I'm just polite and say...no thank you!  After all...the problem is...there aren't that many of us left to call...active agents that is...

I have not noticed many additional calls since I started blogging....however did get a call from San Antonio, TX from a guy that is considering a job move to Redding, CA. We had a great chat and if he makes the move I'm sure I will be his agent. All from blogging.

Thanks, Ron Largent

www.ronlargent.com    ronlargent@kw.com

Some sales persons are so annoying I would like to know how to block them, specially after you told them "no thanks". Is there a way to block their number on your cell? 

HELLO DAVID!

Yes and they all start their calls with "Could you use more business?"  They kill me with that one!

All the best,

David, I get calls like this all the time and it's really annoying. It's usually someone offering to sell me 500 pens. I just say no thanks and ask them to take me off their calling list.

In the world of telemarketing, you must say the following, "Put Me On Your Do Not Call List." By law they have to remove you. If they don't you get to sue. Log the calls and times of them if they call again... Not that anyone of us would go that far but if you talk to them in that language, they'll make sure to listen and respond appropriately. I like to say the phrase really nice and slow one word at a time... Just to make sure they hear me...

These calls are annoying and Homegain tried numerous times along with homes.com and all the rest of them. Sometimes when I'm bored I call them out on their lies... "Ma'am, wouldn't you like to be in the top 10 on Google?" "Uhm, but I am..." "NO YOU'RE NOT!!" (I like when they get snippy) "Yeah, I really am..." "Well not for homes on that one sidestreet near PA!" "Actually..."

It can be amusing...

Phone calls are such and interruption, David. I would much prefer an email so I can read it at my own convenience. Afraid not to answer the phone, as it could be one of 10K Activerain people calling.

David,

Great post and so appropo...I just hung up with one! I am going to try Cecilia's suggestion!-)

David - yes I too have received those calls, and they are always trying to sell us something. Now we are competing with these companies for leads. . . . and how qualified are they??? That is always a good response!

gets annoying after awhile I am like you, and say no thank you.

Karen- I guess that is why I have been getting more calls. Thanks.

Ron- Thanks, those are the good LD calls!

Lloyd- I don't know, maybe someone will tell us how. Thanks.

Yvette- They do have good opening lines but somedays my humor is gone.

Debbie- I guess that is the best approach. Thank you.

Cecilia- That IS the right thing to do, I just hate going thru the routine sometimes. But I do when I see the same ID number after 3 times a day. I answer and use your line.

The google first page thing happened to me, I said I am already on the first page for Akron, he said but you are NOT on the first page for Cleveland! I said I don't work in Cleveland, he said that's why.....what?.......hahahaha..now that was funny...

Missy- I hear you about not picking up on LD. If it is a real call would not they leave a VM? Good advice, I better suck it up and answer.

I wish there was an industry rule and just email me also. I do not mind that at all and I usually check out their site. Thank you!

Football is around the corner, look out, Miss! Ohio State is loaded this year again!

Hello Callie, thank you. I am going to do that also! Take care!

Sharon- There was a time I paid for leads, not knowing better, never closed one sale, they were worthless lookie lou's at a website. Thanks.

Steve- Thanks for coming by, "no thanks" is the ticket!

You can register your cell phone on the do not call list, but that hasn't worked for me. I always tell them that I am on the do not call list and i ask for their name and number because I intend to report them. They usually hang up after that. Of course, the simplest answer when they call and ask if we want more business is just to say NO. (Click.)

I just ask for their REAL name, their manager's name, and the address of their company. Then I tell them that since my number is on the do not call list, their company has broken the law and it's my understanding that the fine is $11,000 per offense.

By this time, the poor person is shaking and has wet his pants.

And you thought I was so nice.

Raylene- Thank you, I hate to hang up on people but I do after the "no thanks"

Dawn- I KNOW you are nice, that's your game face.

It isn't just you agents.  Since I got my new site up the calls have doubled.

Oh BTW Go Bucks!

Jack- it doesn't take long my friend. The Bucks are loaded again!!! Look out!

I don't answer those calls either.  I had someone call yesterday and leave one of the worse messages I have ever heard.  I won't be calling him back.

