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"Creepy"? How can it be "creepy" to make a business-related call to people whose names were publicized in a business context? Creepy is showing up unannounced

"Creepy"? How can it be "creepy" to make a business-related call to people whose names were publicized in a business context? Creepy is showing up unannounced and unintroduced at the front door of an actor or actress you have a crush on. I understand that you may not like to be cold called, but it is not creepy - it's the way much of business is done.

stevoski 14y ago
I could be easily pm'ed via the forum. That would be a professional way to call me. I neglected to mention that the phone call came late in the evening, and on a weekend I think.
deleted 14y ago
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_delirium 14y ago
Maybe this varies by area, but professional etiquette everywhere I've been is that you ask before taking an online conversation to the phone. If you're having a forum or email discussion with someone, it's not typical practice to look up their phone number and call them up. For example, I think it would be at least somewhat weird to call someone who posted a StackOverflow question or response, rather than responding to them on SO.
- alttab 14y ago
  Especially if you used WhoIs information to get their number.
- auctiontheory 14y ago
  I don't disagree with you about professional etiquette, but to the extent that this is a forum about entrepreneurship, surely we might permit, or even encourage, not to mention applaud, a slight nudging of the boundaries?
  - trentmb 14y ago
    Not in this respect, no.
- jakerocheleau 14y ago
  > at least somewhat weird to call someone who posted a StackOverflow question or response I think that's just straight-up weird
notahacker 14y ago
It depends a lot on the nature of the call (especially as in this case the forum maybe provided an obvious alternative method of initiating contact - but even then calls can sometimes be more appropriate). I think people can be forgiven for misjudging their cold-calling timing and technique in their mid-teens too. And grabbing the numbers from WHOIS itself simply shows initiative

stevoski 14y ago

I could be easily pm'ed via the forum. That would be a professional way to call me. I neglected to mention that the phone call came late in the evening, and on a weekend I think.

deleted 14y ago

[deleted]

_delirium 14y ago

Maybe this varies by area, but professional etiquette everywhere I've been is that you ask before taking an online conversation to the phone. If you're having a forum or email discussion with someone, it's not typical practice to look up their phone number and call them up. For example, I think it would be at least somewhat weird to call someone who posted a StackOverflow question or response, rather than responding to them on SO.

alttab 14y ago
Especially if you used WhoIs information to get their number.
auctiontheory 14y ago
I don't disagree with you about professional etiquette, but to the extent that this is a forum about entrepreneurship, surely we might permit, or even encourage, not to mention applaud, a slight nudging of the boundaries?
- trentmb 14y ago
  Not in this respect, no.
jakerocheleau 14y ago
> at least somewhat weird to call someone who posted a StackOverflow question or response I think that's just straight-up weird

notahacker 14y ago

It depends a lot on the nature of the call (especially as in this case the forum maybe provided an obvious alternative method of initiating contact - but even then calls can sometimes be more appropriate). I think people can be forgiven for misjudging their cold-calling timing and technique in their mid-teens too. And grabbing the numbers from WHOIS itself simply shows initiative