Pennsylvania has a "Do not call" list.
I’m on it.
I, like many people, hate
to be interrupted by solicitors.
Why can’t we also have a
“Do Not Call On” list?
It would make it off
limits for a business, political candidate, or religious organization to knock
on my door or approach my home if they haven’t been invited to do so.
It’s been a tough couple
of weeks. I can’t rake leaves lately
without telling someone that I’m not interested.
When I want to learn more about your product,
service, candidacy, or religious beliefs, I’ll find you.
I’ll find you and your
competitors. So spend your time and
money making sure you stand out. Be different
and compelling.
If you call me or knock on
my door when I haven’t invited you, I will likely never buy anything from
you or support your organization.
There, now it’s back to
the leaves.
Wish me luck!
Well done, Connie!
Turn about is fair play.
(and that’s a great cause)
HI Ann, my latest comeback to political activists at my door or on the phone is to tell them about MY cause — funding brain tumor research — including specifics on what they can do to help. I didn’t invite them, but while I have their attention, I intend to leverage it! This is in honor of my very Irish Catholic MIL, who apparently used to invite the Mormons in and try to convert them to Catholicism!
Connie
Blaine –
I can’t believe that someone would just drop off a child and come back hours later!
I had a young woman (maybe 20 years old) come to my door about a week ago – during dinner of course (something about acid rain). I was so upset that she was at my door in the pitch black completely alone that I made her show me her partner and promised to sign her petition only if they promised to knock on doors together instead of splitting up.
(I’m a sucker for Girl Scout cookies myself – but they don’t go door-to-door here. I find them outside the supermarket!).
Thanks for stopping by!
Ann
Ann, We have a do-not-call list in Texas, but it does not apply to non-profits, “policeman’s ball” marketing schemes, campaign/religious organizations, or companies with which I currently do business. With all those loopholes, we still get too many calls a week.
One company I trade with kept calling to offer “new services” and I would always say that I was not interested and would prefer that they not call again. They kept calling. Finally, I stopped one of the callers and slowly, calmly explained that if they did not want to have me immediately cancel all service with their company, they needed to begin typing a note on my account to never call again about optional services. Eight months and counting, not a single call!
The walk-up pitch that annoys me the most is the children they send out to sell $10 candy bars. Their sponsors drop them out of a van and come back hours later (I have seen this).
The ones I cannot resist are the Girl Scouts cookies or Boy Scouts holiday wreaths.
Philippa –
That was hysterical! My husband has actually used this one:
Tell the telemarketer you are busy at the moment and ask him/her if he/she will give you his/her home phone number so you can call him/her back. When the telemarketer explains that telemarketers cannot give out their home numbers say, “I guess you don’t want anyone bothering you at home, right?” The telemarketer will agree and you say, “Me either!” Hang up.
I like the last one too.
Thanks!
Ann
Ann
I think you might enjoy this post, called The Top 10 Telemarketer Repellants at http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifehack/top-10-telemarketer-repellant.html.
It seems very appropriate in light of your observations about this perennial problem.
I certainly plan to institute a few!
Maybe there is a twist on this that works for those door-to-door pests.
Wow, that’s pretty aggressive behavior! I’d be tempted to vote against any candidate whose representatives did that to me.
Hi Phil!
I don’t even mind the flyers. I’m talking about people that knock on your door or interupt you when you’re trying to get something done to give you their unsolicited pitch.
They’re just like telemarketers only they’re on your door step!
Why can I escape one but not the other?
Ann
Interesting thought Ann: making salespeople wait until we’re ready to talk to them. Sure would take the impulse out of impulse buying, huh?
I agree with the premise though. We just bought a house, and we get more than enough solicitations for various things related to my house, many of which I have no idea what they are. Many advertise on plain photocopy paper, have no website, and only a few words on it. Instead of wasting money papering a whole neighborhood, how about spending a bit more money on a nice website and make it easy for me to find you by searching for what I’m looking for. I’m going to search for others who’ve used your services online, why not put your own message out there?