June 2000 For Your Staff: Selling Diamonds Role-Play Cards: Skill Practice in Selling Better-Quality Diamonds Use these handy role-playing cards to teach each other how to sell diamonds by emphasizing rarity and how to sell a customer up the quality scale Experienced jewelers know skill practice (or role play) is one of the best ways to reinforce selling skills. Having role-play scenarios available makes it easy to ensure that practice happens. The following set of skill practice cards can be used in just three to five minutes on the sales floor to keep learning alive, interesting and top-of-mind. These cards add an additional set to those included in the skill practice kit of the Diamond Promotion Service’s education program “How to Sell … Better Quality Diamonds.” The DPS program teaches two key strategies: “Rarity,” and “Selling Up by Selling Down.” Get ready to print, save and practice! Rarity Rarity is the link between the 4C’s (cut, color, clarity and carat) and the price of a diamond. Diamond values are determined by how rarely diamonds of that quality appear in nature. Diamonds that are less rare are less expensive than diamonds of higher quality, which are more rare. Selling Up by Selling Down Selling up is hard. Selling down is easy. Selling down means starting with the very best, finest quality diamonds in every sale. Customers love to look at and touch large, fine-quality rare diamonds. Sales associates also find it easier to demonstrate the 4C’s with a rare diamond. Customers who understand quality often buy finer stones. Assigning the Roles Use these cards in your sales training. One person plays the sales associate, a second is the customer and third should observe the action. The cards for the sales associate and the customer have background for them to base their actions on, and each has an objective that must be accomplished. The observer’s card has instructions for evaluating the sale and how to give constructive feedback. – by Diane Warga-Arias, Diamond Promotion Service   Role-Play Cards/Print and Save Skills to Be Practiced: Rarity, Selling Up by Selling Down Sales Associate Background You are selling to a man in his early 40s. His name is Brad and he’s interested in buying an important diamond for his wife, Ann, in celebration of their recent success in selling their business. Brad has bought several jewelry gifts over the years, but he wants this one to outshine all the others. Brad has just indicated he’s aware of the 4C’s, but he’s never heard the 4C’s used in terms of rarity. Your Objective: Use rarity to explain the 4C’s and diamond quality, then show Brad your finest diamond solitaire necklaces. Skills to Be Practiced: Rarity, Selling Up by Selling Down Customer Background You are Brad Smith, a 42-year-old entrepreneur. You just sold the business that you and your wife, Ann, began 16 years ago. You’re proud you grew a $5,000 loan into a $100 million business that was acquired by the world’s largest plumbing company. You want to surprise Ann with the diamond necklace she’s always wanted. You know she’ll be thrilled, but you also want the diamond as a way to show off your new financial status. You’ve done some Internet research and you want at least a 1-ct. diamond with no visible inclusions. You’ve learned about the 4C’s, but you just told the sales associate you’ve never heard the 4C’s discussed in terms of rarity. Your Objective: Help the sales associate practice by taking interest in the explanation of the 4C’s and rarity and asking questions. When viewing fine-quality diamonds, react with enthusiasm when the associate shows them to you and during the explanation of quality, value and rarity. Skills to Be Practiced: Rarity, Selling Up by Selling Down Observer/Answer Key Did the associate: Uncover key information about Brad and Ann that was not covered on the sales associates background card? Explain the 4C’s in terms of rarity? Use the appropriate 4C’s sales tools effectively? Use the rarest diamond to demonstrate rarity? Suggest a diamond that reflects Brad and Ann’s relationship and financial status? Your assignment is to give specific feedback to the person acting as the sales associate. Focus on the use of the targeted skills and refer to the exact words the sales associate used in the demonstration. You may find it helpful to take notes. Avoid giving your own opinions until after you’ve given objective feedback. Please refer to the Sales Associate Card and Customer Card for background.