Hi Dave.  I know your frustration.  I frequently get call that I don't want...  some start out by saying that I requested information about education programs.  I hold a Masters Degree and certainly have no interest in getting more college credit.  Other calls are from business wanting to get me to purchase leads... anyone that has been down that road knows that the best leads are the ones you generate yourself.  The lead generation business generally capture information from people surfing the net.. just like you and I..and the try to sell them.  One guy even wanted to give me 500 free leads!  How good do you think those leads were?

As REALTORs we work hard to build our personal branding and promote our business.  I've found that my web site generates a great deal of traffic for me and certainly don't need lead generators do that work for me.  Very few of their leads are good anyway!

I have my cell phone registered on the "Do Not Call List."  I would suggest others do that.  However, that won't entirely solve the problem.  Any more, when I get those calls I just tell them that I didn't request their services and want them to take my number off their calling list.  I also let them know I'm registered on the "Do Not Call List." 

Some have said that they took my number off my web site... however, I remind them that that number is for business purposes only.  Others have begun calling through my brokerage... I also tell them that it's an office number and they need to remove me from their call list.

These are only partial solutions to a problem that my be ongoing!

Brian- isn't that just rude, I had a message that I was going to lose business if I did not call back!

Jon- Yea, I love free leads, the ones I paid for were no good! A lot start by saying that I requested info...did not....I am on do not call, that is their way around that...thank you.

Good points David.  If you get a lot of calls I would always simply ask how they found my name, that's always good information.  If you tell them you are with a client, test their conviction and see if they call back when they say they will.

I spent the last three years selling an internet referral service www.recr.com 

One thing we do, however, is always leave messages.  Realtors make a living by returning phone calls, so always leave a message and they will call you back.

The National DNC list does not apply to realtors (we are businesses), but if you tell them you wont buy, why would they call you again.  The worst thing you can do to a sales person is waste their time...pretend you want to buy and balk at the last minute, try that if you want to get back at them

David- Very good points, I am not discouraging people from making a living. But, most of them do not leave a voice mail, which makes me think they are not good salesmen, I do call back if something they have sounds interesting!

David,

        I was wondering why I was getting more of those kinds of calls lately. Do you really think it has to do with blogging? I always tell them to put me on the do not call list, but there are sooo many of them.

I like Dawn's response. I may try that one. My son currently has a telemarketing survey job, and he says I'm not allowed to be rude to them.

I get a lot of calls lately, that say they will have a manager "in the area" and will "stop by" to introduce themselves. Scary!

To the foks taht mention the Do Not Call List - if you advertise your business (real estate services, for example) using the number on which you're called, you can not place that number on the "Do Not Call" list; that legislation was meant to protect individuals only, not businesses. That's my understanding of that law, though by no means am I an attorney.

-Max

Hi Kevin-We are trying to make our websites show up on google and other places so naturally we will be noticed by salesmen and marketers also. Comes with the territory I reckon!

Max- That makes sense to me, I still ask them to take me off their list.

Hi David!

It's bad enough that we have several lines coming into our office for the telemarketers and survey calls, but do they have to use BOTH lines right after another?

I'm going to do a blog about how to best handle these callers later today.

Thanks,

Barb

David:  I do the same thing you do!  Aggravating isn't it !  I've gotten very smart about screening and figuring out if it's a sales call or not.

David, you should add your cell phone to the Do Not Call registry. I did this and it stopped the calls immediately.

David~ I get so many of those annoying calls.  I just tell them I am not interested and to take me off their list.  I also put all of my numbers on the DNC list.  The calls still come though...

Barb- I feel your pain......

Donna- It gets aggravating for sure, thank you.

Darrel- My cell is registered. They usually say I was on their site or they get my number off my website.

Vickie- I don't see it changing soon......

My phone does ring with long distance beggars.  I try to tell them no politely until they just insist to push their product.  They try to make you feel like you are really missing out on something.

Latonia,

Don't get into a conversation with them - you give away your power - the shorter the response, the better.

Barb

Latonia- Thats a good salesman and it worked on me at first because I was desperate to increase my business and they said it would...lost a lot of money trusting them......

