Based on a True Story

Last night a friend and I enjoyed our weekly “cheap Tuesday” movie outing.  We chose “Unbroken,” which is an inspirational story based on Olympian, Louis Zamperini, who survived some harrowing ordeals as a soldier in World War II.  I highly recommend the movie, so I won’t spoil it for you.  Like many movies based on true stories, the ending of the film involves telling the “story-after-the-story.”  Pictures of the real Louis Zamperini, were captioned by facts that show the enduring effects of his bravery and character.

The film was beautifully directed by Angelina Jolie (whom my wife Jana hates – probably because Angelina and her Collagen-inflated lips edged her out for a most beautiful woman in the Universe award – but I digress).  The cinematography was epic, the characters very well developed and the viewer could easily slip into the illusion that they were really crash-landing into the Pacific or seeing through the cracks at Louis in the dark depths of a detention camp.  The “story-after-the-story” jolted me out of the cinemagraphic dream I’d been lost in.  The reality of the actual life and impact of Louis Zamperini hit me like a ton of bricks.  It moved me so much that I couldn’t tell Jana about the movie the next morning without a few tears leaking from my puffy eyes.

It was a very enjoyable movie, but I’m writing to explain to you the revelation I had about how this movie was produced.  The first 2 hours and 15 minutes was impressively crafted, but it was all just a precursor to final 2 minutes: the truth about of one man’s life.  In your business, you can have a million dollar construction budget to create an amazing store with a coffee-bar to make Starbucks jealous, kids play area, luxurious well-lit showcases, and décor that is the envy of the town.  You can spend tens of thousands of dollars training your staff to provide professional white-glove service.  You can create advertising that moves people to tears and have them giddy with positive expectations when they come into your store.

If you spend 2 hours and 15 minutes with a client, treating them to the best shopping experience they’ve ever had, the last two minutes will still be the most crucial.  Will they walk away with something that inspires referrals for a lifetime, or will they end-up with jewellery that forever leaves a bad taste in their mouth.  The quantity of jewellery you sell this month will help pay the bills.  The quality of jewellery you sell this month will help you build a dynasty of clientele.

Selling anything is hard enough.  If you think that selling is trying to solve a mystery as to which item in your showcase will tick all of the boxes and get them to say yes, you’re not thinking big enough.  Selling the right product to the right person to maximize their long-term enjoyment of jewellery and reverence for the business and the person who sold it to them is even better. Some guys have two boxes to check: A) it’s got to look like it cost $1,000 and B) I want it to cost less than $500.  It doesn’t take two-and-a-quarter hours to make that sale, but what if you asked a few questions, listened to his story and then gave him a few more boxes to check.  He might end-up with something much more valuable, and something she’ll get 10 times the enjoyment out of.  If that happens, do you think they will tell their friends about your store?

Create a fantastic client experience, and then ensure that you make every effort to promote the best you have.  Sure, they might still choose the easy-to-sell trendy cheapo that’s not built to last.  But they just might make an inspired choice that will set you up as a hero, and inspire generations of jewellery shoppers to return to your store.

When Style Counts

Sorry for the length of this article.  It was written for a magazine submission, but this message couldn't wait.  Focus on this during the coming holidays and then build your future business on these key principles!!!

I was walking through the mall the other day and I spotted a bar fridge in a music store.  It looked exactly like a Marshall stacked amplifier set.  The knobs even turned.  For someone who plays guitar or who is into hard-core rock’n’roll, this would be the ultimate fridge.  I remember shopping for the bar-fridge in our basement.  We looked at how many cubic feet it was, what the Energy-Guide rating was, how the interior was organized and how much it cost.  We compared at a couple of places and found one that suited our criteria for $179.  Had I seen the Marshall Stack bar fridge for $299, I would have bought it without even opening it up.
 
Further back, when I worked in retail jewellery, I had a young man come to me with a problem.  Despite his Mom’s recommendation to buy from me, he bought an engagement ring elsewhere.  When the engagement went South he needed advice as to what might be a fair return/exchange practice with the vending jeweller.  I gave him some guidance, and he pledged then and there to buy his next engagement ring from me.
 
A couple of years later it (almost) happened.  He came to me having found a new love and was ready to buy that engagement ring.  In their travels she had found a style that we would not agree to replicate; therefore, he ended up having to break his pledge to me.  The style was billed as a nouveau tension-style ring; essentially a ring within a ring, with a girdle-sized hole at the top of the outer band pressing the diamond’s pavilion against the inner band.  I explained the risk of such a setting, and politely suggested that if no other ring would do, they had best get it from the other jeweller. 
 
