I like getting cold calls from sales people. I learn a lot from them. Some of them are very good and walk me through the buying process expertly. I literally take notes.
I always try to return calls to sales people who leave me a voice mail. I know how frustrating it can be to not get a call back.
Sometimes, and frankly not very often, a really bad sales person will call. Today was one of those days. The guy launched right into his spiel for a product we could never possibly use, and after talking a mile a minute for about 3 minutes he asked me if it was something in which I'd be interested, a direct question that invited a direct answer. Not a "how does that sound?" open ended question, but a closed yes or no question. "Is this something that interests you?"
I gave him a chance to clarify. "Are you asking me if I'd be interested in buying your product?" "Yes," he said. "Is this something you could use in your operation?"
"No," I responded politely. "No, it's really not." I waited for him to probe a bit, try again, restate his case...anything. After a prolonged period of uncomfortable silence he finally thanked me for my time and hung up and went back to his misery of unsuccessful cold calling, probably wondering why nobody's buying.
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