Barb, Afraid you are right, cannot be nice, sharks to blood.

David, Thanks for visiting my blog about Blogging, yes my days with Greg and the boys were sweet.  I do visit your area now and then and conduct classes, hope to see you in one someday.  Oh don't expect the same rock star, we only share the name.

Hello Dick- Look forward to meeting you. (That was my favorite band of all time. Duane's death was a tragedy!)

David, what stinks for me is that I get telemarkets wanting to sale me a newspaper.

David,

  I always ask them to give a few leads for free to see if I like their company.  That stops them from calling me again!  LOL

Danny- That is bad!

Frank- That will stop them mid-sentence!

David, you're right.  I don't hear from them after that.  I find it funny actually.

Ya, very frustrating!!!!

Frank- if I was selling something that really worked, why wouldn't I give a couple for free?

Christina- How are you? Part of doin' business I guess, but somedays it is frustrating, I agree.

Hey David,

I've got something I give for free, and I have something that really works. Is there a magic wand somewhere to get people to actually use what you gave them for free?

I'll email you.

Barb

Barb- Thanks, I try almost anything for a free trial and see if it works, doesn't everyone? good luck.

David,  I agree with you... just because we are on Active rain does not mean we want to purchase everything under the sun.  I agree with you "If I want it, I will call you"

Thomas-  Hello, that's the way I feel. I would not mind if they just emailed me, but not the cell constantly!

No, I am already on the first page of Google, thank you.

David- I always find it amusing, when they tell me they've seen my site and they can guarantee to get it on page one of Google.  If they had actually looked, they would know its already there.

Marilyn- They never look, I guess they are too busy. What's funny is, they don't believe me and want to argue about it!!! agggghhhhhh!

David, I get soooo many of these calls!  At first, it made me crazy because they are an exception to the "Do Not Call" laws.  Then, I started to play with them.  I act like I'm ready to bite then it's "Whoa!  You want me to actually pay you fof these leads?"

Patricia- That's a great idea, I should lighten up and have some fun, I will try that, thank you........

David, I just signed up on AR about a week ago and I am already getting phone calls saying they saw me on ActiveRain. The hard part is that we do a large relo business so we have to answer those out of town phone numbers.

Hi Steve and Kim- I reluctantly answer a lot of long distance calls for the same reason. I am working hard to increase my internet presence and do not want to not answer a referral call or just a call with questions. I am afraid they will be mad at not reaching me and not leave a VM....what to do? just suck it up, I guess, and listen to a one minute speil sometimes. Thanks for stopping by.

I think it just goes with the territory - you answer the call, sometimes it's someone you want/need to talk to, sometimes it's not. With our 800 number, 2 phone lines and 3 cell lines, something's always ringing around here!

I wrote a blog recently on how to best deal with these unwanted callers (search under "Telemarketers" - one post was even from someone that used to run a telemarketing company).

But on that blog, I forgot to add the trick I use if somehow they sneak in and I start talking to them and didn't ask if they were telemarketers. 

I bought a little telephone magnet years ago, that when pressed, sounds just like a telephone ringing. You have to space the rings just right, but suddenly you have "another call coming in that you just HAVE to take". Goodbye telemarketer!!

And no, I don't EVER use it on legitimate callers - they're our bread and butter. Now, the family members or friends that tend to get a little longwinded when I'm trying to get my work done...well...I have to confess, maybe a few times LOL!

Barb

Thanks Barb, pretty tricky........

I am polite, but to a point. Some of them just keep pushing and don't take NO for an answer, then I cut them off. It's really annoying when they call my cell phone!

Erica- Yea, I like it when they won't take no for an answer, they actually get rude and then I hang up also....

I have a great service on my cell phone that acts like caller ID and tells me the name of the business or person that is calling and if they are calling on a cell what cell phone provider they use.

This has stopped almost 95% of the phone calls I answer from tele-markers. The others are calling from a home number, but it gives me a chance to call them back later in the week and waste their time like they did mine.

Todd- Thanks, I am going to look into that feature. Sounds great.

Todd- Thanks, I am going to look into that feature. Sounds great.