Worst 121 stories

Not sure whether this even counts because it wasn't at 4N, but a local networking group that basically nicked the 121-type-thing.

Went something like this:

• Spent 5 minutes being sold some wonder-chocolate or other that could cure cancer, raise the dead, whatever.
• Ask 'have any clinical trials been done on this stuff?'
• Receive response 'oh definitely, you can look them up!'
• Ask if she minded if I did just that - got out phone, looked up clinical trials. Found one rigorous study showing evidence that the stuff doesn't do anything like what it claims to, and is basically just chocolate.
• Ask about trial with negative result.
• "Um, er, conventional science is highly biased against holistic products like this..."

I did a one-to-one recently with a third person sitting in listening. He was at a loose end, not having got a 3rd appointment. He sat down with us, and said something like 'thanks very much for letting me join you, I won't say anything'.   He then proceeded to hijack the one-to-one, getting into a conversation with my contact which took the conversation way off course.

I eventually got to speak to my contact for about 2 minutes before we got timed out. 

I remember once there were 2 Utility Warehouse people in the room... I got someone on a blind unswapped pairing, who opened up with ...

'I know you know about my main business but I'm also a Utility Warehouse distributor let me tell you about it....' 9 mins later I got a word in to stop the conversation.

If you mention one business in your 40 seconds, please don't sell another in a 121.

Hard sells are always the worst, and regardless of all our best efforts they happen all the time.

The most memorable was when an insurance guy handed round quote request forms during the 4Sight, so we could fill them in and he would quote that afternoon!

I had someone continously asking questions for 9¾minutes then angrily complain I'd not given them the opportunity to talk about them/their business.

Someone took a call at athe start of the 1-2-1 and then spent 8 mintues talking to a client leaving me sat there like a spare -----, I mean I know I might be a bit dull but really am I that bad?

No need to answer that question by the way

First ever 4N meeting I went to, I got my cards out and was just about to stand up when someone grabbed one of my cards, thrust his into my hand and walked off without saying anything.

During the 1-2-1 he took 9.5 mins trying to sell me a product that I explained to him in the first 30 secs why I did not want it and could not use it (incompatible technology issues). By the time I got home (40 mins) I had received a text, email and linkedin request from him!

First ever 4N meet, my first 2x1-2-1's both very similar...

"I'm an accountant..."/"I'm a mortgage broker..."

"...but that's not what I want to talk about today..."

"...have you heard about Utility Warehouse?"/"...have you come across (some credit card clearing MLM whose name I don't remember)?"

"...let me tell you about this great opportunity".

This was followed by my 3rd 1-2-1 which consisted of Brad telling me what a dickhead I was for wearing a suit, then what a dickhead I was for smoking.

Bizarrely enough I still joined after that!

There was the time when an accountant spent the 10 minutes lecturing me on why the way I had sold my small business was completely wrong and that it should have be done in totally secrecy with armies of legal experts on each side (probably costing more than the actual business!).

Lordy!

Two 'bad' 1-2-1s stick out in my mind:

1) The Utility Warehouse guy that enthused so much about his product that he repeatedly spat whilst talking, most of which went into my coffee...

2) The Bartercard guy with whom I was having a very pleasant 1-2-1 until I showed the remotest interest in his product, at which point he quite literally switched into 'hard sell mode', whipped out a napkin and start doing sums which proved why i simply couldn't say no to signing up. That was a real Jekyll & Hyde moment