Southern Jewelry News

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10:02

May

2008

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Article Autor: Ivan Levi

Have you ever been “wowed” by a salesperson, spent twice as much as you had expected, and been thrilled about it?

By Ivan Levi

Have you ever been “wowed” by a salesperson, spent twice as much as you had expected, and been thrilled about it? In my 25 years of experience, I have noticed that sales are often lost due to a salespersons lack of product knowledge. Have you ever walked out of a store because you were unhappy with the awareness the salesperson had for the products? I am going to tell you how to ensure that your salespeople come across as polished, caring, and professionals each time they show a piece of jewelry.

Let me tell you a quick experience to illustrate my point. Recently, I visited a major department store at the mall looking to purchase a high-end sport coat. In this store, the logo for the brand I was looking for was largely displayed on the wall behind the salesperson. What this salesperson didn’t know was that I really wanted to buy a sports coat by that brand, and all he needed to do in order to make the sale was to know what he had in stock. In other words, he needed to know his product.

When I asked him about the sport coat I was looking for, the salesman seemed very unsure. I became irritated because this salesperson seemed so uncertain, and I actually pointed out the logo on the wall above his head. To me, it felt almost as if he didn’t care. This salesman’s hesitancy caused me to walk out of a store where I would have spent a great deal of money.
Determined to get a new sport coat, I walked to the other end of the mall and entered into a store specializing in men’s clothing. I told the salesman, “My wife thinks I am picking up milk at the grocery store. You have to get me in and out of here in 20 minutes.”

His first question was to determine what I was looking for. I told him, “I am giving a presentation and would love something I can wear fancy or casual.”
He then said to me, “So what you are saying is that you would like something you can dress up or dress down?” (I was so excited that he not only understood what I wanted, but was really listening. It felt like he cared.)
Next, the salesperson confirmed my size and told me that he would lay out three sport coats for me to choose from. Within 5 minutes, he had 3 different sport coats coordinated with 3 different colored mock turtlenecks, a pair of jeans, and pair of black pants. The way he laid everything out, it was easy for me to see how I could dress each coat up or down. I was done in under 20 minutes, and thanked the salesman for adding on what I needed while recognizing that I had limited time.

So where am I going with this? The salesman knew where his product was and where to get the right size/color. He looked and acted professional, and my confidence soared. Therefore, I spent money.

How does this tie into the jewelry business? I am going to tell you a simple way that you can ensure your store has knowledgeable salespeople; Take an index card and write down the “Features and Benefits” of each of your products. Use the following format:

A) Benefits - What are the 3 main things that a customer would love and desire in this particular piece? (i.e.: matches a previous purchase, add-on concept, etc)

B) Features - What are the 3 most important mechanical features I need to understand about this product? (i.e.: clasp options, gold options, etc.)

C) Marketing - What marketing/advertising tools are available, such as brochures or postcards, to help you tell the story?

Now I have told you one of the greatest ways to ensure that your sales team is professional and knowledgeable. Take a few minutes today to start creating your own Features & Benefits Cards. This will not only increase your team’s knowledge of the products they are selling, but help them to become confident and successful salespeople!

Ivan Levi is celebrating his 25th year in the jewelry industry. He is president of Ivan Alan Jewels® and Ivan Alan Solutions™. His sales training seminars are heard throughout the country at trade shows and at in-store meetings. To contact Ivan for seminar information, call 800-235-1918.