This has happened to me twice in the past. On the first occasion, last year, I was at work and my cell phone rang. I didn't recognize the number, but answered anyway. It was a provider calling. A provider from a well established agency just trying to drum up some business. I ended the call trying not give away my uneasiness to those around me. The second time occurred just this past Sunday. I was on my way to a barbecue when my sig and I stopped to pick up some desert at a pastry shop. Fortunately, she was inside when I got this call, but my son was in the car. I got off quickly, but this is troubling.
Ladies, you can't do this! Do you realize how compromising this can be when you randomly call a client? When this happens, I'm left with a recent call on my phone that would be hard to explain if found.
So please, ladies, if we don't call, its because we can't, not because we forgot about you. If I have to expose providers on this board, I will do so, but please stop!
end rant
You are correct about unsolicited calls, but you may want to do yourself a favor and get a hobby phone.
Wow!! This never changes, as one of my friends emailed me yesterday, nothing has changed in the 2 years I have been gone. I think it's time for some providers to go to "Renee's School of Providing" LOL. It's a very successful course!
Sorry for the joke there, no this is not ok and no one should EVER call unsolicited, hell I don't even call if more than 12 hours have passed, unless specific arrangements have been made. I will shoot an email instead.
The other gent on the thread is correct as well, get a cheap hobby phone for playtime. It saves on the hassle, most of us girls carry 2 phones so our alter-ego can turn off when we go home too!
Have fun and Stay Safe.
Hugs,
Renee
I don't return calls after 4/5 pm unless in the VM it states I can. Thats why I love email! Also, it's been said a thousand times: it reeks of desperation.
Marketing 101- make use of the following social tools if business is slow...
1. Face book - do not state that your a provider or link your website and you'll be fine using it. Don't be obvious etc
2. Blogs - gents can sign up for it and get updates on schedules and specials to their "bad boy" address
3. Twitter- there are quite a few gents that use it! And it's IRT updates allows for last minute openings and specials to take over a cancellation.
4. APPROVED by Client AND SIGNED UP FOR email lists. Friends don't let friends SPAM so keep it to a weekly or monthly email.
Obvious (or not so obvious) DONT'S
1. Don't call a client unsolicited (out of the blue)
2. Don't add a guy to your email list just because he inquired or saw you once- never without asking!
3. Don't call back your clients at 9 pm when they called at noon! (unless VM says otherwise)
4. Don't SHARE your client list! If you want to help a sister out, send an email yourself on her behalf. Include her email address to respond ro so your not fielding HER appointments.
Whew- happy Thursday!
Xoxo
VC
First, any lady who did this, no matter how great her reviews or how beautiful she may be, would be off my to-do list forever. This is totally unacceptable.
Next, I would interrupt with, "Who are you trying to reach? ... pause ... I'm sorry, you have a wrong number." Then I'd hang up.
That covers the "Who was that?" and "Why is the number on your cell phone?" questions, unless you have her in your address book. But that sets up a different scenario.
And never, ever answer on a speaker phone! LOL
[
I agree that this is generally unacceptable behavior. However, I still don't understand how someone with 10 reviews under their belt hasn't done one of the following two basic things:
1. Have a hobby phone. An anonymous 'burner' phone that you paid for in cash and activated without giving out ANY of your personal information. Your attachment to this phone should be thus that if the phone ever angers you, you should have no qualms about running it over with your car and throwing it down a municipal storm drain.
2. Have a hobby email address. Don't use your real name on it. Don't link it to any of your real contact information. Don't forward emails from it to another addy.
Life lesson: the world is filled with idiots and people with bad judgment. Your job is to do the following: a) risk management and b) mitigation. A hobby phone is a good solution for 9/10 hobbyists for this reason (the other 1/10 have a nosy SE who will actually try to look through your stuff, in which case you probably shouldn't hobby anyway because someone like that will find you out eventually).
I'm single, and even I generally keep my hobby phone in the 'off' position until/unless I'm maneuvering myself into an appointment.
I once did have a hobby phone, but found it was impractical for various reasons.
Care to elaborate?
-- Modified on 7/7/2011 11:08:13 PM
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