Privacy is something we cherish out here in the suburbs, but we always seem to get the random door to door salesman knocking. Does it still work? I can’t remember the last time I ever actually bought anything besides maybe girlscout cookies; they’re so addicting. I was always raised never to talk to strangers and well, they are strangers. I didn’t ask them to come to the door. I didn’t ask for a service. I even think our HOA decided that our neighborhood is strictly no soliciting. Maybe I should report them; I wonder what would happen.
Last night, I was waiting for my brother to get home so we could head to dinner with our parents. The doorbell rand and I walked out to the door ready to go. It was a salesman. Instead of just saying no thanks, I decided to talk to the guy for a bit about alarm solutions just so I could hear his pitch and see how he sells things.
As I open the door, he’s standing in my flower bed (on soil, but WTF?), pulling out my current alarm sign while asking me if I knew how long the sign was there. Wow, really? FAILED SALE. We had a little back and forth about what could give me for free and what he thought I needed over my current alarm provider. All I wanted was a brochure or something to take back and read in order to learn more rather than signing something right then and there.
He then starts to talk about how cool my car is when he realizes I’m really not interested in the products or services. What’s the point? I don’t understand what my car has to do with what you’re trying to sell me. If you’re trying to get on my good side, you already stepped in my flowerbed and pulled out my current alarm sign. He finally got the message after I said, “Thanks, but not this time around” about three or four times.
Ben called me as soon as I got back inside and dinner was in ten minutes, yay. Luby’s is great by the way. Everyone thinks it’s old people food or hospital food, but it’s actually really good: Luanne platter is the best bet. After meeting up for dinner with the family, I headed home and got ready to go out.
I started my car, setup my Zune, opened the garage door, and creep out into the dark night. I see a shadow off to my right and slow the car down to let the night walker pass by on the sidewalk. This shadow didn’t continue to walk on the sidewalk. Instead, it was the same salesman approaching my driver’s side window. Talk about persistence. As he came closer, he motioned for me to roll down the window. I asked if he needed any help since it didn’t look like he had a car or a ride. So I thought. He ended up trying to sell me another pitch for a three day free trial at no cost to me.
I was in utter shock and awe. What’s this guy doing? He knows I’m not interested, but yet he’s still trying to sell me something I don’t want while I’m leaving my house, in my car. Maybe I just haven’t yet met a salesman who has a better product than girl scout cookies or maybe there’s no other salesman that’s better than a girl scout. Whatever it is, I don’t think door to door sales works anymore.