All was not lost.  This young man referred a friend to me for an engagement ring, who referred two other friends, and I ultimately received a lot of business from his recommendations.  The point is; style counted for a lot.  On that day, style was more important than his pledge or my ability to provide the professionalism he was looking for; and it superseded any thoughts of diamond quality, warranty, or even durability. 
 
There are two times when style counts for a lot.  The first is when you have a style that nobody else can or will supply, and the client falls deeply, madly, passionately in LOVE with that style.  That’s why it’s important to have your client try-on all kinds of diverse styles to see if something that was off-the-radar catches their fancy.  If you have distinctive and exclusive product, then you should romance the matchlessness of it and you should be able to captivate them with the fascinating story of the designer.  Here’s why: if they fall in love with something unique then you’ve eliminated a lot of your competition, and margins go WAAAAY up!
 
The second way in which style counts is when you’re working with styles that are popular.  Back in the 80s it might have been the 17-stone diamond cluster ring with ski-tip shoulders.  Today it’s the white gold halo-style with micro-set shoulders.  Style counts here because every manufacturer offers something of this description, and the consumer can’t tell one from another.  Because it’s hard to compare across the mall or across the city, your best business strategy is to have the least expensive of this look.  As the consumer begins shopping this style to see who has the lowest price, it drives quality and margin WAAAAY down. 
 
I still see some very beautiful and well-made 17-stone cluster rings, but they are likely the early models when VS diamonds were abundant and the claw-work was impeccable.  As the race to the bottom ensued the gold became thinner, the setting work more perfunctory and with diamonds diving ever lower in quality.
 
On the sales floor, there are often designs that are easy-to-sell, and those which are more suited to the jewellery connoisseur.  If you only ever sell the former, you can easily be replaced.  If you can sell to the aficionado, and turn a portion of bargain-shoppers into more sophisticated clients, then you’re worth more and you’ll surely earn more.   Let’s stop being lazy!  Todays bridal shopper comes in with pictures off of Instagram of the same things over and over again.  Those are the popular designs, and if you don’t have the cheapest one of those, you’ll lose.
 
Here are six keys to selling better, more valuable jewellery which fetch higher margins:

• Show clients exquisite design alternatives at every opportunity – even if they’re coming in for a watch battery or some other product. 
• Research and then talk-up the merits of the designers you have chosen to carry in your store. 
• Never miss a chance to tell them about the advantages of buying from your store.
• Get to know them and their lifestyle.  Then as their friend, guide them toward designs will compliment their stated preferences and lifestyle.  By listening to their story and then repeating back aspects of designs that relate to them, you’ll blow them away because very sales associates truly listen!
• Focus on style rather than diamond size/quality – remember if they love the style, you might not even need to talk about the 4-Cs.
• If all of that fails, then sell them what’s easy to sell.  You may have expanded their horizons for future purchases anyway.

 
One last story:  Lilian Jensen and I were at a restyle show in Kamloops about 10 years ago.  A couple in their late 30s to early 40s came looking for an engagement ring.  This was to be his first marriage so he was really quite excited.  While looking at designs we talked about how they met and soon discovered that they were a match made in heaven.  Once a design was found that put a huge sparkle in her eye, Lilian pulled out a suitable sized loose diamond and floated it over-top the design to dazzle the giddy couple.  With a perfunctory pause to ask about the final price, they eagerly asked when it would be ready; then proceeded to plunk down the plastic.  After they left, we were thrilled for them, and I stood amazed that they left without knowing the size or quality of the diamond that Lil selected for them.  It wasn’t an issue.  They wanted THAT fantastic design and the designer had endorsed the selection of the feature diamond.  Done, and done!
 
That’s the power of a personal connection and winning style.

Let's Get Frank!

It's time to stop pussy-footing around important issues in our industry.

The world has become increasingly open to talking about things that were in the past considered indelicate.  Feminine hygiene, bladder leaks, bum-wiping and impotence are all boldly addressed during prime-time commercial breaks.  The world seems willing and even eager to brashly dive-in head-first to tackle problems formerly hidden in closets, and buried under mattresses.

Is the jewellery industry keeping up with the times?  Are we brashly standing up for our industry and our businesses?  Why do we pull punches.  Are we the embodiment of the polite Canadian stereotype?  Are we afraid of getting sued?  Do we have too much respect for our competition to somehow maliciously degrade them?  We probably don’t want to appear negative by putting someone else down.  Maybe we just don’t have good answers to some of our more embarrassing problems.

