Understanding how to get the neophyte jewelry customer to buy during their first visit to your store is extremely important. First you must convince them of your expertise. Try asking questions of things an experienced jewelry buyer would know and would want to ask you. Educate the neophyte jewelry shoppers about the things they didn’t know they need to know. By politely exposing their ignorance you can win a friend for life. Your objective is to be factual in the information you share and as precise as a surgeon’s scalpel in your probing to uncover what the customer really desires. The shopper’s mindset must change from the sales person just wanting to sell them something and earn a commission to the trust and confidence the customer is comfortable placing in the professional jewelry consultant who is trying to help them become a happy and satisfied customer.Getting the inexperienced jewelry customer to buy now is critically important. Probing the customer with open ended questions may not always produce the results sales associates’ desire because there may be a lack of rapport. Consider offering some information to let the shopper know you know how to help them. Show some empathy for the daunting task of selecting the right jewelry piece for the right reasons. Use a combination approach of questions and educational statements to help qualify the best product category. Let the shopper guide you to the right price range. Don’t assume too much until the shopper shares feedback about quality and price . . . and be prepared for shoppers to change their minds and opt for a higher quality, higher priced item.

I doubt you will establish much rapport by reciting the key points of your oral examination of your Graduate Gemologist (GG) diploma. Use simple layman terms that the neophyte, less experienced jewelry shopper can understand and comprehend. Keep in mind neophyte shoppers plan to shop at different stores and compare prices, quality and design styles to find their most desired value proposition. They want to get your information and take it home where they can make a rational decision.

Allowing the neophyte shopper to take your business card with your best deal hand written on the back of your business card is not providing the best service you can offer them. Rapport is the key to establishing the consumer trust and buyer confidence required to make the sale. How likable can you be? How professional are you?

Selling has been described as a psychologist performing a Broadway play. How dramatic are the words you choose to use in your presentation? How compelling and personalized are the words you use in your product demonstration?

Understand that even people with the best intentions of buying jewelry logically, probably will not do so. These luxury purchases are made emotionally. Recognize that most of these shoppers are not going to make it home to do their logical due diligence. They are going to fall in love with a jewelry piece and they will be overcome by their desire and impulsive nature to own it now. Also understand that if they don’t buy it at your store, then they will probably buy from one of your main competitors. As consumers, most of us just aren’t that rational . . . especially when it comes to jewelry.

Effective trial closing is the difference between a shopper who scans your store for the best deal and walks out as a “be-back” and a happy satisfied shopper who decides to be a buyer. The best trial closes ask the shopper questions to expose their interests and feelings. By rephrasing what the shopper has identified as what they most desire sales associates can pin point the right jewelry. By offering trail closes salespeople can help measure the interest of a neophyte shopper in each jewelry offering. Done right, shoppers ask to buy the jewelry. Truly consider the needs, wants, demands and desires of each neophyte jewelry shopper and help them visualize wearing your jewelry and how they will feel when others acknowledge them. To me that’s not selling; that’s just helping others become happy, satisfied customers. The neophyte jewelry customer will need you to help them discover their confidence as a jewelry buyer and their ability to put their trust in you. Now all you have to do is . . . earn it.

JCK