Direct "Marketing"

9outof10mms

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Got a call this morning--immediately I can ascertain "saleswoman" in her voice. She starts right in like we've talked in the past, thanks me for "requesting additional information about" some stupid product, and let's me know she'll be getting that "tactical pen out in the mail to me as a thank you." All this in the span of maybe 5 seconds--I don't get a word in edgewise.

PAUSE STORY...
I despise marketing, especially this direct type. I won't do anything that requires my legit info in order to further spam me and whore out my digits to others. The rare occasions that I do watch live TV, I mute commercials. I've passed on 100% paid trips to "conferences" that were essentially timeshare-type sales pitches where you had to give one-on-one time with vendors. To say I loathe sales is a professional understatement.

Needless to say, *I* would never knowingly submit my info nor request more info for any damn product.

Now that I've set the tone and you've gotten to know me...

I cut her off immediately and say "nope, not familiar with such-and-such product." She says "well are you the person responsible for purchasing blah blah blah for your department." I dodge her gear shift and say "I'm concerned with the business tactic you're using here of trying to placate me with a 99-cent pen and forcing your way into my day without invite. Please remove me from your list and don't call again."

Ohhhh damn...the pleasantries dispensed and her cutesy little tone changed. "I don't have a LIST, sir. And don't worry, we won't be calling YOU back."

The moral of the story here is if you're in the sales world, don't do this crap. If your product isn't good enough and your company isn't honest enough to get the items in my attention span without unscrupulous methods such as these, then examine your career choice. And don't ever, EVER burn the bridge down as you hissy fit out the door of a possible client--regardless of how prick-headed they were to you--ESPECIALLY if YOU called THEM and invaded THEIR day!

Ugh...rant over. Maybe I'm hangry or something...need to go drop a deuce to make ready for lunch...
 
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Well, other than that Mrs, Lincoln, how was the call?


If you call and your number is not in my system, I don't answer.
I don't answer some people's call because I keep them in the system so I don't talk to them.
 
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I agree totally. I can’t ignore calls into our sales line, so if I get a cold call at the office, I immediately cut off their spiel and say, “Drop your script and just tell me what you’re selling.”

Inevitably the response is, “I’m not SELLING anything, we want to....” at which time I hang up.

Every now and then I’ll get someone sharp enough to read the situation and actually give them some time. It’s rare, but it does happen.
 
Every now and then I’ll get someone sharp enough to read the situation and actually give them some time. It’s rare, but it does happen.
Out of respect for the skill /effort one would exhibit in breaking from the norm and approaching the situation like a professional, I too would give them a few minutes.
 
My favorites are when they call me, at my desk inside an AT&T building, and ask to speak to the person in charge of the telecommunication decisions.
 
I immediately cut off their spiel and say, “Drop your script and just tell me what you’re selling.”
It's hard sometimes to interrupt their little speech, isn't it? I also ask how much money they want for whatever it is, and then tell them I have none, and then they go away. lol.
 
My old phone gives no info on who the caller might be. I either answer or don't..and talk or don't..easy, peazy.
 
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It's hard sometimes to interrupt their little speech, isn't it? I also ask how much money they want for whatever it is, and then tell them I have none, and then they go away. lol.

yeah my approach on my personal phone is less accommodating than the business line. I just don't answer numbers that I don't know.
 
You got a telemarketer to hang up on you...? You - are - da - MAN!
I have a friend that is good at getting them to hang up on him.
He did have one call him back once to have another go.
Of course he always ask how much their mother is charging now?
That it seems is what pushes them over the edge.
 
My wife can get the Indian/Paki scammers to scream at her, before they hang up. Pretty funny, but I don't have the patience. I just tell 'em no thanks, go get bent & hang up.
 
The rub from my experience earlier today was the call was from a "legitimate" business trying to direct market their product to me--presumably not a scam. In that case, nothing but the utmost professionalism should be tolerated by said business. Your sales force shouldn't get uppity and hissy-fitty when I politely tell them no.

Scammers--they can all get ass aids from a public bus stop toilet and die.
 
I used to make calls like that for a living. You had 8-10 seconds to let them know who you are, why you're calling and how you can be beneficial to them.

Then you ask their permission to continue, something like, "Did I catch you at a good time? Do you have 3-5 minutes now or would there be a better time or number?"

It's amazing how a little respect is reciprocated.

FWIW, every single call got "scrubbed" against the Do Not Call list.

Doing this lead to one out of every seven people I spoke with turning into an appointment on our calendars and they knew that itwas for me to ask them to trust me with their life savings.
 
I get tons of sales calls. I let them go to voicemail 99% of time. Sales guys rarely leave a VM. I feel sorry if you are forced to answer the phone.

We always left a voicemail on the first call. It was to give them a reason to answer the next call. If I called again and you didn't answer, you might just be busy. If I called 3-4 times and you never answered, you didn't want to talk to me. Next in line, please.

On the off chance you were busy every time I called but really did want to talk, the last call got a voicemail saying it was the last call but letting them know how to get back to me.
 
I reply can I call you back, I'm on a conference call to Italy? No we can call you back, when is a good time?
OK, call me back in 100 years, not a day sooner. Once they stop laughing their rear ends off
they hang up.
 
I used to be the same way when salesmen stopped by to discuss the latest greatest products where I worked.

Then I got into sales. Karma can be a bitch, but politeness can ease the bitch down a little.
 
We always left a voicemail on the first call. It was to give them a reason to answer the next call. If I called again and you didn't answer, you might just be busy. If I called 3-4 times and you never answered, you didn't want to talk to me. Next in line, please.

On the off chance you were busy every time I called but really did want to talk, the last call got a voicemail saying it was the last call but letting them know how to get back to me.
You sir may market to me as a result of your “getting it.”
 
EE0E7BA3-D472-4B40-928A-912383B9FEFD.jpeg This has made a huge difference on my phone. I was averaging 2-3 telemarketing calls a day until I found this setting on my iPhone. Dunno how long it’s been available, but I just found it about a month ago and I love it!
 
The rub from my experience earlier today was the call was from a "legitimate" business trying to direct market their product to me--presumably not a scam. In that case, nothing but the utmost professionalism should be tolerated by said business. Your sales force shouldn't get uppity and hissy-fitty when I politely tell them no.

Yeah, if that really was a legit business - great way to permanently lose a potential customer.
 
Was expecting an Amazon package, answer the door and guy in safety vest says they are in the area doing work,
told him I just rent the place. ;)
 
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