Raise your hand if networking and building relationships make you uncomfortable. 

There are at least a few of you out there. And even if you’re an introvert, you likely know how critical those relationships are to growing your business. 

Valerie J. Lewis Coleman, best-selling author and founder of Pen of the Writer, can talk about book publishing all day. Still, when it comes to more formal networking with strangers, she feels intimidated.

“I can do this with you, Dave, all day long because we’re talking about something I’m passionate about,” she says. “But if I’m in a room with somebody I don’t know, after we talk about how cute your outfit is, I’m done.”

But Valerie says that the biggest thing she’s learned over her 15+ years in business is that relationships are critical. She uses a weekly calendar to track what she needs to do to build those relationships. Being intentional about it makes it happen.

On this episode of the Be a Marketer Podcast, host Dave Charest, Director of Small Business Success at Constant Contact, talks to Valerie about ways introverted people can be intentional about networking and marketing, the importance of surrounding yourself with others who share your aspirations, and the beauty of scheduling and segmenting emails.

👉 Check out Valerie’s books: Do it Right the First Time Anthology

👉 Learn how to create and manage tags in Constant Contact

☕ What she does: Valerie founded Pen of the Writer, helping professional speakers and experts magnify and monetize their message by publishing quality books. She’s also written a best-selling children’s book and a relationship novel.

💡 Key quote: “I believe that this is what I'm called to do. It's not just something that I'm choosing to do, it's almost like I am compelled to do it.”

👋 Where to find her: LinkedIn | Facebook

👋 Where to find Pen of the Writer: Website | Instagram | YouTube | Twitter