I enjoyed hearing about how a jeweller in Ontario posts a sign in his store titled “travellers alert.”  This sign points-out the real risks of buying jewellery while on vacation.  We can all testify about friends and clients who bought ridiculous jewellery while under the influence of margaritas, sunscreen or whatever it is that causes the irresistible urge to buy stupid things.  Independent jewellers can do a better job of warning our clients of the risks.  At the same-time you can also coach them on what kinds of things they should feel free to buy while on vacation.  How many times have I sold someone a $1,000 or $2,000 setting for a  $25 gemstone they bought on a cruise?  You’ll have a hard time competing with the experience of picking-out an opal in Australia, but if you tell them what kind of opal to look for, and then help them create a setting for their precious souvenir, you can be a hero and make a few bucks yourself.

Internet retailers are slamming you every chance they get.  They’re not afraid of telling your clients how inconvenient it is that you’re not open 24 hours, how much pressure it is shopping with you and how much you overcharge for your jewellery.  Are you just going to just take that lying down?  How about reminding your clients that you offer 60 more hours per week of opportunities to see, touch and feel real live jewellery (before they buy) than internet retailers?  You can stand-up for yourself, and say, “we who live in, work and support this community appreciate and need you shopping local.”  Spend time, effort and money reinforcing the value of hand-selected quality designs that are waaay more sought-after than the photo-shopped trashy leftovers available 24/7 on the worldwide dumping ground.

If you’ve invested the time actually looking at jewellery sold by volume retailers you might just be appalled enough to begin calling a spade a spade (or a F---ing shovel).  There’s so much frozen spit, misrepresentation, tinfoil-thin settings, rejection quality gemstones and truly impractical designs out there that you should be indignant, insistant and assertive when it comes to blowing your own horn!

Do you believe that you can’t compete against the volume buying of chain stores?  If you do, give up.  Do you think the industry will eventually get swallowed-up completely by the interweb?  Might as well pull the plug right now.  If you are convicted that as an independent retailer you have unique and high-quality jewellery, and that your delivery provides clients with unparalleled benefits, then I think you just might go somewhere in this business.  Don’t be shy.  Stand up for yourself!

Incredibility

It's a big leap from credible to "incredible."

The English language is full of words where prefixes and suffixes can adjust the meaning 180 degrees, turn it sideways, hyperspace it into superlativity (I made that one up!) or completely change the intent.  “Hospitable” and “inhospitable” are opposites, but what about “credible” and  “incredible?”

In the jewellery business credibility is a huge asset.  How will consumers buy something so easily fudged from us without trust?  We want to be perceived as “credible.”  So do cruise ship jewellers, Caribbean port shops, internet retailers, home shopping channels, chain stores and the dishonest jeweller right down the street from you.  They all want to make sales, and they all know that credibility, or the appearance thereof is the key.

What do our competitors do to build credibility?  Cruise ships spend time educating passengers about jewellery while building rapport.  Port shops bribe port lecturers,  boast of their New York head office and international warranties.  Internet retailers build credibility through transparency of information and no hassle return policies.  The chain stores take advantage of their long histories to leverage lifetime trade-ups and long-lasting warranties.  The television vendors have extensive “risk reversal” policies to assert “we’re so sure you’ll love it, we’ll pay double the return postage if you’re not happy.”  The dishonest guy down the street peddles half-truths and lacklustre promises.

I still visit perfectly honest retailers who have no BBB, Chamber of Commerce nor CJA stickers on their doors.  Their hand-written signs behind the counter that say “NO REFUNDS, EXCHANGE ONLY,” make me think that numerous clients have desired refunds for suspicious reasons.  When asked about warranties, trade-ups and exchange policies there’s no document to clearly state the expectations.  “We’ll take care of you,” sometimes will lose to the chain store’s clearly stated documentation.  I love to see cork-boards full of thank-you notes and wedding photos of happy couples.  They confidently assert “others have tried us and appreciated the service, so you should too.”

Here’s the thing.  If your customer comes to you and says, “Peoples will give me my original cost towards something of double the value…” you might choose to match that deal in order to gain the sale, and the trade-in of something that might actually have some value to you.  If your customer says, “I think this was a manufacturer’s defect,” you often give them the benefit of the doubt and cover it anyway.  For ALL of those benefits you give to your clients after the fact, you could formalize them (to protect you against abuse) and use them as a selling feature to make more sales.

