2 seasonings on a new pot is probably just fine for storage and future use. I prefer to do three if I can, but two would do. I don't generally season the outside of my pots as often as the inside. It depends on how much seasoning gets worn/ablated off as it gets used. Generally I touch up the exterior with a good seasoning coat three times a year if used regularly. Most of my pots see the fire for a full seasoning once a year at least, even if they don't get used.

I use my fingers to rub a thin coating of shortening in all over the pot. Some folks like using paper towels, but that can be messy if the towel falls apart on the slighly abrasive surface. Besides, you can feel how the grease is going on better with bare skin, and work it into the pores more. The trick is really to make the coatings as thin as possible, like you would do a good paint job on a car in several fine layers rather than one big glob. It won't smoke as bad that way, and will last a lot longer. Too much grease on a horizontal surface while it is seasoning and the coating will crinkle and flake away easily as it cures in the heat, or during the next use.

When I am doing a full-on seasoning job, I usually put the pot over the heat source outside (usually a propane burner, but charcoal and gas grills will also do). Once that initial coating of grease sets up and the smoke subsides some, I grab a piece of clean tee shirt material, maybe 4" by 4" square, and using a pair of tongs I dob it in the shortening can then wipe down the surface of the pot with it. As it heats up, the grease will soak the rag, and it'll pick up some color, but this is normal. I'll put that hot rag back in the shortening and let it melt and soak up some more, then repeat that process a time or two. Each new swabbing I let smoke out for a bit before the next application. You can really build up a good seasoning coat that way, so long as you don't overload the rag too much. If it is dripping melted shortening then it is overloaded. You want it to be like a damp dishrag that you would wipe the counter down with, wet enough to put a nice thin layer on, but not so wet you have to go in behind it and wipe up a puddle. Try this for a time or two and you'll get the hang of it, and your seasoning efforts will be vastly improved. Get yourself a good pair of heavy oven mitts or welders gloves and you will be able to handle those hot pots without having to wait for them to cool, though I've had success using just a lid lifter to move/flip the pots around.

In all this, keep in mind that your primary focus is on the inside of the pot, where the cooking's done. Keep that in good shape, and the outside isn't such a big concern. I've seen good cooks who's pots were fairly rusted up on the outside but nice shiny black on the inside and did just fine.