Prestige Promenade pearls and sweets
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/1049339
44 www.thejewelrybook.com P E T E R S M I T H O N R E TA I L Sell Your Store's Expertise PETER SMITH After a recent training session, a group of salespeople gathered around me firing questions. One of the more seasoned sales- people asked, "What do I do if a customer produces paperwork with online pricing?" That question has been asked for most of the 20 or so years that online shopping has existed, but it surprised me because I would have expected quality retail stores to have long since figured a response. I mean, is it still a thing? Customers are not visiting your store to ask for permission to buy online. They are really saying, "Give me a reason to buy from you." Start by congratulating the customer on his momentous event and acknowledge his having done some research. Invite him to sit down so that you can get to know a little about him and his intended. Ask him to tell you about his bride-to- be. What is she like? Where did they meet? When and how does he plan to propose to her? Respectfully weigh in with appropri- ate suggestions. Ask him what he would like her reaction to be when she first sees her ring. Invite him to describe the perfect response. Ask him what he would like her friends and family to say when they see the ring and how their reaction might affect her. Ask him what he wants the ring to look like in 10 years, and does he still want her to be wowed? Does he want it to always remind her of that special moment when he proposed? These questions have not included carat weight, color, or clarity. They have not addressed his budget. What they have done is induce a rush of serotonin to his brain as the exciting moments about to unfold in their lives mount in expectation. You have reminded him of the immense duty he has to get this right and, most importantly, that your store is the best place for him to fulfill that responsibility to its fullest potential. This is why you exist. You have helped him to understand the consequences of this purchase; the aspira- tion and the opportunity to make a state- ment now and for decades to come. This effectively reframes the conversation so he will see you as a partner to help fulfill his awesome responsibility. Before you shift to ring specifics, though, you should ask about her personal style. Where does she work? How does she dress at work? You may even want him to show you her Facebook page to see her photo. Establish the budget once you have an emotional connection and then offer three options. These should reflect her prefer- ences and hit three different price-points. If the budget is $5,000, use that, plus twice that price, plus one option that splits the two. Never allow yourself to believe a custom- er's priority is getting the lowest price. To do so exacerbates the reasons why a customer might buy online or from a predatory jew- eler who offers the promise of low price and under the pretense of high quality. There is a principle in social psychology called regret avoidance—refusing to own up to a poor decision. At retail, it means that what the customer really wants is to not make the wrong decision. Sales associ- ates own that domain. Peter Smith has more than 30 years of experience in both retail and wholesale. The Irish native is the author of Hiring Squirrels: 12-Essential Interview Questions To Uncover Great Retail Sales Talent and Sell Something: Principles and Perspectives for Engaged Retail Salespeople. Smith is president of VIBHOR, a U.S. manufacturer of high-quality private-label core diamond essentials. He previously spent 11 years as executive vice president of Hearts On Fire and eight years in sales and operations management with Tiffany & Co. There is a principle in social psychology called regret avoid- ance—refusing to own up to a poor decision. At retail, it means that what the customer really wants is to not make the wrong decision. Sales associates own that domain. BY PETER SMITH