Selling is difficult. If you’re like me – not a natural – it’s difficult because it takes you out of your comfort zone.

You hear stories of single calls leading to multi-million dollar deals (eg. The Million Dollar Cold Call) and come to expect such results.

I’m sure it happens. Some people are lucky, others are really that good. If you’re not (yet), rest assured, the average number of attempts needed to make a sale is 7. Not 1, 2 or 3.

Lunch in August, followup call in September and meeting in October is good sales practice.

Be human, work on long-term relationships. You wouldn’t ask the woman you’re trying to spend your life with to marry you on the first meeting now would you?