How NOT to try to Get Gigs on the Phone

On the subject of booking band gigs on the phone, I've now just taken a call from someone trying to sell me replacement windows.

Here's how the call went:

CALLER: "Good Morning Sir, How are you today?"

ME: (while thinking "how quickly can I get rid of this person?) "I'm fine who is this?"

CALLER: "My names X from Y LTD, don't worry this isn't a sales call. I'm just going to ask to ask you a couple of questions. Now if you had to replace.."

ME: "Just before you carry on, you haven't asked me whether I've got time to listen or talk have you? If you had asked, I'd have told you I don't have time. Sorry, goodbye"

Now I'm not trying to offend the caller or be hurtful. But it amazes me that these people don't seem to respect the time of the person they're ringing.

If you've read Gig-Getter and you're getting your own gigs you wouldn't dream of ploughing into a sales pitch to a venue you've called without asking the person on the other end of the phone if they have a "moment" or "quick second".

Staggering really, but I suppose it makes it easier for those of us who do show some respect when they make a sales call....