Ending a phone call is easy. . . it's all in the wrist.

When you say good-bye, don't wait for a responding good-bye from the caller; the persistent salesperson won't take good-bye for an end to the conversation and will keep talking. Take the receiver away from your ear and hang it up, even if the caller keeps talking.

When the caller takes a breath, interrupt and say, "We do not do business over the telephone. Please take our name off your calling list." Hang up without waiting for a reply, even if the caller keeps talking.

Say to the caller, "We don't need your services. Please take our name off your list. Thank you. Good-bye." Then hang up.

Keep repeating, "No thank you, good-bye" OR "Please take my name off your calling list," without allowing the caller to get in a word. The caller will get bored and hang up on you.

After saying, "please take my name off your call list," say, "I don't want to be rude, but I am now hanging up the phone." Then, do so immediately.

After asking to have your name removed from the calling list and saying good-bye, if the caller keeps talking offer one of the following excuses:

"My dog is teething on my dining table. I must hang up."

"My cat is up a tree. I need to hang up to call the Fire Department."

"A spaceship is landing on my street, I must hang up and watch."

"My sink is running over. I must hang up."

OR invent one with which you feel comfortable. Just be sure not to give personal information. For example:

DON'T SAY: "I can't talk because I'm packing to leave for vacation tomorrow."

DON'T SAY: "My spouse just died, I can't talk now."