Cold Calls

I admit that I do not return “cold call” phone messages. These are phone calls that I receive from vendors that I have not contacted. They are contacting me. They call and leave messages asking me to call them. They are cordial and offer information about products that I may not ever need. I feel no obligation to return these calls. Am I callous? I don’t think so. I just don’t feel compelled to respond to these kinds of calls.

I have returned some… if they are for tools that I actually may need or have been thinking about, but not very often. When someone happens to call me and leave a message for a product that might be of interest, I still don’t feel obligated to call them back.

If you have ever called me in this manner -please do not feel insulted by my lack of response.

Here are some additional thoughts on what bugs me about cold calls.

• You are barging into my office unannounced. I have not invited you in. You do not have an appointment. You just show up – via my phone. Don’t expect me to open my calendar for you. (I hope I am not sounding too harsh).
• You have no idea of my needs. You are just casting your pamphlets in the air (via the phone). Some may land in the hands of future customers, but not often. You tell me about products that may not be a match for my environment.

Here are some tips for these kinds of calls.

• Say the name of your firm slowly. I may have never heard of you before.
• Tell me about your product and how it might fill my need.
• Don’t ask me any rhetorical questions. Of course I use servers. Of course I have an internet connection. Of course I use cell phone technology. Of course I want to save money on my hardware purchases.
• Don’t tell me you are taking a survey of the industry.
• Tell me your website URL. I just might go check it out.
• Repeat your name and company name at the end of the call – slowly.
• Don’t expect me to listen to the whole message.
• Don’t mispronounce my name – it just proves that you don’t know me.
• If you leave a number – say it slowly – if I am writing it down – don’t make me rewind to get it right.

If you do happen to catch me in my office, and I take the call, I will be cordial. I will not bite your head off. I will listen to your “pitch”. But understand that I might cut your script off with a question. I need to get to the point. Will you product help me? Do I need what you are selling? My questions will get me there sooner than your canned speech.

I am not a bad guy. I just don’t like cold calls – sorry…

Do you like them? Do you make them? please comment…