Solicitors: I hate to burst your bubble, but people don’t want to be sold to, they don’t want to be solicited. I couldn’t make this stuff up if I tried. My message to you.
The solicitation to beat them all
So, the other day while working in the yard, these two solicitors approached. One, apparently, was the head spokesperson, the other, by the fact that this one uttered not a word, I figured, of the duo, was the apprentice or trainee.
The incessant talker that this one solicitor was went on and on about this, that and the other. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear he was trying to sell me the shirt off his back. Was I interested? Not in the least. What I heard was: “Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.”
He went on and on about smart-meters. And, how homeowners should join the crusade to do something about it. I wasn’t clear at all on what it was they wanted changed.
At this point wishing the spiel to go no further, and in trying to get a word in edgewise, I politely rebuffed their presence and gesturing they kindly move it on down the road, as it were.
When that failed, I begged: “What part of ‘No!’ do you not understand?!” That’s when the fast-talker insisted that that’s exactly why I need to get on board with whatever it was they were pushing.
Needless to say and before too long the bandied back-and-forth got old. Why isn’t this person, who by then made the worst first impression a person could possibly make, not giving it or my ears a rest? I should have just walked away.
Instead, I made the mistake of engaging with the pair, who I wouldn’t quite exactly call a tag team (remember: there was “Mr. See, hear and speak no evil” standing by his side the whole time). This causes me now to recall what my boss in sales once said to me: “You just gotta know when to shut up.” That was one memo “Long-winded” over there never got, apparently.
All I could think to say at this point, and again, politely, was “Look, I don’t want to waste your time, and I would really appreciate you not wasting mine.” At which point the one who apparently hadn’t a clue how far warn-out his welcome was, started back into his solicitation delivery. It was as if he hadn’t heard a word I said.
There’s a reason the good lord gave us two ears and only one mouth. I don’t think I can be any more blunt.
All I could do at this point was to ask the un-cooperative and un-apologetic duo to just go away. To which Mr. Tight Lipped and Mr. Doesn’t Know When To Quit (please excuse my sarcasm) and I would say really reluctantly, finally got the message and went on their not-necessarily merry way. But not before the one who did all the talking in leaving sharing these choice departing words: “I love your yard and you have a bless-ed day.”
The very nerve! With such a seemingly sour-puss attitude, it just proves my point that these guys weren’t worth — they much less deserve — my time.
