October 2000 Managing/Staff Meetings Back to Basics: Staff Meeting #4 Fourth in a series of meeting outlines to help you train your sales staff – this time we tackle romancing the sale The debate has gone on for almost as long as we’ve been an industry: selling the romance vs. selling the technical. How do we succeed most often in closing our sales? Do we sell the romance of the jewelry and of the occasion or do we emphasize its technical attributes in our effort to persuade the customer to buy? With experience, we’ve found there’s room – and a need – for both. But more often than not, it’s the romance that sells the piece. The following outline will serve as a road map for an enlightening journey through your “Selling the Romance” staff meeting. It’s strictly a guide; we can’t overemphasize the importance of embellishing the plan to your taste, encouraging participation and role-play and designing an exercise or two yourself. Keep it brief, motivational and positive. Introduction: Starting Thoughts The aim of this lesson is to encourage the use of romance in selling fine jewelry. All selling methods work better when customized to fit the seller’s personality. Good selling methods don’t necessarily require an “all-or-nothing” approach; there can be a blend. If you’re not sure, try it, test it, tweak it. You’ll find the right recipe eventually. I. Always Have Technical Knowledge Available A. Be able to respond confidently to client’s technical questions. B. Look and sound professional. This builds the client’s confidence in you, your company and your product. II. Don’t Overwhelm with Technical Knowledge A. Most customers aren’t that interested in the technicaln aspects and can’t follow the explanation because they’re unfamiliar with the jargon or are intimidated by the information. B. Boredom and/or discomfort can quickly displace their excitement and anticipation. III. Romancing Encourages Clients to See the Recipient’s Reaction A. Draw pictures with words. 1. “Imagine her surprise ...” 2. “Envision the look on her face ...” 3. “Picture his reaction ...” B. Use exciting, descriptive language to portray the piece. 1. Phrases such as “good quality,” “nice design” and “pretty stone” do nothing to make the juices flow. 2. Words such as magnificent, elegant, exquisite, breath-taking, spectacular, bold, rich, captivating, brilliant and lustrous create different images in the client’s mind. (See how many words you can elicit; there are hundreds.) C. Choose your descriptive words carefully. 1. Words should be appropriate for the item. a. A “No. 1 Mom” charm isn’t scintillating and a 2-ct. marquise solitaire ring isn’t adorable. 2. Words should be appropriate for the customer. a. An older gentleman buying a 40th-anniversary gift probably doesn’t want to hear it’s “cute.” A teen buying a 10k promise ring for his girlfriend probably won’t do real well with “mesmerizing.” 3. Words should be appropriate for the sales associate. a. If you’re at ease saying “scintillating” to the senior citizen, sensational! If you can say “cool” to the teen comfortably, great! But if a word doesn’t roll off your tongue smoothly, don’t force it. You risk the chance of appearing phony and destroying the confidence and credibility you’ve worked so hard to build. IV. Balance the Romance with the Technical. A. A mix of both will make the client a believer. B. Use the technical information only when needed to answer a question or drive home a point. C. Use the romance to elevate the exercise. Validate the decision and make the experience memorable. Next Month: Asking for the Sale –by Christine Anzell & Jack Levenson Christine Anzell and Jack Levenson are well-known sales trainers in the jewelry industry.