VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

ballenberg · Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2012 8:12 am Post subject: Voice 123 Phone Solitications?

Just received a phone solitication from an overseas (England?) provider of search page rankings. I know the contact came from my Voice 123 listing because they used my nom d'Voice 123 rather than my real name. Unfortunately, they called my real number--and an unwelcome call from a fast-talking pitchman is not how I like to start my week. Anyone else getting this junk?

ballenberg · Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2012 8:13 am Post subject:

Yeah I know--solicitation. Gimme a break.

Mike Harrison · Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2012 8:46 am Post subject:

I hate solicitation calls, too, but haven't gotten any like this... yet.

My voicemail is configured to answer after five rings. If a call displays on my caller ID as 'Unavailable' (especially 'Private'), I'll try to quickly Google the number in hopes of finding out who it belongs to. I know I run the risk of missing what might be a solid call, but 99% of the time these numbers show up in Google results under "Who's calling me from...", leading me to believe many other people have also been bothered by them.

Of course, now technology allows callers to 'spoof' the caller ID data, and have it display any number they want it to.

Grrrr.
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Bish · Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2012 9:00 am Post subject:

I have received a number of SEO calls recently... I can't tell where they originate, but they certainly are hard-sell. What I usually do (as I'm more often than not in front of the computer) is to google them, and SEO ... they have never come out on the first page or two, so I ask them - why, if their own dog-food doesn't work for them, then why should I believe it'll work for me? They usually get very defensive. I always like to ask them how they would deal with getting top-ranking for ten different clients who are all Male, Brit, VOs ...

One of my bad habits is that I sometimes play with telemarketers... either that or I'm just downright offensive. It all depends on my mood... but I always take the attitude that it's my phone, my time, and cold-callers deserve everything they get (which is why I don't cold-call myself). I'm usually berated by anyone that overhears me - "they're only trying to earn a living in a tough economy" - Yeah, well... there are better ways that don't involve bothering me with a snake-oil pitch.

Ooops - I slipped into rant mode... sorry.
Cheers
Mr.Grumpy
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Mike Harrison · Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2012 9:22 am Post subject:

I agree completely with Peter. My phone, my time; I decide. And, toying with them is always fun. Although, sometimes they don't have as much fun as I do, poor things.

But, all else aside, if you choose to engage a caller like this, NEVER, EVER let them tell you they can guarantee a first-position ranking, a first-page ranking, or any kind of ranking. Google will tell you: IT. IS. NOT. POSSIBLE.

The ONLY way to get your site listed at the absolute top of a search results page is to BUY a sponsored listing.
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Mike
Male Voice Over Talent
I have taken leave of my sensors.

Lee Gordon · Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2012 11:29 am Post subject:

Lynne · Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2012 12:32 pm Post subject: Telemarketing

I also hate soliciation calls. We rarely get them, but when I do, I want to reach through the phone and pull their belts up to their collars. But, then, I think of my daughter, who worked at the Verizon Call Center for as long as she could stand it, just trying to pay her way through graduate school. And my son, who had to resort to telemarketing because the company he built from the gound up went belly up in this economy, and there was just no other jobs out there. They got 'played with', berated, cussed at, screamed at, cried at, dealt with all manner of the most negative human emotions. They are both incredibly good people, sincere, honest, intelligent, and would do anything to help anyone in need. I couldn't do that to them and I cetainly wouldn't do it to a stranger, who is surely someone else's son or daughter, whose mother feels the same way as I. So, I don't play with them, or taunt them, or do anything that would make their already difficult existence any harder. I simply say 'no, and 'have a nice day'.

Now, the real question is, however...can non-members of V123 see our contact information? I guess so!
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Mike Harrison · Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2012 1:26 pm Post subject: Re: Telemarketing

You made a very good point, Lynne. I'll remember that next time.

Thanks.
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Male Voice Over Talent
I have taken leave of my sensors.

ConnieTerwilliger · Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2012 10:54 pm Post subject:

Lynne, the only "members" of Voice123 are the talent who pay the fee to get the leads.
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Bish · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2012 7:11 am Post subject:

Lynne, your points are well made and I totally understand what you are saying, but they're only trying to earn a living, is, to me, dangerously close to I was only following orders.

I will add that my position is pretty much pre-set by the fact that I have made it very clear, via the Do Not Call list, that I don't want these calls. When a corporate policy dictates that my specific wishes are ignored, then the tone has already been set for the interaction.... add to this the fact that my mother (prior to getting a power of attorney in place) was conned out of thousands by cold-calling opportunists, I'm not in the most benevolent frame of mind when dealing with them.

I am tarring everyone with the same brush... and maybe that's not right. So, I will make an effort to politely decline, and only indulge in my excesses when they get pushy.

Cheers
Peter
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Smoke me a kipper... I'll be back for breakfast.
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Lee Gordon · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2012 10:56 am Post subject: Re: Telemarketing

JBarrett · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2012 7:49 pm Post subject:

We've established a family policy that makes telemarketing calls super simple to handle:

We do not make any commitments over the phone with any company unless we initiated the call.

Once we share that with the TM-er, they've got nowhere to go. We're also very fortunate to have an excellent interest rate on our mortgage, so that shuts down all the refinance calls in short order. Smile

When I began studying animation in Seattle many moons ago, the first temp job that I took was at a TM firm. Didn't last more than a couple weeks, and in that time I not only grew to understand (and loathe) the TM industry, but I had gear stolen from my bike in the parking garage, and cash stolen from my backpack in the TM office. I was so glad when the school hosted a job fair, which helped me get another job that carried me through the rest of my time there.
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Michael Schoen · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2012 9:34 pm Post subject:

Got the call this morning (tues) after a late night... and brushed the guy off quickly.
Called on my cell phone.
Not a good thing
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melissa eX · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2012 10:12 pm Post subject:

Yeah, I've gotten 3 of them over the last few months. All from overseas - one said Southhampton UK. Very pushy.

Lynne · Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2012 10:10 am Post subject: Telemarketing

I absolutely know that there are unscrupulous folks out there making these calls. I'm sorry to hear about your Mom, Peter. That kind of crap just sends me swirling. I'm also on the Do Not Call list, but it's amazing how these companies get around that. I was recently doing an internet search for health insurance, which is a need I will have in a few months. After that, I was inundated with cold calls from a variety of insurance firms. I guess 'do not call' doesn't count if you've inquired about something. It seems the larger the firm, the more aggressive they are. Even still, and in spite of my first reaction to do that reaching through the phone/throttling thing...I gotta think of that young gal or guy...and my lesser instincts are twarted...at least, so far!

Then, there's the random cell phone calls...that makes me crazy! I keep getting calls to take a 'short survey'...which is probably a pseudonym for 'tell me what you are in the market for'....ACK!
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"Wherever you are -- if you are following your bliss, you are enjoying that refreshment, that life within you, all the time." Joseph Campbell