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I get cold-called all the time. Here are the mistakes people make:

1. They waste my time (which is also a waste of their time).

That is, they are selling something that I don't need, generally because they don't know anything about me. If you're cold calling me, you should have read through our company's web site already. It's only fifteen pages or so; you can skip the press releases. You don't know what business I'm in? Why should I bother with you?

2. They are wasting my time.

Frequently I get called by salespeople who don't know what they're selling, except the name of it, a two sentence description that they memorized but don't understand, and they want to set up a meeting. You have a software product? What OS does it run on? Does it have a web interface? You're selling consulting services but you can't describe them because your answer for everything is "we can find people to do that, they are experts!"?

Go away.

3. They are wasting my time.

I already talked to you yesterday, last week, last month or last quarter. We discussed your product or service and it was clear from that phone call that we would never be a good fit for each other. (Your product only runs on Windows. Your service is Exchange consulting. You want to help process our customers' confidential data...)



>Frequently I get called by salespeople who don't know what they're selling, except the name of it, a two sentence description that they memorized but don't understand, and they want to set up a meeting.

"What's the difference between a software salesman and a used car salesman?"

"The used car salesman knows he's lying, and can probably drive."


I have been dodging calls for the past 3 years from a company that makes Java profiling tools. I am not and have never been a Java dev.


JRebel and I had a long-distance phone relationship too ... I stopped by their booth at JavaOne and explained in detail why I literally couldn't use their product and they stopped calling - why should they waste their own time. I did however explain that I understood their use-case and would call them back if I ever needed their product.


That is precisely who it was.




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