I'm usually quite polite and professional, listen for a second and if I'm not interested I just say so. If people accept that and disappear then great, if not I just tell them they have 10 seconds to end the call politely before I hang up. Its the pushy 'won't take no for an answer' ones that get me a bit annoyed!
But....I do occasionally get a wicked streak in me...usually after I've been bombarded a bit, and play them at their own game. I'm never rude, I just do one of these two things....
1/ When they ask how you are (they always do!), say something like "I'm glad you asked, because I'm really not well!" Then wax lyrical for the next 3 minutes on how you have every ailment under the sun and how its really getting you down and the dotor tells you you have a kind of psycosis that means you totally fixate on telling everyone in real detail all about your problems and can't seem to let it drop and ........before you know it, they'll have gone!
2/ Or just politely ask them for their own home number so you can ring them that evening and try and sell them home insulatiopn or glazing or something...anything....just make sure its something they really won't want to hear about! It really throws them off their stride!:lol: