Striking Out in Sales
Some days in sales feel like you’re swinging at shadows.
Recently, I found myself in what I can only describe as a catfish meeting. I thought I was walking into a legitimate opportunity with a large leather maker. However, when I arrived, it was inventory day…. Not one of the workers in the room knew who I was, why I was there, or what was supposed to happen, even though I had proof from a private message that I was invited to it.
Awkward silence, blank stares, wasted time…
So I decided to use the time… I pulled doors at multiple stops and got rejected again and again.
No traction. No energy. No wins.
It’s the side of sales that doesn’t make it onto highlight reels. The side that NO ONE talks about, as it can be perceived as weakness in the alpha-dog sales world.
It’s those low points where you start to wonder, “Is this even worth it?”
A Reminder from the Batter’s Box
By providence, that day I had coffee with Kyle Vick, Youth Pastor at Bridgetown Church, and he reminded me of something that hit deep.
In the middle of talking about my kids and the sports they’re involved in, I mentioned my son was playing baseball for the first time, and that he wants to be a catcher/hitter like Cal Raleigh.
Also - Go Mariners!
Kyle also played baseball, and after me venting to him previously about my day, he said something that just hit home.
The best hitters have a .300 average. That means the best hitters in the world strike out 7 times out of 10.
Seven failures for every three successes.
And yet, they’re celebrated. Paid millions. Immortalized in the game.
Sales is no different.
We’re going to get rejected. We’re going to swing and miss. We’re going to walk out of meetings scratching our heads. But if you can keep showing up—if you can keep stepping into the batter’s box—you will connect.
And when you connect, those hits make up for all the strikeouts.
Sales is a Long Game
If you’ve been in the game as long as I have, true sales is a long game. It takes time to turn a stranger into a prospect, from a prospect to a meeting, from a meeting to a proposal, and from a proposal to a customer.
That takes time
Success in sales isn’t about perfection. It’s about persistence. It’s about building a system where daily activity, resilience, and discipline give you enough at-bats to hit your quota—even when those seven swings don’t connect.
You Can Do This
If you’re in a low point right now, hear me on this: you’re not broken, you’re normal. The best sales professionals in the world strike out more than they connect.
The question isn’t whether you’ll fail. The question is—will you keep stepping back up to the plate?
Want another set of eyes?
At TenFold Strategies, we exist to help you do exactly that. To build the confidence, systems, and daily habits that ensure you don’t let yesterday’s strikeout keep you from tomorrow’s home run.
So keep swinging. Keep pulling doors. Keep making calls. Keep taking the meetings.
Because a .300 hitter is legendary—and you have the chance to be one, too.
Book a free consultation meeting to see how TenFold Strategies can help.
