The first step is to identify what type of calls you’re receiving and what entity is making them and on behalf of whom. In my experience there are two reasons a call would be made to a prospective client. Companies have two options when making telephone calls one is lead based and the other being the cold call.
Lead Based Calls:
This the most “reputable” style of calling since a lead was produced in some way. The callee (you) has filled out an online form, submitted requests through snail mail or e-mail or have your information out in the public domain which can be harvested and compiled on lists.
The benefit to the caller (business) is that with a lead they can call people that they know has been or is more likely to be interested in the product or service they are selling. If you’ve made a request for a mortgage quote in the past your name is on a list of people interested in mortgages. This lead has value and may be sold to another company that sells alarm systems, vinyl siding or new roofs because to these 3rd parties the fact you’re interested in mortgages tells them that you’re more likely to own or be looking to own a home that will at some point require their products or services.
The benefit to the callee (you) is that usually you can get yourself removed from their list or added to their Do Not Call (DNC) list and the call will stop. However, just because one business has stopped calling, your lead still exists and can be sold to other companies that do not have you on their own Do Not Call list.
Lead based calls are usually placed with automatic dialing systems that can place thousands of calls daily. This electronic system doesn’t care if you don’t answer the phone and will retry calling you later. If you want the phone to stop ringing the best bet is to answer and ask them politely to “Please add me to your internal do not call list.” Reputable businesses will comply with this request and they will stop calling.
Cold Calls:
Back in the day this was one of the more popular type of calling since a computer could dial every possible number and when answered pass it to an agent. These types of calls are recognized as being illegal today so if you’re being contacted by this type of telephone spam it may be more difficult to stop.
As stated above on lead based calls the best bet is to answer and request removal from the list or to be added to their internal do not call (DNC) list. On these types of calls that generally is bad advice since the act of answering the phone tells them the number is valid and someone is there. This action can add you to a list or create a “lead” that your number is a good one to call and now you’re being contacted as described above as a lead based call.
Today many cold calls operate as “press-1 campaigns” where when you answer the telephone a recorded message is played and asks you to “press-1 to speak with an agent” since playing a recording doesn’t require thousands of humans but only a few humans for the events when someone actually presses 1 this is a cost effective way for a business to market to thousands for very little up front cost.