I cold called John, a CEO:

"Sorry I'm in a meeting - call me back next week."

"That's a long meeting John...and to think I only needed 30 seconds."

"Haha OK...go on then."

Bit of humour, no attachment to outcome...smokescreen gone.

Takeaways:

- prospects live in a world of imaginary meetings

- they live this double life to get rid of salespeople

- no meeting has ever lasted a week