When I first started in real estate I engaged in 'cold-calling'. I simply asked people if they were thinking of buying or selling their property in the near future. If they said no, I thanked them and ended the call. If they disclose that they are thinking about buying or selling a home, I set an appointment at my office to meet with them, and never seek any information or transaction over the phone.
I don't like cold-calling, and most telemarketers don't like it either. They do it because the law of large numbers always works ... if you make 1,000 calls, a certain percentage will always do business. The rest who are rude, nasty, etc. forget about me once they hang up in a huff.
How do I handle them when I get called?
I am polite, and simply request that they mail information to me. I tell them that I never conduct business over the phone, and never give out financial information. If they try to overcome the objection, I tell them that there are too many phone scams and my policy is not to take the risk. I go so far as to tell them that I have engaged in cold-calling, and understand their frustration, but I only respond to written information. If they continue, I tell them that I am ending the call and hang up. The longest I ever take with this is 30 seconds.
Following Bible principles, we will avoid trying to live - or demand others to live - by an extensive and rigid set of dos and don'ts that go beyond the teachings of the Bible. The Watchtower, 4-15-02, pg 22, pp 15