We asked our readers to share the worst sales pitch they'd ever heard, eitherpersonally or professionally. Can you beat any of these?

Out of focus

I can't believe when I still hear pitches like, "Hey, I'mworking hard for you and now I need your help hitting my goals."No! Just no. I don't do guilt trips on either side of a sale andI'm not putting my responsibilities on someone else. I'll show youthe value and work hard for you. As soon as you focus on the money,everything gets harder.

Elizabeth Durand, director of strategic initiatives,Optum Advanced Technology Collaborative, UnitedHealthGroup

Do I know you?

The worst pitch I'm seeing lately is happening before I've evenhad contact with a salesperson. I receive emails from peopleclaiming we talked months before and that I asked them to get backto me when I know we have never spoken or emailed before. It getseven worse when they then follow up with another frustrated emailfor not responding. Now I'm the bad guy? This bad-to-worse approachcrosses into offensive when this unknown person requests a "readreceipt" for the emails I never asked for.

Related: 10 temptations to avoid in sales

I'm all for honest cold calling/emailing, but this type ofapproach gives salespeople a bad name.

Kevin Trokey, founding partner,Q4i

Rookie move

It was the spring of 2000 and I'd practiced and finally beenapproved to meet with business owners on my own. I was so excitedand nervous. Mr. Business Owner allowed me to go through my pitchand I was pumped when I was done, because I only needed 14 minutes!As I sat there waiting for his green light, all I could do wasthink about how easy sales was and how great I just did.

Then came Mr. Business Owner's response to my pitch: "Wait, youdon't sell health insurance? Not interested. There's no need forvoluntary insurance coverages." Without allowing me to answer hisobjection, he stood up, the universal symbol to get out! I canassure you he'd probably say it was one of the most terrible salespitches he's ever received. What a welcome to the world ofbenefits.

Eric Silverman, founder, VoluntaryDisruption

Not about you

The least compelling pitches are the ones that have nothing todo with the client/prospect or the solution itself. I've seen it ininsurance when someone inserts a reference to their livelihood,when a vendor talks about their bonus on the line, and even when adoctor talks about the impact of medical records. In everyinstance, someone is oversharing and giving details about theirpersonal drama that have no real place in a conversation aboutsomeone else.

Now in the interest of full transparency, I might have been aperpetrator of this back in the late '90s when my hair was a darkercolor…

Bret Brummitt, founder, GenerousBenefits

Family friendly?

I was the CFO of a software company doing amazing work in afield that is a challenge for every Global 500 company. Oursolution was cost-effective, simple and had crazy ROI. When we gotin front of the right people, they bought a lot.

Our sales team secured a sales meeting with Disney, and we alltraveled to Orlando.

At one point, our CTO was called on to answer a technicalquestion and he got carried away, doing a deep dive into thetechnical aspects of the engineering. In a conference room where wewere literally surrounded by 200 images of the iconic cartoonmouse, he ended his presentation with "This isn't Mickey Mousesh*t, man." It turns out he was right, because we never closed thatdeal!

Trey Taylor, CEO, Taylor InsuranceServices

Pants on fire

Hands down, the worst spiel I ever sat through started out likethis: "Hey Josh, don't hang up, this is not a sales call…"

Josh Butler, president, Butler Benefits &Consulting

Garlic in your soul

On LinkedIn: "Let's meet before January because I may not be inas good of a mood after the holidays."

Laura-Beth Christensen, co-founder, LeverageBenefits Consulting

Fear factor

"What are you going to do when your daughter gets cancer and youdon't have cancer coverage?" and "You are leaving money on thetable if you aren't selling ___."

Heather Garbers, VP of voluntary benefits, HUBInternational

Assumptions make an…

I always find it interesting when people tell me how theirservice will help me win business before they even know what kindof business I go after.

Rachel Miner, founder, ThriveBenefits

About the Benjamins?

I heard another agent state the following: "I tell prospectsthat I can get them better plans and lower rates than any otherbroker." The only issue is that in California, all employers withunder 100 employees have access to the same carriers, plans andrates, no matter what agent or broker works with them. He wasselling the client with lies.

The same agent was bragging about how he moves clients to acertain administrator that bundles carriers, because they payhigher commissions. He tells clients that it is the best productfor them even though the rates are higher.

I asked him if he takes the state-required ethics courses everytwo years to renew his insurance license, and he stated that hedid. I then asked him, why is it ethical to move employers to planswith higher rates so he can make more money? He doesn't talk to meanymore.

Barry S. Cohn, Really Great EmployeeBenefits

Misplaced priorities

I especially dislike sales presentations from carriers that wantto walk you through analysis that shows they have 50 percentdiscounts from providers.

My other least favorite comes from carriers that provide ahigh-priced proposal and call to remind me if I would write justtwo more lines of coverage, I'd be eligible for a bonus.

It disappoints me that many vendors care more about lining theirpockets than providing a high-quality, cost-effective approach tobenefits.

Wanza Schweiger, founder, BenefitInnovations

Umm… what was that?

When I was being trained in the industry, I was invited to sitin and hear the presentation of an older gentleman who had clearlyseen a long career that was closer to the sunset than the horizon.In a group setting of about 25 people, he mentioned the planincluded a wellness benefit. His exact words were, "you know,ladies, like when you go to get your boobies checked."

I was sure I had misunderstood until he repeated himself becausethe room showed no reaction. I never understood if he was trying toget a laugh or if he was serious. I asked my coordinator if thatwas normal and was assured it wasn't. I don't know what success hehad that day, but I never attended a presentation with himagain.

Dennis Hartin, president, HartinDynamics

Something smells fishy

A few years ago, I let a sales guy who does commission trackingmake an appointment because a friend of mine knew him and called ina favor.First off, he had horrible breath…like something hadcrawled into his mouth and died! If your breath is kicking so badthat someone can smell it across a conference room table, you'reprobably going to start things off on the wrong foot.

He immediately went into his pitch, taking no time to get toknow me or build rapport. It was long (and smelly) and I quicklysaw his ulterior motive. In addition to owning my firm, I'm apartner of a very large one. He asked me who he should talk to atour HQ and even tried to silent close me! I told him his tacticwasn't going to work on me. I wrapped the meeting and was walkinghim out and he said, "So do you have any little ones?"

I reported back to my colleague, told him about the meeting andsuggested he buy the guy some gum for his birthday. He told me heknew about the breath situation, and I was shocked that this guy'ssales manager never let him know to always use a mint before ameeting.

Susan L Combs, PPACA, ChHC, Combs &Company

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• 7 cultural issues that drive salessuccess