You need to prove your credibility in your long-term actions, but you also need to be able to articulate your credibility in a short sales presentation.  If you A) have credibility, B) clearly communicate how you back-up your claims of  credibility, and C) live it and prove it every day of your life, then you will surely achieve the status of “incredible.”

Simplify for Success

Some of the most successful songs are very simple, so why do we try to over-complicate our sales pitches?  

Simplify for Success

This past week, I planned and participated in a workshop for Church worship bands.  It’s surprising how many times I though “Wow, being in a band is just like being part of a sales team!”  The facilitator Corey, is an accomplished guitarist and singer, and has led many bands.  He shared with us the ironic fact that the better he gets at playing the guitar, the more he simplifies what he plays and the better he sounds.  Hmmm. 

Corey got me to thinking, “isn’t that the way it progressed when I was working in jewellery stores?”  I began not knowing much, so I didn’t have much to say.  Then I learned about gemology, custom design, watch functions, industry news and jewellery history.  I had tons of things to say.  I could (and did) regurgitate jewellery-talk on command – boring the heck out of my prospects, and missing opportunities to build relationships and close sales.

The better way is to have a million things to say, but keep each in your back-pocket until just the right moment.  A great song usually has a memorable guitar solo, piano riff, or drum solo.  The only way for these to be memorable is for the song to lead-up to it, so that the listener eagerly anticipates it.

If you talk peoples’ ears off, they’ll divide their attention according to the number of words you speak.  The longer you drone-on, the less impact each word has.  If you ration your words, those fantastic value-added statements and closes that you have in your repertoire will be well received when the time comes.

Prepare professionally then apportion your words at just the right time.  It will be music to your client’s ears!

Trend Spotting

Design Trends to be Revealed at Western Canadian Jewellery Expo

The summer jewellery shows are fast approaching.  Among the many important functions of attending trade-shows is seeking-out new trends.  You don’t want to miss-out on the latest and greatest.

What will be the trends for Fall 2014?  What is a trend?  How long does its’ popularity have to endure in order to be considered “trendy.”  Is it nothing more than something popular?  If that’s the case then aren’t boring run-of-the-mill designs that appeal to a broad audience trendy?  Is it important to carry trendy designs, or can you distinguish yourself in your marketplace by promoting counter-trends?  What does it take to start your own trend?

These questions and more will be discussed at the Western Canadian Jewellery Expo’s Connect for Success seminars on Thursday August 14^th – the day before the show starts.  Yours truly will be moderating a panel that includes Lilian Jensen from Customgold, Irina Lychak of Canadian Jeweller Magazine and Montreal based jewellery designer, Claire Vessot.

Other speakers will address “Top 10 Mistakes in Jewellery Display,” “Understanding Jewellery Crime Trends in Canada” and “Social Media Marketing.”  Rumor has it that there may be a round-table discussion after the seminars where you can corner the speakers and discuss hot-button issues.  Visit cjexpos.com for more information about the show.

I hope to see you there!

Orm Shultz will be missed!

Entrepreneur, gentleman and well-respected member of the jewellery industry Orm (Ormand) Shultz passed away on Monday night.  Warrington’s Jewellers closed its’ doors almost one year ago after 48 years in business and 39 years in Prairie Mall.  The family still owns and operates Jonathan’s Jewellers in Prairie Mall, and along with the long-serving staff will miss “Mr.’s” leadership and encyclopedic knowledge.  As a sales rep, I was often astounded at his ability to identify his fast-selling designs without the aid of a computer.  With two stores and dozens of suppliers I always received a fair dose of undivided attention from him; which is why he had won numerous “Gold Nugget” awards from the rep’s associations when there was such a thing.  My thoughts and prayers are with his family and staff during what will continue to be a very busy month no matter how heart-sick they feel.

Reflecting back on one of the darkest times in my life and career, I recall being able to put-on a “good front.”  It’s not easy to focus on celebrating happy moments with your clients when you feel little joy inside.  This is the difference between a professional and an amateur in jewellery sales.  I don’t know anyone whose lives have been sunshine and rainbows the whole way along; yet some have the ability to rise to the occasion whenever a client walks through the door.

I think the key is this: as soon as a client walks through the threshold, your focus is on their needs, their emotions and finding a winning solution to their current circumstance.  Whether you’re in the middle of a personal crisis, or just absorbed in busy-work as part of your responsibilities in the store, you need to be “other-centered, servant-hearted people” to your visitors the instant you spot them even thinking about coming in.  If you’re grieving or having some personal difficulties, share it with your owner or manager, and tell them you’re going to try to focus on clients in order to do your job the best you can while you’re on the clock.  Ask them to give you feedback if you’re not accomplishing that.

