ForumsAdvertising, Sales and Marketing

Yes, all of those: The "Do Not Call" list as Ed suggested, screening as Dan suggested, and some "acting" as Diva suggested (my favorite is the line from "WKRP in Cincinnati" that Mr. Carlson used when Loni Anderson's character was out and he had to answer his own phone - "Mr. Carlson? No, he's dead.")

I actually have a telemarketing firm as a client. For them, time is money, so another great strategy is to just say, "Can you hold for a second, please?" Then hit the mute button and go back to whatever you were doing. Since you answered and they spoke with you, the telemarketer has to either sit there and wait, or else enter a "no sale" into the system and hang up. Most telemarketing systems will automatically dial the next number and display that info -- so the marketer is on to the next call and has already forgotten you). If your phone service allows you to capture (caller ID) the incoming number, you can block it from calling back later (telemarketing systems with multiple workstations are still generally tied to a single outgoing number).

Of course, if you have time to "play," the web is full of pranks you can use on telemarketers for the entertainment of you and your associates!

NatOnline,

If you wanted to take a look at the GrandCentral service, please visit GrandCentral.com. It outlines the features available to users.

In regards to DomainDiva. I often play games with telemarketers on my personal line when I get them. It can be fun, but all in all, you have to respect the telemarketer. They are after all just doing their job and trying to spread the word of their products or services. It is not nice to be cruel to them, especially during the holiday season.

I am not playing games with them and it really depends on the person I have on the line.

If a telemarketer is brief and nice, I always respect that, if they are interesting and on the topic I we can have an intellingent conversation.

Now if a telemarketer try to argue and waste my time or start the conversation like I had with a coder tell me first I have errors on my site, even if it is true, there are manners to approach that.

Anyway I am not cruel to them, but I never called to get their services I don't need most of the time.

You got some great answers, To summarize:

• You can now register on a national Do Not
  Call list. Most telemarketers cannot call your telephone number if it
  is in the National Do Not Call Registry.
• If you receive a call you don’t want,
  hang up as quickly as possible. The faster you hang up, the faster
  the telemarketer can proceed to a call where someone is more likely
  to be interested.
• Would you like to avoid telemarketing calls while you’re
  having dinner? Simple. Don’t answer the phone at dinner time.
  If it’s someone important, they’ll leave a message or call
  back.
• Auto dialers automatically dial your number from a database.
• To avoid telemarketing calls, be careful about giving
  out your name and number.
• Don’t always say “yes” just to please
  people. Take control of your life and just say no.
• LUCKIEST

h4.

You are very welcome Nat.