The Working Mother's Top 3 Insider Tips for Getting Rid of Telemarketers

It never fails. Something major is happening: a diaper change, the sibling blowout for the day, or dinner, and the phone rings. Is it Mom with news of your cousin's big promotion? Your best friend with a crisis over her teen daughter's boyfriend who is the quintessential all-American? You only wish it were this mildly aggravating - it's a telemarketer, invariably massacring the pronunciation of your last name. You're tired, you're harried, you just want off the phone, now. What do you do?

I've seen articles and tidbits in many places with many suggestions. Some were practical and helpful, while others just made my jaw drop: "Give me your home number and I'll call you back during your dinner," letting the 3 year old answer the phone, and slamming down the phone after yelling "Get a life!" Here is a last attempt at sorting through the suggestions to find positive steps to cut down on telemarketing calls without cutting down ourselves with actions that cut down others.

My husband was in the telemarketing industry for almost five years, starting on the phones and working his way up to a call center manager. Along the way, he heard some doozies from people that answered the phone. He also garnered the most helpful, effective, and legal steps to reducing phone calls. These are the most effective industry recommendations and will dramatically reduce the amount of phone calls you receive.

Before the Call

Before you ever get to dealing with the calls themselves, register with the Federal Trade Commission's Do-Not-Call Registry at www.donotcall.gov or by phone at 1-888-382-1222. If you are a resident of Pennsylvania, Maine, or Wyoming, you can register for the Direct Marketing Association's Telephone Preference Service (TPS) at www.dmaconsumers.org, which allows you to "opt out" of national telemarketing lists.