Look, it’s not about fake-enthusiasm in this business.  It’s about a solid conviction that your store and your product are the best possible solution to your client’s needs and desires.  When you put the person across the showcase from you first, and you know the amazing benefits of dealing with you and buying what you have to sell, you can push through any personal crisis and be effective.

Doing it Right

As I look forward to Thursday's seminars at JCK Las Vegas, I’m reminded of Brad Huisken’s saying, “sales training doesn’t work…” Huh?  He really said that?  Further, he explains, “…sales training doesn’t work if it’s an event.  It has to be a process.”

After completing my Spring visits around Western Canada, I’ve been doing some renos at home.  The new home we moved into in March isn’t exactly the Taj Mahal, it needs some TLC and personal touches before we can call it our own.  The flooring guy said they could install the new lino in about a day, and the carpet could be done in another two days.  One corner of our basement had to be filled-in as the pad had sunk long ago and two layers of previous carpet failed to hide the flaw.  Before the flooring goes down, the baseboards have to come off.  If we’re replacing the baseboards with a newer style, the door casings won’t match, so might as well take them off too.  If you’re going to replace all of the trim, it’s an ideal time to paint.  In order to paint, there’s some patching that needs to be done.  Oh, and by the way, the exposed concrete footing wall should be framed, insulated, drywalled, trimmed and painted too.  Okay, so the three days of flooring installation requires three weeks of other work; without which the new features will be dragged down by everything else in the room.

Going to JCK Vegas to attend a sales training event is like the carpet installation.  One or two days and “all’s good,” right?  Wrong.  Without some sales experience, you won’t know what the heck they’re talking about.  Without product knowledge, you’ll have a hard time filling in the blanks that the sales trainer is referring to when she talks about answering objections, or romancing the product.  Without an instore sales manager guiding your attempts at putting the training into practice, you might apply new knowledge to the wrong scenarios. 

Learning to be a superstar jewellery seller is no easy one-day fix.  It has to be important enough to spend the time continuously to learn, practice, refine and perfect.  If you’re not going to Vegas, pull that sales training kit off of the shelf, and give it a once-over this weekend.  Think about how nervous you were the first week on the sales floor, and how much more proficient you are today.  Now imagine another 5, 10 or 20 years, and how much more effective you’ll be at serving your clients then.  There’s always more to learn, and until you’re closing, adding-on and gaining referrals from 100% of the people who walk into your store, you’re not done.

Proverbs 1:2-5 “for gaining wisdom and instruction; for understanding words of insight; for receiving instruction in prudent behavior, doing what is right and just and fair; for giving prudence to those who are simple, knowledge and discretion to the young – let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance…”

Copping a ‘tude

One day I had it illustrated to me in vivid side-by-side detail.  Two ladies came to see me in my store.  Both could have been sisters.  Same build, same hands, same finger size.  One said, “I can’t wear rings that are too narrow, I mean look at my hands.”  The other later told me, “I need something quite fine with these short fingers.”  And then it hit me.  It’s not about the length of fingers, it’s about their self-image: their attitude.  Thereafter, I paid better attention to the intensity of color they wear, the boldness of their accessories and the amount of makeup worn.  A brassy realtor with big hair, massive bejeweled hand-bag and outrageous high heels is going to be a good candidate for my biggest, boldest designs!  It’s all about the attitude.

Don’t we wish there were more “big attitudes” out there?  Well, we can have a hand in encouraging that.  Whenever I see the lady with her three-piece wedding set, anniversary band, family ring and her mom’s wedding set all piled-up onto her left ring finger, it’s a great opportunity to encourage her to spread things out a bit.  Since she’s been wearing 15 rings on one finger, she is open to wearing something wider on another finger, but might need some enCOURAGEment.  If you talk about the attitude of wearing bigger bolder jewellery; there are very few women who don’t wish they were a bit more fashionable, and exuded a bit more of a confident attitude.  I enjoy the challenge of getting a lady to put a ring on a middle finger or index finger for the first time, because it opens-up a whole new world of possibilities in her jewellery wardrobe.

Make it your personal mission to expand our industry by claiming new territory on every customer’s hands.  And when they’ve got rings for every finger, start working on rings for every occasion, and color palette.  If you believe that having more jewellery than you can wear on a daily basis is excessive and wasteful, you should probably examine your own attitude.  Start by searching through the store’s inventory every single day to see which jewellery would be ideal for the outfit you’re wearing and how you’re feeling.  Then imagine having such a vast jewellery wardrobe yourself.  There are ladies coming into your store with the means to build a stunning collection, and you should be excited to help them do it; if you’ve got the right attitude.

