<human>: Can you succinctly summarize the text in 1-3 sentences?

I always hear that it's a good idea to follow up with employers, but I'm not totally confident on what to say to them when I do so. 

It occurs to me to follow this (GENERAL) structure:

* Introduce myself and explain why I am calling.
* Ask them if the position has been filled.

I'm at a loss as to what would be appropriate after that point. If the position isn't filled, can I ask them if they've seen my resume? But  if they're busy and haven't gotten a chance to look at it, won't I seem like a pest for asking? Is it okay to ask them to look at my information, and if so, how might I go about doing this? If they state that they have seen it and have simply chosen not to respond to me yet (or ever), how do I wrap up the conversation tactfully. I think it would be alright to say something LIKE, "I'm sorry to hear that the position's been filled. Thanks for considering me." What I would like to ask/say after this is:

* What can I do to improve my credentials in the event that a similar position becomes available at this company?
* Do you know of any similar positions I could apply for?
* (If they say they like my work) I also freelance so if you happen to need help, please feel free to contact me.

I know it might seem kind of strange to have everything scripted out like this, and I know that any given conversation isn't going to adhere exactly to this script, but I feel things usually go better for me when I have some kind of plan and a series of fallback questions.
<bot>: What are good things to say and good questions to ask in a follow-up call? What do you typically say/ask when you make one? Is there anything you could add or remove from the script that I've posted?