Bean Dip Recipe for Door-to-Door Prozelytizers and Salespeople:

[scap64]

Someone else came up with this suggestion, I feel honor-bound to share it here:

"...If you are trapped, never give them personal information, but change the subject: "That's a nice dress you're wearing. My aunt had one just like it that she got at Nordstrom's, bla-bla."

My friend likes to try to "sell" her own religion. It is hilarious, but she is so friendly and polite that she doesn't offend anyone, yet, she chases them away. She steers the subject to either her church or to AIDS.
She'll start off by saying, for example, "This bathroom is a lot nicer than the one at my church", then she she starts rambling on about how much she enjoys the church she goes to, and how they are having a big fund-raiser for AIDS, and it would be nice if the person would donate, and just a few dollars would really help. Even the most aggressive pushers can't get a word in edgewise, and nobody likes to be hit on for money.

...I happened to be campaigning for a friend running for another term in his local political position. He was famous for getting rid of a lot of corruption. I carried fliers with me at all times, and whenever someone accosted me or came to my door, I would hand them a flier (handing someone something mid-sentence shuts them up) and start "selling" my candidate to them, with an enthusiastic flow of dialog about my candidate's education, background, experience, etc. It was a good subject, and I could ramble on and on and never run out of things to say. Then, I would say, "Oh, I've gotten carried away, and I need to check on the dinner in the oven. Thanks for dropping by" or any lame obvious excuse to close the door on the person. It was fun to see the stunned, helpless look on people's faces. I was sincere in my spiel, and not rude or evil, just--in charge.

Any one of your favorite causes or beliefs will do. Lately, I ask for contributions for MS research, because that's where I'm involved right now, though not as an official fund-raiser, LOL. You get the idea.

Fight fire with fire..."

[mechtilde]

Honestly? Don't get drawn into a conversation.

If someone comes to your door, or phones you up, or stops you in the street and starts trying to persuade you of the virtues of whatever it is they want to promote, simply say "No thank you" and close the door/hang up/walk off.

You do not have the duty to become involved in a conversation with them.

[Brentwood]

No need for "bean dip." The purpose of the "bean dip" is to steer conversation from an uncomfortable or private topic back to something pleasant. There is no need to engage in conversation with solicitors at all - simply tell them "no" and close the door.

[caranfin]

I think this is pretty funny. Beat them at their own game.    "You want to take up my time selling me your cause? Well, let me go first!"

[sparkysparky]

Don't answer the door.

Or if you do and you have a large dog, answer the door, and let the dog growl, bark and snarl at them. 

Then ask them to come inside to chat.

I bet they won't take you up on that offer.   

Not that I would ever do that or anything......hahahaa

[K12144]

I had a friend who had someone come to her door just as she got out of the shower.  She answered the door in a towel.  The towel slipped off during the ensuing conversation (I was told it really was an accident).  Proselytizers never visited her house again...

(My cat was saved by a guy with a survey once, though.  I'd gone out to get the mail earlier and didn't realize the cat--strictly indoor--had slipped out the door with me.  A while later the survey guy came by and hadn't said three words when over his shoulder, I saw a very familiar-looking cat sitting on the porch railing!  I said "excuse me," pushed past him, grabbed the cat, and strangely enough, I think that became my excuse to not do the survey.    If the kitty didn't go anywhere in the time between when he got out and the survey dude arrived, maybe he wouldn't have by the time I realized I couldn't find him and looked outside, but you never know!)