last night, I opened a 4 set in a nice bar. 3 not good looking and one hb7 spanish girl (the target). I was not giving hb7 much attention but having great fun with the other 3. Didn't really neg the hb7 spanish because she didn't seem that over confident and l felt ignoring her was enough. I was getting a bit of kino with the other girls just to build a little jelousy.

Then, another friend who was a hb9.5 from cuba came to join them. So the table turned, the spanish girl was no longer the target. I was holding the set really well keeping everyone entertained and getting a few negs with the HB9.5 and a little kino with everyone. Then, there was a little commotion at the front of the bar and everyone went to see what was happening. I kind of got stuck standing there. I didn't want to loose value by just looking stupid standing there so I left the set, thinking that I could re-open it again later. That didn't happen because as the night went on, the set disappeared.

What do you all think would have been the best way to number close. I was thinking I could have pretended i was going to have a pizza party or something and used that to number close all of them. Or i could have tried to do a little cold read on the HB9.5. I find it hard to isolate the target sometimes. any ideas on the best way to handle it?

It's just a shame that I didn't even try number close a /HB9.5 when I did all the ground work

Start smoking... its so easy to isolate.

Happened to me on weds, read my field report for more details (When i get time to type it up), but basically I isolated by saying to her friends, "I'm going out for a smoke, do you mind if your friend joins me? I'll bring her back safe." Something along those lines.

You could also use,

"Me and your friend hb haven't really hit off a decent conversation, do you guys if she takes me to the bar and buys me a drink?"

I'm not sure if the bottom one will work 100% of the time, but im pretty sure it will be effective most times.

So I think you're right, the key is to isolate the target.... I was in a similar situation again last night. I tried your 'go for a smoke' isolate. Except i just said me and HB are going for a smoke. Then the problem was that all her friends all came with us. Any ideas on avoiding this?

Hmm.. can't say I've been in the same situation as I don't smoke but just sitting here thinking I would imagine even if you asked her discreetly she would turn to her friends and say "anybody coming for a smoke?"

What about something like this (to target)"hey let's break away from the herd for 5 minutes and have smoke on our own".. (to group) hey I'm stealing your friend for a bit, we'll be back in 5 minutes"

I wouldn't say "hey I'm stealing your friend for five minutes to go have a smoke" as the others will follow.

Another sneaky way you may be able to do it is to suggest to the group you all go outside and have a smoke. As they all start to walk outside say to them "hey we'll meet you out side I'm just going to show your friend something" entertain the target long enough for the rest of the group to finish their cigarettes then as they walk back in say to the target lets go have a smoke. The rest of the group will have had their nicotine fix by then.

All untested but may be of help. Would be interested to hear back if it works.


Oh and STOP SMOKING!!

Ask her friends if they mind if you take there friend, don't tell them that you are. It builds comfort with the friends and make them feel valued by asking them.

Also you need to build comfort before you try isolate the HB, its all about her friends trusting you and then building trust with the HB, if not then you will probably be known as a creep and she will not want to be around you anyway.

So here's the routine i'm gonna try next time. Let me know what you all think.

- Build good comfort with the friends
- do a partial isolate with the HB (where the two of us are just outside the group talking amongst ourselves).
- Ask the HB if she smokes, if she doesn't say 'i'm going for a smoke, keep me company' if she does smoke say 'ok, we're going for a smoke'
- Before the HB says anything to the group, ask the group if it's ok to steal their friend for 5 mins.

The only problem is that i'm not a smoker so i'm doing it for the for the routine only!

Why smoke just to go with a routine? haha
Just say you want a drink instead, its basically the same effect. Then when you are at the bar, say to her, "I want to show you something real cool."

Sit her down and run a cold read on her, do the cube or something.