As a real estate professional, being a people person is not just beneficial, it’s necessary. In order to be successful as a real estate agent or realtor, you need to be able to use your charisma, persuasiveness and charm to sway clients to sell or buy their property in a way that benefits both you and them!
This being the case, it’s understandable that introverted or otherwise socially challenged real estate agents face a number of difficulties pursuant to their trade. For those facing stress, anxiety and other difficulties with every social interaction, the very nature of a life as a real estate agent can be intimidating indeed.
Introverts can be real estate agents too!
Things being such as they are, it may seem that introverts simply can’t become real estate agents. Social interaction is simply so central to this professional role that most introverts would likely write it off entirely when choosing a career path. While this is entirely understandable, we think that it actually is possible to be a successful real estate agent as an introvert!
Sure, it probably won’t be easy. A fear of social interaction is one of the most difficult fears to overcome, and it will no doubt take a great deal of effort to get past yours. Don’t be discouraged, though; with some time and effort, this fear can be overcome like any other. Once you do get past it, you’ve got just as good a shot at becoming a successful real estate agent as anyone else does!
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What’s more, overcoming your fear of social interaction won’t just help you in professional situations. It will also help you navigate challenges in your personal life! The ability to communicate openly and honestly is a very useful thing to have, and it will doubtless help you improve your personal relationships with your friends, family and relationship partner. There’s no downside to becoming more extroverted!
Tips and tricks to overcome social anxiety
While being an introvert is more than just dealing with social anxiety and difficulty in interacting in interpersonal contexts, these are the biggest hurdles your introversion will place between you and success. If you’re going to make it in this ultra-competitive environment, you’re going to need to learn to manage your anxieties and insecurities. What are some of the ways you can do that, you ask? Let’s find out!
Remember who you’re talking to
When facing intimidating social situations, one of the best ways to calm your nerves is to remind yourself that the person or people you’re dealing with are people too. Whether you’re having a meeting with high-powered corporate executives or brunch with starry eyed newlyweds looking to buy their first home, there’s a good chance they’re just as anxious as you are.
It’s of great importance to remember that no one is without their own unique insecurities and anxieties, no matter how good they are at hiding them or dealing with them. Deep down, everyone worries about the way they’re perceived by others, the way that they present themselves, or the way they look physically. No one is perfect, emotionally, physically or otherwise!
Once you learn to keep this thought in your mind during social interactions, you’ll likely find that you become quite a bit more comfortable in these situations. Instead of facing down your mind’s perception of the person across from you, you’ll be facing that person as they are in reality instead. We think that the latter is quite a bit less frightening than the former!
Focus on the task at hand
One of the hardest tasks for introverts is making conversation. For those to whom social interaction doesn’t come easily, it can be quite difficult to think of things to say that will keep the conversation light and lively. In casual social situations, this is something that you just have to practice to get past; as a real estate agent, however, your conversation topics are right there in front of you!
Think of it. You’re in a professional setting; there’s no need to make small talk! Whether you’re arranging the sale of a large property or meeting with someone to discuss their options for the purchase of a home, all you have to do is accomplish what you set out to accomplish. Most professional interpersonal interactions have a goal, so just focus on achieving it!
Don’t let your mind dwell on how you look, what the other person thinks about you or whether you’re leaving a good impression; simply do your best to accomplish your task. Not only will this help you feel more comfortable in professional interactions, but it will also help you improve your efficiency and convey to your clients and colleagues the fact that you are focused on getting the job done.
Practice makes perfect
Like many other things, one of the best ways to overcome social anxiety is to practice. This can take many forms, but the general idea is to place yourself in as many social situations as possible in order to get comfortable with this type of interaction. You don’t have to say the right things the first, second or third time around, but with time you will say the right things. The more you do it, the more comfortable you’ll be!
A great place to start is at the bar. We’re not talking about picking up romantic partners; just casual conversation! As you’ll quickly realize, most of the patrons at your average bar are more than willing to shoot the breeze with a stranger if they’re brave enough to strike up a chat. Once you’ve introduced yourself, you can talk about whatever you like; just keep it light and lively!
Once you’ve done this a few times, you can approach more daunting social situations. There’s no secret to this skill; it’s just something you learn by doing it over and over again. Talk about your passions, your hobbies, your problems and whatever else you want to discuss, and learn to listen to the people you’re talking to as well. Build off of what they say, find related topics of conversation, and have a good time!
A confident real estate professional
When it comes down to it, being extroverted as a real estate professional is really not that complicated. It may be difficult, but as a general rule all you need to do is find out what the other person is interested in or wants to discuss and be a part of that conversation. With time, you’ll become more and more comfortable and confident as you learn to feel conversational rhythms instead of painstakingly trying to mathematically deduce them.
If you’re still having trouble after putting these tips into practice, one great way to work towards overcoming your social anxiety in professional contexts is to find a real estate agent in your area and forge a friendship with them. Ask for their advice and guidance, and you’ll quickly begin to see that social interaction is a lot easier than you might have initially imagined. You’ll have it down in no time flat!
