1st rule of cold calling....don't do it!

                           

I am on the receiving end of at least 10 cold calls a month. I never answer my phone, instead I manage it via voice mail. I only return the calls I deem important and not once have I returned a cold call. I find them bogus, unauthentic, un-transparent and otherwise a silly waste of energy. I applaud the persistence but it is wasted.

All that being said what I do value are the people who take the time to find out something about me and make it a point to shake my hand at a networking event. Beyond that and furthermore I like the people who make zero attempt to sell me on anything upon our first meeting or two. Nothing turns me off more than a Hi, I do this and that and the other and I can do it better, bigger and faster than anyone. Yeah, but what is my favorite color? What are my kids names? How about their birthdays?

No offense to anyone but get real, we live in an attention economy and unless you are willing to take the time to discover, build and maintain a relationship, you are invisible to me.