Stop Booking Calls that Waste My Time – Here’s What You’re Doing Wrong

Last week, my calendar dinged with a fresh booking. Awesome, right? I assumed it was someone I’d reached out to on LinkedIn. You know, the usual—someone intrigued by how I could help grow their business. That’s marketing. It works.

But when I went to refresh my memory by reviewing our LinkedIn chat, I couldn't find it.

Confused but curious, I got on the call anyway. Small talk, polite nods, and then I threw out a friendly, “So, we’ve had a great chat on LinkedIn.”

She played along with a "Yes, we have, awesome, right?"

Still frantically searching for a non existent conversation, I finally admitted, “I’m sorry, I don’t see our LinkedIn messages. Can you remind me how we connected?”

Turns out… we hadn’t.

She wanted to pitch me her business idea—a venture that had zero alignment with what I do. I’m focused on helping people grow their businesses, not joining someone else’s unrelated side project.

This wasn’t the first time this had happened. The week before, I had an even more brazen example.

The Sephora Story

I received a phone call from a man who said he wanted to connect because of my 99 million views on Google. Intriguing opener, right?

He quickly pivoted into his pitch: he’d worked with big-name brands like Sephora and claimed to have helped them achieve incredible results. He talked about his expertise, rattled off some stats, and even threw in a few case studies for good measure.

On the surface, it sounded impressive. But the more I listened, the more I realized something was off.

• He offered no concrete proof of his claims.
• His expertise was focused entirely on e-commerce—a space I don’t operate in and have no plans to enter.
• His ultimate goal? To get me to buy his services, and if that didn't work... have me refer him to my network.

Let’s break this down:

• First, I don’t run an e-commerce store.
• Second, I wasn’t even remotely the right person for him to pitch to.
• Third, and most importantly, why would I vouch for someone I barely know, who had no real evidence and had done such a piss poor job of everything so far?

This wasn’t a collaboration. It wasn’t even a well-thought-out pitch. It was a blatant attempt to leverage my achievements and connections without doing the groundwork to earn my trust.

Why This Approach Fails

Let’s get real: if you’re reaching out to someone because they’ve achieved something impressive, you need to bring more than flattery and vague claims to the table.

Here’s why his approach failed:

• Lack of Research: He didn’t take the time to understand who I am or what I do. If he had, he’d have known that pitching e-commerce to me was a non-starter.
• No Evidence: Talk is cheap. If you’re going to boast about working with major brands, back it up with actual proof. Where were the case studies, testimonials, or even a simple link to his portfolio?
• No Value Exchange: Asking for a referral without offering anything in return is presumptuous. Relationships are a two-way street, and you can’t expect someone to put their reputation on the line for a stranger.

The Etiquette of Taking Up Someone’s Time

If you’re booking a call or reaching out to someone, here’s how to do it the right way:

1. Do Your Homework Understand who you’re contacting, what they do, and why they might care about what you have to say.
2. Be Honest and Transparent If your goal is to pitch something, say so upfront. Don’t disguise it as a casual chat or mutual interest.
3. Bring Value Think about what’s in it for them. Why should they take your call? How can you make the conversation mutually beneficial?
4. Respect Their Time Time is a resource, and wasting it is disrespectful. Make sure your pitch is relevant, concise, and well-prepared.
5. Build Trust First Instead of jumping straight to an ask, take the time to engage with their content, comment on their posts, or send a thoughtful message. Trust isn’t built overnight.

Why This Matters

Wasting someone’s time isn’t just rude—it’s a missed opportunity to create a meaningful connection. Whether you’re pitching a product, seeking a referral, or hoping to collaborate, the key is to approach the interaction with respect, authenticity, and value.

So, before you book another call or pick up the phone, ask yourself: is this the right person? Do I have something to offer? Am I respecting their time?

Because if the answer to any of those questions is “no,” maybe it’s you who needs to stop wasting everyone's time.

Interested in learning more about how I can help grow your business? Check the link in bio and book in a call if you are serious about business growth in 2025. (Please don't pitch me something! LOL)

Had a similar experience. I love reading these, please share in the comments!