Smart Show Day 4

The third show-day and the final day of The Smart Show started off with some much needed energy.  After the Sunday night beach-party Shane Decker was unsure of how many would show-up for a Monday morning keynote address, but the crowd was pretty decent and I didn’t see one person fall asleep.  Some of you, like me, have seen Decker several times.  I enjoy the experience every time, but the last few presentations his material has evolved and I appreciate the newness of his messages.

He began by talking about something that’s a bit unfair in our business.  We must NEVER prejudge clients who walk-in because those who dress down might be disguising their wealth, and those who dress up might be pretending.  The unfair part is that they will prejudge you – to the point that they will decide within 30 seconds if you’re worth spending money with.  As he continued talking about meeting customer expectations, he struck a chord by stating that customers “pay us to listen.”  Some people need to pay a councilor to air their secrets, but if you listen to them and sell them something then they get to walk away with something tangible for their money spent.

Why do shoppers buy on the internet?  Shane answers that price is 4^th on the list.  The first reason is that they had a bad experience at the brick-and-mortar retailer, followed by convenience and expansive (virtual) inventories.  His best suggestion to defend the awesome advantages you offer clients is by considering his punch-list of 28 things that can happen when a client walks in.  Training staff to provide a consistently great customer experience is more important than advertising in his mind.  You can win referrals and loyal clients by your service, while you can lose clients by attracting them with clever ads and letting them down once they get into the door.

Some of the 28 items on the punch-list included fairly common customer service items (prompt-greeting, body language, selling techniques), and others are less common.  Always exchanging names, wowing repair customers with product, even after the sale (or sales) are made show one last knock-out piece to the client in the last 30 seconds, clean and polish everyone’s jewellery, etc.  It’s hard to keep it brief, but the conclusion was; if you always do these things for every client, you’ll build a reputation for amazing service, and add value to what you do.

The final day on the show floor was a bit slower, but it seemed there were more buyers taking the time to explore new product.  My final impressions of The Smart Show is that the educational forum and interactive features were indeed impressive.  InStore Magazine has created a bit of a cult following, including their “cool stores”.  We thus expected a large draw from the entire United States, but from the viewpoint of an exhibitor, it’s a regional show.  Many of the exhibitors are in common with any major US show.  We saw a couple of jewellers from Ontario, three from Manitoba, one from Saskatoon, one from Calgary and one from Victoria, but the great majority of US retailers were from the Mid-West.

Don’t Forget Design!

I can’t wait to watch every monthly video-blog that Mel Moss puts out.  Seriously.  He’s a crusader, who fights hard for integrity in our industry.  If you haven’t seen his April video, click HERE to watch it.  In this installment, the King of Diamonds talks about a retailer so frustrated at losing sales to misrepresented diamonds that he simply stopped selling diamonds.

Are branded bridal programs the answer?  Mel says that they allow the consumer to compare Brand-X Model #1234 on the internet; where for even a small discount the consumer is showing an increased willingness to sidestep their local jeweller for a virtual one.

Will a more professional and knowledgeable approach help build your store as a credible brand?  Yes.  Uncle Mel and I agree on this issue.  Listening intently to your client’s “story,” holding their hand while you help them try-on a fantastic diamond and directly responding to their questions and concerns is something that scammers and online retailers can’t do.  Unscrupulous jewellers can schmooze too, but sincerity and honesty can’t be bought nor faked.

Now, to the big problemo… consumers are doing nothing different than many retailers.  Retailers want to buy their diamonds for as little as possible by aggressive sourcing, or by buying badly overstated diamonds with false savings.  Branded semi-mount programs are feeding this paradigm by encouraging clients to choose a loose diamond and setting separately.

What if we were really good at selling a fully-set designs on the merits of their uniqueness, beauty and the strong quality of the diamonds selected by the designer?  Oh, what a wonderful world it would be!  Then those who carry the most beautiful designs would achieve the highest sales.  I feel very blessed to be working for manufacturers who are not involved in the race-to-the-price-basement.  Representing the product I do leads to working closely with retailers who not only appreciate style, but work with their clients to consider design and quality before price.  Note I said BEFORE PRICE.  I’m not so naïve to think that price is unimportant, but if we prioritize price-per-size, it will inevitably be so for the consumer.

