Inside baseball

I just got an advocacy call from the American Lung Association (“Can I speak with Mr. Soe Durz?”) The script was dreadful. It took the poor girl more than a minute to get to the ask, and she talked FAST. She got to the ask (something about using tobacco settlement money for education?) and I said:

“This call is being recorded, right?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Well this is for the benefit of your supervisor. This script is awful. You did a good job with it but I have no idea what I’m being asked to do. There were a lot of numbers, it was really technical, and it went on forever. I work in fundraising and advocacy and this is an issue I care about yet still I’m confused.”

“...uh...”

“Anyway, I prefer to do all my charity/advocacy stuff online. Thanks for calling.”

“Thank you and you have a good day.”

[click]

So, here’s a strategy for fending off telemarketing calls: get meta. I can pretty much guarantee responses regarding the script are not on the script.

And, ps., I barely ever get telemarketing calls, maybe once a month at most. For the last eight years or so. ( Coincidentally around the time we cancelled our land line...) And they are almost always charities or political orgs, for which I have a much higher tolerance.