When I started out in the securities business over 40 years ago, cold calling was an essential part of getting started, unless you came with a natural client base. "Smiling and Dialing" was how they termed it. We were taught basic scripts, and the ratios to convince ourselves that every time someone hung up on us we were making $10. Basically like this:
100 calls = 10 contacts = 1 sale = $1000 commission. Thus, every time you dialed someone, successfully or not, you were making $10.
Before I'd decided to enter the training program, Tom, the person who was recruiting me wanted to show me what it was like. I was in his office early one evening, and he was cold calling from some list. I was listening on an extension. First 20 or so went fine. Most were no answer (this was before answering machines were everywhere) a few rejections, but polite ones..a few "call me back later" or "I'm not sure" and actually made 2 appts. So I'm thinking.."this ain't so bad..I can do this" when he dials another number. Guy answers YEAH?, Tom just starts a few words of his spiel..."GOOD EVENING, MY NAME IS....." when the guy goes ballistic...starts ranting and cursing...GOD DAMN5 %^%^&()*&%%^&*())*&& MO FO SALESPEOPLE.... more rant..then he hangs up so violently that my phone starts walking across the desk.
I'm thinking that maybe I want to reconsider my potential career choice, when Tom looks at me, smiles, says WATCH THIS,picks up the phone, and calls the guy back. When he answers, Tom jumps right in:
LISTEN!!! I JUST CALLED YOU AND YOU SCREAMED, CURSED, AND HUNG UP ON ME. I WAS CALLING TO TELL YOU THAT YOU'D WON $10,000 IN A CONTEST, BUT BECAUSE YOU'RE SUCH AN ASSHOLE YOU CAN'T HAVE IT!
Then he slammed the phone down..said THAT'LL FIX HIS ASS..
FYI..I hadn't thought of that in decades, til I read this thread. Made me smile...hope y'all enjoy my little reminiscence. Thanks...Off to mass...hope everyone has a great Memorial Day weekend..
Can’t believe I even like you....
I think that makes you #10, ken. ;o)
“10. Man of the church
‘Son, you need to go to church this Sunday and ask God for forgiveness for your career choice.’”
I have some who call on our business line, say they are a friend of my husband, give a bogus first name and then demand to speak with him. One such called, was politely told “he’s not available” and hung up on. He called back:”Why do you get to decide who Mr. reformedliberal speaks to!” (insert much aggrieved tone). “That is my job. He refuses to speak to anyone I haven’t vetted.” BTW, this is true. DH’s usual response to a ringing phone is some sort of exasperated profanity, even when he recognizes the number/name.
I screen all calls. I usually don’t answer, but sometimes the caller ID is blocked and the number could easily be that of a client of either of our businesses, so I do. If rejectees call back, they are ignored. If I received your trainers’ pay back call, I would have told him to stand in line. I have a website with a public email address. I get over 100 spams/day telling me I have won/inherited millions of USD. I am simply not guiltable on those grounds.
Disclosure: I did magazine sales cold calling in HS. I was good at it. I hated it. Quit to run a cash register as soon as possible.
LOL!!!!