If you spend your entire life trying to compare diamond qualities and certificates, you’ll eventually do one of three things.  You’ll give-up like the jeweller Mel alluded to, you’ll start compromising your integrity (if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em) or you’ll become a galvanized crusader like Mel .  Maybe a fourth option is to prove yourself as a trusted source of unique designs with outstanding knowledge and impeccably honest service.  You’ll earn higher margins and more than your share of business.

Keep your eyes out for “Smart-Show Snippets”.  I’m on my way to Chicago and can’t wait to experience InStore Magazine’s Smart Show.

How Much Sway?

As more and more retailers ask me about the emergence of yellow gold, I’ve made this comment several times.  With an alarming number of clients, we as professional jewellery consultants hold some sway over their decisions.  When they say, “I’m not sure whether to go with yellow gold or white gold,” how do you choose your response?

My first response is to probe further by saying, “tell me more about your jewellery wardrobe.”  This not only gives you more helpful information to help them in their decision making, it establishes you as someone who cares about them rather than just being “salesy.”  When you talk about their jewellery wardrobe, you’re building a “filing system” in their brain that they may never have had before.  They’ll start to view the pieces they do have in terms of collections that coordinate with different occasions and outfits.  Trust me, when they start thinking like that, there will be some empty file folders!

I know I’ve written about the jewellery wardrobe concept before, but I’m feeling like many of you believe that your job is to hook-up the next person who walks in with the best possible solution to their immediate need.  I would like to suggest that your job is to help your clients build an amazing jewellery wardrobe that suits their personality and every season and all of the special occasions in their lives.

Enthusiasm

Massive kudos to those of you who are focusing on creating a winning customer experience.  I’ve been in some rare stores (not yours) where customers seem to be a distraction to their busy-work.  I’m glad that my best clients are happy to greet new customers and ecstatic to welcome-back existing clients.  Whether you are naturally outgoing, and very easily connect with people, or you have a system in place to ensure that clients receive a methodically welcoming, inviting, compelling and effective shopping experience, it’s fabulous to see so many stores turning their focus from order-taker to advisor.  From cashier to cache.  From reluctant to rejoiceful.  From insecure to inspiring.

Remember that selling someone a piece of jeweller earns you a sale, but selling someone on you and your store earns you a client.  It’s easy to get lost in solving the puzzle of “what can I show this person that they’ll like.”  Until you know a little bit about them, and tell them features and selling points that line-up with their values or their unique requirements, you can easily be replaced by a robotic jewellery retrieval system.

Once you’re enthusiastically focused on the people who ultimately put food on your table, and their needs, you can sell them things they didn’t know they wanted to buy.  Guys come into jewellery stores thinking that they “need” a piece of jewellery to satisfy a “gift-giving occasion.”  What he needs is to show her how much she means to him.  They may need to say, “sorry I screwed-up.  I sacrificed some of what I was saving for that new quad to give you something to symbolize that you’re more important.”  She needs to celebrate his job promotion by giving him something that will make him feel important and fashionable.

After every sales presentation see if you can answer two questions.

Was I as effective as I could be in solving their reason for coming in today?

Did I draw them closer to me and our store so that they desire to give us their future business?

Be a Curator

I know from many of you that you don't want to buy "museum pieces", so the phrase "curator" may turn you off of reading this article, but read it anyway and think about the ways the merchandisers are creating less dense attractive museum quality displays in order to make your store "hip."  Do take the time to click on the "retail curators website" for another great article on this subject.

Thank you David Squires of InStore for THIS

http://instoremag.com/shine-blog/item/583-dont-be-a-buyer-be-a-curator

What’s the A.S.A.?

No, I’m not talking about a headache remedy.  Is everyone on the sales floor knowledgeable about “articulated sales arguments?”  I hope so.

I stay in a lot of hotels, and I try never to keep a predictable travel pattern for security’s sake.  I used a travel booking website to book a motel three nights ago and I wasn’t thrilled enough to return to it.  Timing allowed me to return to the same town the next night, so I went into the hotel next door.  I asked the assistant manager, “which hotel are you?”  He said “Huh?”  I said “tell me about your hotel. What are you about?  What are your rates?”  He went right to their “low shoulder season rates,” because that was the only aspect of the hotel that he could articulate.

