I have a fully licensed Cottage House bakery (home based bakery) and I constantly have sales people calling me trying to get me to advertise or list through them. I had a local phone company call me the other day to see if I was interested in listing my business with them. The price per month was a little steep for my budget as I explained to him that I own a home based business and I am the sole employee. I politely said I was not interested, but if I changed my mind down the road, I'd be more than happy to take his name and number and call him back.
The salesperson on the other line proceeded to tell me that "every knowledgeable small business owner should have a hefty reserve of money set aside for advertising purposes. Didn't I know that?" He told me that "If I wanted to run a successful company I needed to invest in the phone book so people could find me." He followed up all of this by telling me that my current advertising route was "mediocre and somewhat amateur. I would have much more response with a professional route". I was shocked! He expected to get my sale by insulting me and being rude to me? I do just fine with the advertising I do and I've yet to hear someone tell me they couldn't find me! I get nothing but compliments on my website and ads!
I know the economy is struggling and he probably really needed the sale, but what happened to people's manners?
I wish I could put that company on some sort of "rude salesperson" do-not-call list so I wouldn't have to hear from them again. I'm sure they'll be calling back soon!
Sorry for venting, people just amaze me sometimes!

You can do that. Tell them to put you on the do not call list. They have a certain amount of time to do that. I do it to solicitors all the time.
Mary

You know, I've noticed that when sales ladies call me to solicit business and I kindly say I'm not interested, they give me their name and number and tell me to call them when I'm ready and I do.

However, when men sales people call, they always try to "scare" me into buying what they are selling.

Do they really think that's going to work? I mean really, it's sales ad, not a security system!

I do a big sigh and say that I turn down orders every week so thanks for the opportunity but I'm happy with my current marketing strategy. If they push I say, "but why would I want to spend XXX to turn down yet more orders???" They can't really argue with that.

Goodness, people, why are you even listening to their sales pitch?

sales person, "blah, blah, blah."
Me, "thank you for calling. Please put this number on your do not call list."
HANG UP.

Oh goodness, people, you haven't heard rude until you hear me go round and round with someone like that. I especially loved the guy who tried to tell me how getting my ad in his JUNE issue would be perfect timing for me.

I said, "Dude, you don't know anything about the wedding industry, do you?"

Him: I've been selling ads for three years and I know what works.

Me: Well, when you reach the 30 year mark, which is how long I"ve been in THIS business, you can talk to me. Otherwise, I'm just too busy to train a pup like you in how this works.

And i hung up.

kookie, next time I have a "how to be a bi*chy harda$$" seminar, I'll invite ya down! We'll get you trained, darlin'!

Indy... can I be guest lecturer at that seminar!?! I've got so much built up I gotta get it out! Hehehe.

My other trick, when I in one of "those moods", is to carefully place the receiver on a towel and walk away, letting the person babble on and on and on. They really do not call back after that.

hello . . . .? hello . . .? click

I am having no problems without advertising at all!!!!! I have been decorating for a year and had to quit my job because I am so busy with cake orders. The nerve of some people!

I am on the Canadian do not call list, and I have gotten a lot more forward about cutting through the pitch and just asking for my number to be removed. However, I get quite a few calls that originate in the states, and the ones I have answered have been on the "you have won a free cruise" line, so I went to put my number on the US do not call list, but I can't because it only accepts US area codes. Grrr. One time I pushed the button to talk to a live rep, and when she answered I said I wanted to be removed from their calling list, and she huffily said, oh, you'll have to contact headquarters and HUNG UP as I was asking her for the number for headquarters -- neither name nor number of the company had shown up, and it wasn't mentioned in the recording. I've also had a lot of those "This is Mimi, reduce your interest rate" calls, and when I've gone through to the rep to ask for my number to be removed, they HANG UP ON ME! Oh yeah, I'll be a lot more receptive NEXT time they call.

I live in a small community and my business started to boom just by word of mouth. I get people who come up to me all the time...oh you're the cake lady. Phonebook smone book. No one uses those anymore, internet baby, internet

You guys are right ~ next time I won't even give them the opportunity to "pitch me". I've always tried to be polite, but it's probably just a waste of time in the end anyway. Although I do like leahs idea of putting the phone down and walking away. I wonder how long they'd go on?
indydebi: Please let me know when the bit** seminar starts ~ I'll be first in line!

I actually had an ad guy yell at me once! A walk-in, so fine whatever, give me your pitch.... "blah,blahblah" later... and here's how much it'll cost you *choke!* Calls me back a few days later to see if we're interested, "no, sorry out of our budget for now.." Well, the guy laid into me for wasting his time and we'll never get seen on the internet and more "blah, blah blah" So I said we've changed our mind and we'll never be interested in your company - and hung up. Arg! I wsa SO mad!!!

MargaretB > I am also on the Canadian do not call list. It worked for a while but my calls have picked up again. Apparently you can BUY the do-not-call list for, like, $50!

