Do Not Call List - can we call drawing entrants?

[gwyn26]

I did a booth today and the gentleman I was talking too, made the comment about, "you know you can't call the people on your slips?" I asked him what he meant. He said that because we have drawing slips for prizes, we aren't allowed to call people who didn't check any 'yes' or 'maybe' boxes due to the do not call registry.

I guess I'm a bit confused and wonder what you guys are thinking? I intended to call all my contacts just to touch base.

Thoughts????

[Becca_in_MD]

That's news to me. I've done several booths and am doing another big one next weekend. I award the free cooking show to everyone who enters so if I didn't contact them, how could they claim their prize? Was this guy a customer or another vendor? What makes you think he was talking with any knowledge?

I say contact all of those people.

[cmdtrgd]

If someone gives you their phone number, they are giving you permission to contact them.

[AJPratt]

If someone gives you their phone number, they are giving you permission to contact them.

Right. How would you contact the winner?

[cmdtrgd]

Some people put a check box on their drawing slips that says "contact only if I win"

[Sheila]

False! :D

The law relates to telemarketers, which we are NOT. Telemarketers go down a list of phone numbers & call people at random. Also known as "cold calls". We do not do that. We only call people who have expressed an interest in our products. Therefore, we have a business relationship with them and are exempt from that particular law.

Here's the link to the official rules & regulations (http://www.fcc.gov.akadns.net/cgb/donotcall/)

And an excerpt from that web page:
The Do-Not-Call registry does not prevent all unwanted calls. It does not cover the following:

calls from organizations with which you have established a business relationship;
calls for which you have given prior written permission;
calls which are not commercial or do not include unsolicited advertisements;
calls by or on behalf of tax-exempt non-profit organizations.


If he was one of your contacts and fusses when you call him, let him know that the law only applies to telemarketers, not businesses with which he's established a relationship and offer to send him the above link. LOL

[AJPratt]

Thanks, Sheila! That is good info to have!

[gwyn26]

He is an insurance agent. So maybe his rules are different. Thanks for the info.

[raebates]

Maybe he simply misunderstands the rules. Providing your number establishes a relationship. I call everyone who stops by my booth. For those who say they're just interested in entering the drawing I thank them for stopping by my booth and ask them to keep me in mind if they ever need any PC products.