He could have said, “do you like waffles,” (who doesn’t???) and I would have said, “I love waffles!”  He could have then revealed that fresh waffles were part of their free breakfast.  Then he could have told me about the 42” flat screens and high quality linens on their new Posturepedic mattresses; all of which were superior to the neighboring hotel.  Well, because I was tired, I agreed to spend the extra $5 on this hotel, hoping that it was worth the extra expense.  Had he articulated their unique selling appeals, I might have willingly paid $10 or $15 more for this superior hotel.

I’ve written in the past about the “articulated sales argument” for your store.  Now consider that every design you carry has a reason for being.  There was a reason that it stood out from all of the other designs in the sample line, and why that supplier stood out from all of the other suppliers. 

Choices are everywhere.  Consumers can shop with you, the chain store, the internet or the home shopping channel.  There’s not only yellow Gold, but white Gold, Platinum, Palladium, Sterling Silver, Titanium, Tungsten, Cobalt Chrome, Zirconium and Ceramic.  Diamonds can be certified by AGS, EGL, GIA, HRD, GemScan, CGL or not at all.  Every option in this entire paragraph has consequences for the consumer.

I hope this doesn’t inconvenience you too much, but your job is to know the A.S.A.s of all of your products and how they compare to that of your competition.  If you don’t know why anyone would want a Customgold design, just ask me for a PK session next time I’m in town.  I’ll give you every reason why a consumer receives unparalleled value when they purchase a CG ring.  When other suppliers come to you, ask them for their A.S.A.’s, and they too will have their own reasons for being. 

Remember, properly selected jewellery can last a lifetime.  How you council a client on their purchase today will have consequences for years to come.  Lining up the articulated sales argument of a design with the values of your client will ensure an awesome jewellery buying experience for them!    

Valentine’s Day

Imagine your astonishment.  “Skippy” comes in to buy something for his sweetheart on Valentines day.  Fliers, banners and counter-cards all over the mall are pushing beads and $149 price pointed items, but that’s not what Skippy buys.  Maybe he hadn’t been paying attention to everyone telling him to spend less than $200.  He sees something really spectacular, and decides to part with some his motorcycle fund in order to buy that $500 or $1,000 something.  What a wonderful Valentine’s Day it will be!

There are lots of Skippys out there.  They don’t know what to spend on her for Valentine’s day.  They just want to make a great impression.  They want to WOW her with a nice piece of jewellery.  Does he know that a precious metal piece of jewellery with any level of durability is nearly impossible for $199?  Not really.  It’s up to you to show Skippy some options with high-style, durability and quality.  If he doesn’t have a motorcycle fund to draw from and decides on the $199 diamond pendant with the microscopic chain, at least you’ve planted a seed for future purchases and also prepared him for the possibility that the chain will break.

That works with Mr. Jones too.  He might have seen your ads for the $499 specials, but unbeknownst to you, Mr. Jones just received his year-end bonus and it was HUGE.  He might just be interested in buying Mrs. Jones that 1 carat diamond that she’s always dreamed of.

As I always say, “when you start at the top, sometimes you end up there!”

**My video from the wedding band shop tour is pending approval from Lashbrook’s president.  I don’t want to give away any trade secrets.  You’ll see it soon!**

This Too Shall Pass

How do you cap-off the achievement of a really daunting goal like publishing 300 blog posts in one year?  Well, since we’re approaching a new calendar year, maybe some thoughts about turning the calendar over to a fresh new start.

I’ll share with you a bible verse that has kept me both humble and motivated.  It comes from Matthew 13:53, which states “And it came to pass …”  Did you have an off-year this year?  Don’t worry, it will pass.  Did you have a great year?  This too shall pass.  (This message was borrowed from comedian Mark Lowry) 

We can’t control the results of our past efforts.  We did what we did and we got what we got.  Because we are in a business where so much of our success comes from the final part of the calendar year it makes sense to join the masses in reflecting on the past year and making plans for the new year now rather than at your fiscal year-end.  So go ahead.  Give yourself a kick-in-the-butt or a pat-on-the-back.  Make resolutions.  Don’t forget to announce your resolutions to people who care about you.  It will help you to keep them.

If you’re not big on making resolutions, here’s a great way to start the New Year.  Write yourself a job description.  Start with the phrase, “If I were training someone to take over my job, and I received a royalty from their performance, here’s what I’d tell them to do…”  Then staple it to the file where you put your pay-stubs or some other locale that you have to look at on a regular basis.

I’ll end with a nice story about a jeweller who on December 6^th had an SUV drive right through his store, and with a positive attitude, managed to make the best of it.  Click HERE to read the JCK Online story.

Happy New Year!

Blog post #300 with a 2012 tally of 88,054 words.