2. If they give you their name, talk to them like they are an old friend. I use this one most, and my conversations go something like this:

Telemarketer: Hi, my name is Bob... Me: Bob! You crazy old man, how have you been lately? Telemarketer: Huh? Me: Oh, Bob come on now. You remember me? The quiet kid from Algebra.

This lasts about a minute, with me driving telemarketer out of his or her mind.

3. Pretend you are someone that you're not. Here's how a call went about a month ago between me and a guy from a major long distance company.

Telemarketer: Hello, I am with Big Phone Company. Me: Wait! Shh, I am not supposed to be answering this phone! Telemarketer: Sir, Me: I said shhhh! You don't seem to understand. I don't even live in this house. Now, I am going to put this phone down so I can steal this stereo...

This I have only used about four times. Ninety-nine-point-nine percent of all telemarketers use autodialers, so they can't exactly pinpoint your phone number. Once I also told person who called that they had called President of United States and were in big trouble, because no one was supposed to have this number. They hung-up in about one second.

4. Just make something up! Use your own imagination. I have one of those sound effects CDs and have used almost every track on CD to throw telemarketers off. I also have a recording of "Who's On First" skit, which I have used as well. Just play it into phone.

If you have worries about using any of these, don't. Remember--they called you. Technically you should yell and scream at them, but hey, why not have a little fun?

There are many ways to boost your opinion of yourself. I recently discovered that just letting go of wanting your own approval works really well. Simply ask yourself following question:

Could I let go of wanting my own approval?

Sounds too simple to work. I know! It works if and only if you ask question with your attention on your feeling response not on answer that pops into your head. Our goal is to let go of limiting feelings, this is not a mental exercise.

Spend twenty minutes concentrating on this question. Ask question again and again, and each time just notice your feeling response before asking question again. After twenty minutes you can expect to feel lighter and more at peace with yourself. Your breathing may also change and it is likely to become deeper and more relaxed.

The effect of letting go of wanting your approval is that you release limitations that stop you from approving of yourself and you are left with what you wanted - your own approval.

You can also ask yourself question, could I let go of wanting my own approval?... anytime you need to communicate at your best to make a good impression. Just say it softly to yourself under your breath or quietly inside your head. Ask question, notice your feeling response, and repeat process again and again.

By approving completely of yourself you will not be concerned with winning approval of your listeners and ironically people will tend to reflect this approval back to you since they will take you at your own value.

Now, go and prove this for yourself!