ColumnistsApr 18, 2023
Email Marketing for Mother’s Day: How to Create a Campaign That ConvertsColumnistsApr 25, 2023
6 Customer Myths That Might Be Holding Salespeople Back
Peter Smith shares some misconceptions about consumers as well as his belief that product information should be treated like a condiment.
Peter Smith is an industry consultant, speaker, sales trainer, and author. He can be reached via email at TheRetailSmiths@gmail.com.
Competent salespeople are the lifeblood of any business, and competency means they consistently drive profitable sales for the business.
In order to do so, they need to understand what customers want when they come into a jewelry store and what they don’t want.
Here are six myths about jewelry customers that might be holding some salespeople back from performing at their peak.
1. Customers often come into stores just to browse.
When customers enter your store, they are not there to kick tires. They are signaling they have an unfulfilled need that should be satisfied.
I’m not a fan of the oft-used expression, “They have a problem that needs to be solved,” but there’s definitely a need.
That need may be conscious and easily articulated. It may be conscious, but not so easily communicated.
It might even be unconscious, meaning the customer has a low awareness of what their real motivation is.
But make no mistake, there is a need, and it should be uncovered by a curious sales professional asking relevant and open-ended questions in an empathic and caring manner.
2. Customers will let you know when they are ready to buy.
Nobody wants to be “sold” but customers want to be inspired to make a purchase, and it is a fundamental obligation for a salesperson to trigger that impulse.
Believing the customer always will spell it out for you is naïve.
Top salespeople know a satisfied customer is one who is leaving the store with a new piece of jewelry in hand and a skip in their step.
3. Customers don’t want to be pestered by salespeople.
On the contrary, your customer wants to have a relationship with you.
This is particularly true in a luxury retail environment, where there can be a good deal of anxiety and stress for customers when considering purchases.
Investing in customer outreach efforts is a gift to customers and makes it a whole lot easier for them to think about your business when it comes time to mark important moments in their lives.
In order to do so, they need to understand what customers want when they come into a jewelry store and what they don’t want.
Here are six myths about jewelry customers that might be holding some salespeople back from performing at their peak.
1. Customers often come into stores just to browse.
When customers enter your store, they are not there to kick tires. They are signaling they have an unfulfilled need that should be satisfied.
I’m not a fan of the oft-used expression, “They have a problem that needs to be solved,” but there’s definitely a need.
That need may be conscious and easily articulated. It may be conscious, but not so easily communicated.
It might even be unconscious, meaning the customer has a low awareness of what their real motivation is.
But make no mistake, there is a need, and it should be uncovered by a curious sales professional asking relevant and open-ended questions in an empathic and caring manner.
2. Customers will let you know when they are ready to buy.
Nobody wants to be “sold” but customers want to be inspired to make a purchase, and it is a fundamental obligation for a salesperson to trigger that impulse.
Believing the customer always will spell it out for you is naïve.
Top salespeople know a satisfied customer is one who is leaving the store with a new piece of jewelry in hand and a skip in their step.
3. Customers don’t want to be pestered by salespeople.
On the contrary, your customer wants to have a relationship with you.
This is particularly true in a luxury retail environment, where there can be a good deal of anxiety and stress for customers when considering purchases.
Investing in customer outreach efforts is a gift to customers and makes it a whole lot easier for them to think about your business when it comes time to mark important moments in their lives.
“Product information in a luxury sales environment is like a condiment. It should be applied sparingly, lest it spoil the meal.” — Peter Smith
4. Customers crave your product expertise.
Customers mentally will check out when you make the interaction about you. Talking too much about everything you know is the quickest route to creating the brick-and-mortar equivalent of cart abandonment.
Product information in a luxury sales environment is like a condiment. It should be applied sparingly, lest it spoil the meal.
Your role is to engage the customer, not educate them.
5. Customers readily will share their budget.
Believing a customer will share their budget with you misses the point on two important levels.
First, it suggests they actually know what their budget is or should be, an assumption I would not recommend a salesperson make.
The customer may or may not know what their budget is at all, believing, as they should, that the salesperson is there to help inspire and influence their decision on what to spend.
The second consideration is that even when your customer does share their budget with you, it should never be taken as gospel. It is, more often than not, merely a reference point, not an end game.
If the customer volunteers their budget, know that you can work within a framework that ranges from half to double that number. Presenting those two extremes (high and low), plus an option in between, can be an effective strategy.
6. Customers always want the best price.
Your customer wants good value, not the best price.
More than that, they want to feel good about themselves when they walk out the door, and that means the salesperson helped them make the best selection, not the cheapest option.
Long after they have forgotten the price, your customer will remember how they felt about the choice they made.
Happy selling!
More on Columnists
The Latest
MajorsAug 26, 2024
Longtime Industry Sales Trainer Lenny Zell Dies at 97Said to be the first to write a jewelry sales manual for the industry, Zell is remembered for his zest for life.
WatchesAug 26, 2024
IWC Is Sending Its Watches to SpaceThe company outfitted the Polaris Dawn spaceflight crew with watches that will later be auctioned off to benefit St. Jude’s.