There have been times when I'll say, this is interesting, but let's not waste each others' time. How much is it?

I get this astronomical number

and burst out laughing.

Seriously.

I can top this.. I had a company call about some subscription and I polietly told them I wasn't interested. Well they called back again like two hours later and I said the same thing and hung up. The guy had the nerve to call back and call me a B**** for not wanting what he was selling!!

And that reminds me . . . I hung up on a guy once and he called right back saying, "We were cut off."
I said, "No we weren't.
And hung up again.

I know people have to make a living, but you don't have to do it by 1)invading my privacy and or 2) harassing me.

you guys are hysterical!!!

i usually just ask them if they take food stamps. i've actually been hung up on after that one...

I'm more like a cross between the PP that likes to "put them through their paces" and "Did you not hear me? It's not in the budget at this time...when the time comes to reassess the situation and I feel like this is something I may be interested in...I'd be more than happy to give you a call back IF you'd be so kind as to leave your name and number. If you are unable to leave your name and number, I have nothing more to discuss with you...not now...not ever. Would you like to leave your name and number????"

The guy that called last month about some cleaning product...He did an awesome job as far as hanging in there and keeping his composure and his humor and remained completely courteous.
He said something to the effect of..."It took the skin of 6000 oranges to produce each and ever container!" To which I replied, "What the hell!!!!!!?????? 6000 oranges??????? It's no damn wonder there are starving people in the world! I wouldn't use that stuff! It would remind me that someone could be eating the oranges that it took to make this stuff!" His response, "No. No. We only took the skin"
That's just an exerpt of a battle of sorts that lasted almost an hour! I don't know about him, but I had fun!

Haha. My hubby WANTS to talk to phone solicitors. He asked a woman one time if she had ever hung up on the person she called, and she said no. He said I bet I can make you -- and HE DID !!

I had a lovely conversation with a salesman once and I kept trying to give him the opportunity to do the right thing....he just kept talking.

He started into his pitch...

Me: I'm sorry we're not interested right now
Salesman:....(just kept talking like he didn't hear me)
Me: Pardon me...This is where you say thank you, have a good evening
Salesman:...but .....(and just kept talking again)
Me: I interrupt....NO, this is where you says thank you, have a good evening
Salesman:....(just kept right on talking)
Me: I interrupt again....NONONO, this is where you say thank you, good night

And I hung up.

OH!! I get that orange cleaner salesman too. It always starts out with, "Did you get our sample in the mail?"

Me yes

Him "Didn't you think it smelled great?"

me No, I thought it was hideous smelling.

Him silence. Then he continues his pitch. "How will you keep your biz smelling fresh and clean?"

me By actually cleaning, not covering up smells with fake orange odor.

hahahahahahahahahaha

we'll mail you your free trial...which, as it turns out is 4 freeeeeeeeeakin' gallons!....that....is concentrated that you only use 2 ounces of per gallon of water....that has a shelf life(his claim) of an entire year....whoa! what the hell am I going to do with 256 gallons of cleaning solution?????? that I have to use in one year!!! I said I can't use that much shtuff in one year!!! He then says..."oh, you can use it after that, I'm sure." I say, "wouldn't that compromise the integrity of the formula?" "No, you'd just have to use more of it...maybe 4 ounces instead of 2 to get you the same cleaning and sanitizing effects" "is it safe to use on surfaces that food comes in contact with or will I have to rinse it off?" hahahahaha check this...he says then, "well you can't put it in your food to kill the bacteria in it" I almost wet my pants! He kept going somewhere for answers...poor guy, after I told him he was doing a great job(toward the end, after he knew for sure I wasn't buying), he said, "do you really think so? 'Cause I've only been doing this a week now." "keep it up...I'm sure someone will bite".

Salesperson: "May I speak to the man of the house?"
Me: " Sorry, he's not here."
Salesperson: "Do you know when he will be home?"
Me: "Don't have a clue. Last I saw of him was when he slammed out of here out ten years ago."
Salesperson: (dead silence)

I'm single, never married. I've been using that one or the other version of the man of the house being off on a "toot" for years. I've thought about saying, "Sorry, I buried him in the back forty last week." Only with my luck, some yutz would believe it and sic the cops onto me.

This is a good one! You guys are hilarious

When I get these type of calls, and they won't take the first and second no thank you from me, I like to entertain THEM buy busting out with a rousing rendition of "Turkey in the straw" or "Sweet Georgia Brown". Seriously They hang up and never call back again.

Ok. Now I'm hanging my head in shame at my true psycho-ness showing. Ya Right

ROFLOL
You all are so funny! I am so glad I came across this thread today. Having a rough one and this is just what I needed.

Just to add the the laughter-when I was young (ok, like 12) I remember answering the phone and it was for my mother. It was a salesperson telling her she had just won free windows for her house. Imagine his surprise when she then told him it couldn't be true-we live in a teepee!!

I'll never forget that as long as I live!

lol...that one is funny too.