I tell the telemarketer that I’m not a prospect. I wish them good luck on their next call. I say goodbye. And then I hang up.
Why?
- Saying I’m not a prospect is better than saying no, and especially when they haven’t asked whether I want what they are selling or not.
- I used to say something negative, but that just left me with a negative feeling about the encounter. Saying something positive (and something that is also sincere) has a better effect on me. I can get back to being me more quickly.
- Referring to their next call is my way of planting a seed, an idea that their time and efforts might be more profitable if they put less focus on this one interaction, and more focus on the whole endeavor. That is one of the basic concepts in High Probability Selling.
- I say goodbye when I am done with a conversation. I say it in a neutral tone, the same way I would if I were the person placing the call.
- I hang up. It’s kinder than hanging on while they continue to talk.
There are some exceptions. If I can’t interrupt the caller, I’m not interested at all, and just hang up. If it is a human caller, and I have time to be interested in the person, then I might have a conversation. If the person is interesting to me, I might ask, “How long have you been doing this?”
I’d like to hear from you, my readers. How do you respond to a telemarketer, and how does that make you feel?
Workshops in May 2018:
Chapter 12 Updated on Thu 17 May for $95