The Practice Log: From Zero Replies to Overflowing Celebration
Man, let me tell you, getting to this point felt like trying to swim through molasses while wearing a lead vest. When I first set my sights on this big contract—the one I’ve been calling the ‘Tre di Coppe Project’ in my head—I was nowhere near ready. Absolutely zero confidence. My previous six months had been a total wash. I’d sent out maybe thirty pitches, and I think I received back four polite rejections and twenty-six absolute silences. You know that feeling? When you’re just throwing effort into a black hole?
I realized I had to rip apart my whole approach. What I was doing wasn’t a sustainable practice; it was just wishful thinking. So I stopped waiting for the perfect opportunity and decided to engineer one. This realization, this pivot, this was the real start of the practice.
Phase 1: Dismantling the Old System
First thing I tackled was the portfolio. It was embarrassing. It was full of outdated stuff, projects from three years ago that barely even applied to what I wanted to do now. I pulled everything down. I spent two full weeks doing nothing but building three brand-new, speculative projects. I focused on showing range, not just volume. I wrote up detailed case studies for each one, explaining the problem, my messy process, and the final result. I forced myself to use simple language, cutting out all the typical industry buzzwords that make people’s eyes glaze over. The goal wasn’t to sound smart; it was to sound reliable.
Then I got back to networking. But not the useless kind. I identified five key people who were already working in the specific niche of the Tre di Coppe Project client. I didn’t immediately ask them for anything. I spent two months just following their work, commenting on their posts, and occasionally sending short, specific messages referencing something they had genuinely taught me. I was building bridges, not demanding attention. It felt slow, agonizingly slow, but I kept pushing. I logged every interaction, noting down exactly what I’d said and what their response was, if any.
Phase 2: The Pitch and The Grind
Once I felt like the foundation was strong enough—the portfolio cleaned up, the network established—I drew up the final pitch. This wasn’t a standard, generic letter. I invested three days into researching the potential client’s internal challenges, the stuff they probably weren’t even sharing publicly. I analyzed their recent stock performance, their competitor actions, and the gaps in their product line. My pitch wasn’t about what I could do; it was about how I could solve their immediate pain points.
I sent the proposal—a dense, twelve-page document—on a Tuesday morning. And then I waited. And waited. Ten days later, still nothing. That’s where most people give up. But I had documented my process, and the documentation told me that patience was the next step of the practice.
Instead of panicking, I went back to my list. I contacted one of the key people I’d been nourishing in my network. I didn’t mention the proposal directly. I just asked for an opinion on a tangential market trend that I knew their company was interested in. This subtle move reminded them I existed and that I was still tuned in to their world.
Three hours later, my inbox pinged. Not from the network contact, but from the client’s Head of Operations.
Phase 3: Realization and The Celebration
The next few weeks were a blur. We talked budgets, negotiated scope, and ironed out the legal mess. It wasn’t clean. There were moments I almost walked away because they were pushing back hard on the timeline. But because I had detailed my pricing model and my workflow in my practice log, I could stand firm. I didn’t waver. I showed them the data backing up my demands, and that concrete evidence, built during the tough preparation phase, was the thing that finally closed the deal.
Last Friday, I finally received the executed contract. The signature felt like hitting a jackpot after digging through miles of rock. That, right there, is the Tre di Coppe moment. It wasn’t luck; it was the direct result of dismantling and rebuilding my whole sales system.
If you’re stuck right now, feeling like your efforts are wasted, here’s what I learned you need to zero in on:
- Stop sending out trash: You gotta clean up the old projects and create new, intentional work that shows exactly who you are now.
- Play the long game with people: Invest in relationships without asking for immediate favors. Let the trust grow slowly.
- Document everything: When the client pushes back, you need the data you meticulously collected to back up your value.
So yeah, Tre di coppe today. I’m opening a bottle and sharing this win because the process was ugly, but the result is beautiful. Now I gotta get to work, but first, a moment to savor the achievement.