The episode from the Seinfeld show that dealt with telemarketers.

Can I have your home number?  

I guess you don't want people calling you at home.

Now, you know how I feel.  

I pick up the phone and once I realize it's an unwanted solicitor I just say nothing. My best "trick" is putting them on my block list.

I'm pretty good at not answering these numbers and if they trick me, I block them for next time.  I don't believe in being rude or mean; they're simply people doing their job, the best they know how. 
I find it interesting that we, as Realtors, dislike these calls but yet, so many Realtors persist in cold calling or door knocking !  One more thing that makes me go hmmmm

so i get a call from an agent, a expired call. he asks why i think the house didnt sell? (it was a dirt lot with renderings) . i told him that he should leave the youtube videos on how to do expireds alone and actually look.read. i suggested to him before he calls another expired to drive by the home and find something in particular he liked about it to share with the owner. like he  actually knew something.anyway..i think he wont call back. if i were him i would followed up with an email and thanked me and ask to learn more. oh well

I sometimes pick up the phone and do not speak ... just mute the call.  I am not one who cold calls ... I do not like it ... period.

If I am feeling in the mood ... I will thank them for their call - say I am not interested ... wish them good luck - a nice day ... and hang up. 

A blow horn into the speaker.   I have not purchased one yet ... but thought about it.  The calls are over the top ... too many of them. 

Donna,

We block the number after we hang up.  A

I say I am standing at the front door of my next appt. Time to go.

If I have time to waste I string them along so they think they are about to make a sale then I say sorry & hang up.  Add # to blocked list.

A) I point out that I'm on the DNC list

B)  I tell them that my budget is already set for the year

C) That's I'm already on Page 1 for my desired keywords and have plenty of business

Then if they persist, I tell them they're better off moving to the next number on their list because I'm not buying.

And failing all that?  THEN I hang up.  And add them to my SPAM contact list.

I love asking for their home and cell numbers, most will then hang up. Ithen usually block the number that just called in my cell phone

I knew a guy who would lead on the telemarketers and would drop in lines like "You sound hot, what are you wearing?"

I'm pretty good about blocking them or if they get through to me I try and be nice but don't want them bothering me. I hate cold calling telemarketers! Like Michael Jacobs comment.

No tricks but you have to wonder that in time, they will all go the way of the do-do bird. Who buys anything from someone who cold-calls today? Who says..I am so glad you called. Let me get a pen & paper and get this down etc

To the ones that inform me that I have no hardly any online presence I ask them how they find me.  There is usually silence followed by an, "I thought so," by me moments before hanging up.

Donna Foerster Yes, don't answer the call in the first place. Let it go to voice mail. If it's important, they will leave a voice mail. If not, a solicitor.

I ask for their Tax ID #

This may sound strange but if I have nothing more important to do, I will answer the phone and listen to their pitch.  Practise my scripts with them and occasionally they hang up.

Hang up.

In the right mood I may simply talk over what they're trying to tell me until they just give up. It doesn't take too long unless they are real estate agents.

Yes I ask them for their home phone number so I can get back to them later in the evening.

I hardly ever get calls from actual human beings. I mostly get robo calls which change phone numbers every time so it's impossible to block.

There was a time when Wayne would actually engage the solicitor in conversation. Since they get paid a commission, they're not interested in wasting time on casual talk so they wind up ending the conversation.  

You bet!

Unsuspecting Role Playing Partners 

"Busy right now, but interested in your product." Let me have your home number and I will call you this evening!" Don't have to hang up, they do!

I talk to them in French.

I just tell them thank you for their time, wish them luck and hang up. 

I tell them about the do not call list.

I put their number on the block list. 

My phone stores about 150 numbers to block so I add the annoying ones. 

Donna Foerster - you can use some APP - like TrueCaller or something similar - to see who is calling.

I usually do not pick up the phone from unknown numbers and after few minutes, check online about the number - if it is fraud.

I set the phone down and go about what I was doing

I reply I'm not looking for any services. This doesn't stop them. They continue, I often interrupt their script suggesting I have an important incoming call and will hang up.  

If I don't have the # in my phone I do not answer.  If someone does not want to leave me a message probably not someone that I care to deal with anyway. And I have found callers are very impressed when I return their call within minutes when they do leave a message.  Mark

Start asking them the same personal questions that they are asking me.  They don't know how to respond and hang up.

On no call list but that does not work so just hang up

Don't answer calls from clearly identifiable spammer numbers, 'No caller ID', etc.

I ask for their name, their phone number, the company name and then remind them I am on the do not call list.  If they are real estate TM's, I might lead them on for a bit before the domestic emergency necessitates a quick and unexpected hang up in the middle of a close.

I'm parked and reading.

Yes, I actually tell them I am going to hang up.

"Hello", "who's calling?", "This is the police, and we're investigating the murder of blah, what's your name again?"

Ask them if they can hold for a moment.  Then lay the phone down and come back later.

I politely say "no thank you" and then hang up.

I always pick up the phone and ask who is calling. After that i add their info to ''do not answer'' list. 

I had yesterday a text asking if I'm working certain area still, since we talked before. I answered: yes! so the marketing pitch followed. If marketers will switch to texts it is going to more annoying... I'll have to block them. 

They generally don't take no for an anwer so I kindly say I am not interested and if I don't want them to call back I also request they remove me from their call list. It they still keep going on I say I am hanging up now and do it. Immediately after that I block the number. 

I waste lots of their time until the realize that I am playing them and hang up.  The more time they spend on hold at my desk while I go get a drink of water or something, the less time they have to go find a real victim.

Unless it is a legitimate business, which is seldom is, then I listen and give an honest answer as to my interest in their product, and maybe even suggest someone who could use it.

Just a polite "thank you and I'm not interested, good bye".

Simple, say please put me on your do not call again list. Be polite becasue if you curse at them they will put you on a call soon list.

Don't answer the phone.  Blacklist the phone numbers.  There are many other ways.

My line phone 100% solicitors, not listed, do not call list.

I am blocking them through service provider daily. 

I never answer the phone and if there's no voice mail message, I delete it....

I report their number to the agency no call list.