AuctionsAug 23, 2024
Abernethy Pearl Tops Estimates at Auction A buyer paid more than $100,000 for the gemstone known as “Little Willie,” setting a new auction record for a Scottish freshwater pearl.
Brought to you by
Watch: Natural Diamonds: A Great (but Often Untold) Geology StorySupplier Spotlight Sponsored by GIA.
CollectionsAug 23, 2024
Piece of the Week: Gumuchian’s Colorful ‘Spectrum’ NecklaceAnita Gumuchian created the 18-karat yellow gold necklace using 189 carats of colored gemstones she spent the last 40 years collecting.
Weekly QuizAug 23, 2024
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
SourcingAug 22, 2024
2,492-Carat Diamond Recovered From Botswana Diamond MineThe giant gem came from Karowe, the same mine that yielded the 1,109-carat Lesedi La Rona and the 1,758-carat Sewelô diamond.
TrendsAug 22, 2024
Kaley Cuoco Has a Three-Stone Engagement Ring With a TwistThe three-stone ring was designed by Shahla Karimi Jewelry and represents Cuoco, her fiancé Tom Pelphrey, and their child.
Brought to you by
Watch: Forging the Next Generation of Skilled Bench Jewelers at GIASupplier Spotlight Sponsored by GIA
CollectionsAug 22, 2024
Greenwich St. Jewelers Collabs with TikTok Jewelry Content CreatorThe Manhattan jewelry store has partnered with Xarissa B. of Jewel Boxing on a necklace capsule collection.
TechnologyAug 21, 2024
Instagram’s Notes Feature Expands to Posts, ReelsActing as temporary virtual Post-it notes, Notes are designed to help strengthen mutual connections, not reach new audiences.
TrendsAug 21, 2024
Carol Woolton To Release New BookThe jewelry historian discusses the history and cultural significance of jewelry throughout time and across the globe.
TrendsAug 21, 2024
Amanda’s Style File: Shimmy and ShakeFrom fringe and tassels to pieces that give the illusion they are in motion, jewelry with movement is trending.
IndependentsAug 20, 2024
Mixed-Media Jewelry Artist Jan Yager Dies at 72The designer and maker found community around her Philadelphia studio and creative inspiration on the sidewalks below it.
IndependentsAug 20, 2024
Pat Henneberry Releases MemoirThe industry consultant’s new book focuses on what she learned as an athlete recovering from a broken back.
Events & AwardsAug 20, 2024
The Ethical Gem Fair Is Going to CaliforniaThe fair will take place on the West Coast for the first time, hosted by Altana Fine Jewelry in Oakland, California.
MajorsAug 20, 2024
Kathy Hillelson Joins Board of WJA Foundation Hillelson is a second-generation diamantaire and CEO of Owl Financial Group.
Events & AwardsAug 19, 2024
Nominations Are Open for the 2025 Gem AwardsSubmissions in the categories of Jewelry Design, Media Excellence, and Retail Excellence will be accepted through this Friday, Aug. 23.
AuctionsAug 19, 2024
Scotland’s Famed Abernethy Pearl Is Up for Sale Known as “Little Willie,” it’s the largest freshwater pearl found in recent history in Scotland and is notable for its shape and color.
IndependentsAug 19, 2024
Kentucky Jeweler Closing After 89 YearsClements Jewelers in Madisonville cited competition from larger retailers and online sellers as the driving factor.
SourcingAug 19, 2024
A&C Gem Trading Corp. Relocates, Opens Wholesale ShowroomThe gemstone company is moving to the Ross Metal Exchange in New York City’s Diamond District.
CrimeAug 16, 2024
Jewels Stolen During Green Vault Heist Back on DisplayMost of the 18th century royal jewelry taken from the Green Vault Museum in Dresden, Germany, in 2019 went back on display this week.
IndependentsAug 16, 2024
Louis Anthony Jewelers Announces First Resort StoreThe Pittsburgh jeweler has opened a store in the nearby Nemacolin resort.
CollectionsAug 16, 2024
Piece of the Week: Jonne Amaya’s ‘Cat Claw’ NecklaceWith a 40-carat cabochon emerald, this necklace is as powerful and elegant as a cat.
Events & AwardsAug 16, 2024
IJO Names Jewel-Craft as VIP Vendor of the YearThe Erlanger, Kentucky-based company was recognized for its reliability when it comes to repairs and fast turnaround times.
SourcingAug 15, 2024
Greenland Ruby Is Up For SaleUnable to pay its debts, the ruby and sapphire miner is looking to restructure and become a “competitive and attractive” company.
TrendsAug 15, 2024
Paola De Luca to Debut Trendbook 2026+ at VicenzaoroThe trend forecaster’s latest guide has intel on upcoming trends in the jewelry market.
Events & AwardsAug 15, 2024
Heather Ingraham Awarded WJA Helene Fortunoff Scholarship Ingraham said she’ll use the scholarship funds to attend the Women’s Leadership Program at the Yale School of Management.
