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The "Con Call" and your time

This is a great time management tool. Often I get call that looks like it is relevant to my day (so says the caller-id). Turns out that the call for a partnership is a recruiter, or trade show rep, or other such time eater I do not want to talk too. So what to do?

Simple there is a high probability you answered the call out of reflex, brain cramp or other such failing of focus and need to extricate yourself from the call as soon as possible. Enter the “Con Call.”

When I get on a call that is clearly a black hole for my time I immediately check the time, if I am within 10 minutes of the hour or half hour I cut of the person and say;

“Okay, I really want to give this my full attention, I am 10 minutes out on a conference call and am writing up my notes. Drop me an email and I will get back you, guaranteed.”

Give email address, hang up, and move on. So if you get the “I’ve got a con call” line, most likely you have missed the mark and need to re-prepare your approach.

And yes I do answer every email where I give out my email address. Sometimes the answer is no, but I do respond. The faux “con call” saves me an incredible amount of lost cycles being pitched on things I do not have on my radar.
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