My Latest Self-Improvement Experiment, Be Nice to Telemarketers (Yes, Really)

I am always experimenting with ways to be better at work, at life, and for the people around me. I have not been this way for my 61 years on the planet but I have tried for at least the last 25 years+.

My latest test, Being nicer to telemarketers.I know.

Stay with me.

I have spent decades in sales, logging my fair share of dials, building a business from scratch. I never considered myself a telemarketer (Not that there’s anything wrong with that)

My calls are/were backed by research, competitive insights, a real strategy, and relevance. No robocalls. No boiler-room scripts.

That said, I get a lot of cold calls. Lead gen firms, AI assistants, Medicare plans. You know the type. You hear the silence, then a beep, then a robotic voice or a person asking about my health insurance or other personal information like we are good friends, a trusted business advisor or my doctor. It can be offputting.

I have zero guilt hanging up on a robot.

When it’s a real person, hustling to earn a living that’s different.

Even if they don’t know me, anything about my business, whether I even need the revolutionary solution they’re selling they’re still people.

They’re not doing this for fun. They’re working to survive, maybe support a family…Many of us have been there.

Here is what I have committed to doing differently.

I am giving them a minute or two. Who knows? Maybe they surprise me. Maybe there’s something I haven’t heard before. It’s rare, but hey it is sales karma.

If it’s not for me? I still be nice and say say I appreciate the call, but it’s not a fit. Hope you’re having a good day." If they continiue I let them know that I do my best to be nice and I understand this is their job to call and pusch past objections, but we just dont have the need, desire of a fit now . I thank them again.

I know it sounds goofy until you truy it.

Being decent costs nothing and it pays in how I feel at the end of the day.

Less stress, more grace, no regrets.

So, give it a try. Be kind to the cold caller.

They are trying to make a living, one awkward phone call at a time.