How to get off the phone with a telemarketer

We all hate telemarketers. By the way, most of them hate themselves. I’ve done more than my share of cold calling, so I know. I’ve stumbled on a sure-fire way to get off the line with these folks. It’s all in how you take the call. Unless Caller ID tells me it’s a friend, I always answer professionally, “Hello, this is Raymond, how can I help you?” They usually freak and hang up right then and there. They can see they will not be controlling the call. Sometimes they reply, “Can I speak to Raymond?” Then I make my tone exasperated: “I just TOLD you I am Raymond. What can I do for you?” Then, CLICK.

I tell ya, telemarketers today got no balls!