The Receipts #3: How I Hit 150% of My First Sales Target
_By Ruth Maclang | The Receipts Series_
Founders say “I’m not a salesperson” like it’s a genetic condition.
It’s not.
You don’t have a sales personality yet. Different problem.
My first real sales job was at Xlibris, a book publisher. I was 21. No training. A list of prospects and a number to hit.
I hit 150%.
Not because of natural talent. I was not a natural. I was awkward on the phone. I didn’t like rejection. I overthought my pitch.
I built a simple process instead.
The Xlibris playbook
Xlibris was a self-publishing platform. My job was to call authors and convince them that yes, they should publish their book with us instead of trying to get a traditional deal.
This was pre-social media. Pre-email marketing. Pure cold calling.
Every morning, I got a list of about 40 prospects. Names, phone numbers, company info. Some had published before. Some hadn’t.
The target was 3 sales per week.
I hit it the first week. The second week, I hit 5.
By month three, I was hitting 150% of target consistently.
Here’s how.
The process I built
Call frequency: Rule of 7
I called each person a minimum of 7 times before I gave up. Not necessarily 7 calls in a row. Spread across a week or two. But the number was hard.
First call: pitch. “Hi, I’m calling because you wrote about [thing], and you might be a good fit for our publishing platform.”
Most people said no. Or “not now.” That was fine.
But I called back.
Second call, three days later: different angle. “Hey, I was thinking about something you said. Most of our authors who publish actually go faster than traditional publishing takes.”
Third call: social proof. “I noticed you have 10,000 followers. That’s perfect for self-publishing. Your audience is built.”
By call 5 or 6, people either got it or they didn’t. But the ones who got it, usually closed by call 7.
The thing I learned: most people need to hear from you more than once. It’s not manipulation. It’s just that the first call doesn’t land. They’re busy. They’re skeptical. They don’t know if you’re serious.
The seventh call proves you’re serious.
Pitch script: Fill in the blank
I had a basic script. Not word-for-word. Just the structure.
“Hi [Name], it’s [Ruth] from Xlibris. I know you’re busy, so I’ll be brief. I noticed [specific thing about them]. A lot of our authors in your category have been doing well because [one specific reason]. Are you open to a quick conversation about how publishing works now vs. three years ago?”
That’s it.
Not slick. Not high-pressure. Just: here’s why I called, here’s something true about your situation, do you want to talk?
About 20% said yes to the conversation. I took the yes.
The follow-up tracker
I had a spreadsheet. Prospect name, phone number, call date, what they said, next call date.
This was my system. Not a CRM. Just a spreadsheet.
But I looked at it every morning. “Okay, Ruth, you owe callbacks to these 12 people today.”
The tracker removed the decision. I didn’t have to remember who to call or when. The spreadsheet told me.
The spreadsheet also showed me patterns. Who was warming up after two calls. Who was ice cold. Who said “call me in three months” and actually meant it.
The close conversation
When someone said “we’re interested,” I didn’t pitch harder.
I got curious.
“Great. Can you tell me what matters most to you about publishing? Are you in a rush, or is this something for next year?”
Most objections came from people wanting something we didn’t offer. I’d say: “That’s not our strength. But here’s what we’re really good at, and here’s how that helps authors like you.”
Half the time, they’d say yes. Because I wasn’t selling them on our strengths. I was listening to what they actually needed and being honest about whether we could deliver it.
That built trust. And trust closes sales.
Why this worked at 21
I was not a natural salesperson. I didn’t have charisma. I wasn’t aggressive.
What I had was a process I followed, a spreadsheet I checked, and the discipline to make the same call 150 times a week.
The process did the selling. Not me.
My personality was irrelevant. The follow-up was relevant. The specific angle was relevant. The seventh call was relevant.
And by following the process, I became good at sales.
How this applies to your business
Most founders avoid sales. They say: “I’m not a salesperson” or “My product should speak for itself” or “I don’t like rejection.”
All of those are true. And all of them are excuses to not build a sales process.
Here’s what you actually need:
1. A list of real prospects
Not “everyone.” Specific people, companies, or segments who would benefit.
Who have a problem you solve. Who are publicly doing something that shows they care about solving it.
List first. Process second.
2. A simple script
Fill in the blank: “I’m calling because [specific thing about them]. I noticed [proof that they need this]. Want to talk about [specific solution]?”
Not conversational. Just the structure.
3. A call frequency rule
Decide your number. Call 3 times. Call 7 times. Call 10 times.
Whatever it is, stick to it.
Most founder sales fail because they give up at call 2. By call 5, they have momentum.
4. A tracker
Spreadsheet. CRM. Doesn’t matter.
But if it’s not written down, you won’t follow up. You’ll forget. You’ll hit call 1, get no response, and move on.
The tracker makes follow-up automatic.
5. Curiosity in the conversation
When someone says “maybe,” ask why.
Don’t pitch harder. Get curious. “What would make this a yes?” is a way better question than “let me tell you more about our features.”
The lesson
Sales isn’t a personality. It’s a process.
You don’t need to be naturally charming or aggressive or confident.
You need a list, a script, a frequency rule, a tracker, and the discipline to follow them for 8 weeks straight.
That’s how you go from “I can’t sell” to “I hit 150% of quota.”
FAQ
Q: Doesn’t calling the same person 7 times feel pushy?
A: No. It feels thorough. You’re giving them multiple ways to hear from you. Most people are genuinely busy. Call 1 catches them at the worst time. Call 7 catches them thinking about it.
Q: What if someone says “don’t call back”?
A: Respect that. Remove them from the tracker. But most people don’t say that. They say “not right now,” which means “call back later.”
Q: Should I have a script or should I be natural?
A: Have a script. Natural is what got you to zero sales. A script is what gets you to 150%. After 100 conversations, it gets natural anyway.
Q: What’s the best CRM for this?
A: Start with a spreadsheet. Seriously. The tool doesn’t matter. The consistency matters. Once you’re consistent, upgrade the tool.
Q: How do I know if someone is actually interested?
A: They take the meeting. They ask questions. They ask about pricing. Anything else is “not yet.” Keep calling.
_This is The Receipts #3. Every week, I share a story from my career and the systems lesson buried inside it. Not advice. Proof._
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About the Author
Ruth Maclang builds AI-powered department systems for founders through StreamLab AI. Marketing, sales, ops — built once, runs lean. Connect with Ruth on LinkedIn or book a complimentary consultation at calendly.com/ruth-streamlabai/30min.
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