Sales works best for high-priced products that require some customer hand-holding.
Good first customers have a burning need to address a problem, are interested in your approach to solving their problem, and are willing to work with you closely.
Cold calling should not be ruled out as a sales approach, especially when trying to find first customers.
The goal of sales is building a repeatable sales model. An effective sales funnel has prospects enter at the top, qualifies these leads, and closes them effectively.
To close sales effectively, get the buyer to commit to timelines based on specific actions being taken and met. At each point get an affirmative that you are on track to close.
When designing your sales funnel, always keep in mind the perspective of the customer, especially in terms of reducing the complexity of the buying process.