Six steps to a perfect jewelry sales pitch

An effective sales pitch does more than point out a few interesting or trendy products to any potential customers who come in the door. Sales techniques that work are as much an art form as a science. It takes creativity and deeper level emotional connections combined with smart data usage to get more sales and build a true customer relationship. The goal is to create a memorable experience that builds trust and leads to long-term loyalty.

For retailers in the high-end jewelry sector, understanding the mindset of your clientele is key to perfecting the pitch. You need to go beyond your target buyer persona into true personalization. What does the individual value? What are their customer pains? These and other questions are answered in the following six tips for a successful sales pitch.

Step #1 – Collect customer information

The more details you have about prospective customers, or existing ones you want to sell more to, the easier it is to deliver the communication style and product features they want most. While this does start with basic demographics, it takes more than this type of data to make the perfect jewelry sales pitch. Instead, work up a complete customer profile in order to tailor your sales techniques to the individual.

When it comes to selling high-end jewelry, you need to know more than how much they are willing to spend and whether they want to buy a ring, necklace, or pair of earrings. However, all those details usually happen during step two. At this point, collect things like contact details, general interest, budget if applicable, and other things that your sales teams can use to create a pitch that works.

With Clientbook, a digital sales assistant clienteling app built for jewelers, store owners can easily collect customer information that goes beyond the basics, including a buyer’s unique style and preferences. “With Clientbook, getting the customer information we want is so easy because it feels like a natural step to providing good customer service,” says Jeff Corrigan, VP of Wilson Diamonds.”

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Step #2 – Ask questions

Now, you dive into getting to know potential buyers on a more personal level. Sales conversations must include a lot of questions about what they actually want to buy. However, many shoppers don’t know this right off the bat. Even if they have a specific product like an engagement ring, they may not know the specific style that will suit their needs. Asking questions is all about getting to know the customer stories and the emotional aspects that affect what they will actually spend money on.

Consider these or similar questions to ask customers to better understand their needs and interests:

• What type of occasion is this piece for or where do you intend to wear it?
• Do you prefer a specific type of metal or gemstone? What outfit do you want the piece to match?
• Are you interested in trendy items or are you looking for something more traditional and timeless?
• Do you have a particular brand or designer in mind?
• Is this for a gift? Can you please tell me something about the intended recipient.

Buying a gorgeous gemstone ring or an heirloom quality pendant is always the type of purchase that hits the consumer on a personal level. You need to dive into the customer experience that they want to have with the item in order to sell it effectively.

Step #3 – Make personalized recommendations

Once you gather sufficient information, the time has come to make a product pitch and start sales conversations that hopefully lead to a purchase. Personalized recommendations are the cornerstone of this process. Always listen actively to the answers to their questions and other things they say while looking at your jewelry shop collection. Pay attention to any hints about their lifestyle, upcoming events, or gift-buying intention.

Focus not only on the individual products that would suit their needs and tastes. Also ensure that how you recommend them is delivered in a personal way. These sales techniques lead to a higher chance that they will buy without extensive negotiation.

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Step #4 – Negotiate if necessary

Even if you have direct answers to questions about their budget, the perfect sales pitch may still depend upon negotiation to some degree. Some shoppers need to feel like they orchestrated a better deal in order to be satisfied customers. Handle these with grace and professionalism to make sure both parties walk away satisfied without devaluing the brand or the product.

These types of sales pitches that revolve around money to some degree work best when you understand their motivation. Is the product they really want simply out of their price range, and they need a discount? Or are they looking for better value for their money? If this is the case, they might be satisfied with an extended warranty or an invitation to an exclusive loyal customer club. No matter what, continue to highlight the product benefits while heading toward that win-win offer.

Step #5 – Offer a bundle or upsell other products

A simple elevator pitch may grab a customer's interest in a specific brooch or bracelet. However, the sales process doesn’t end until they are 100% satisfied. Upselling or offering product bundles is a powerful strategy for increasing sales while enhancing their overall experience. When it comes to jewelry at higher price points, handle this with subtlety and never get overly pushy. The goal is to convince them that additional purchases will better satisfy their style and emotional needs.

Consider the following ways to offer additional sales opportunities to increase the overall value:

• Offer complementary pieces that match the first one they are interested in. These might be from the same collection, have the same metal or gemstones, or focus on similar holidays or seasonal styles.

• Make exclusive product bundles only available to certain customers. Suggests that these are a luxury option and use words like "limited-edition" to gain more interest.

• Focus on offering exactly what the individual customer wants: exclusivity, hot trends, versatility for the future, family heirloom quality, etc.

• Incentivize the bundle or upsell by adding additional perks that make the whole purchase seem sweeter. These can include things like free jewelry cleaning service or membership in a loyal customer program.

Step #6 – Follow up after the sale

Sales calls, emails, or a social media message to the specific buyer after the sale is complete is the ultimate way to boost customer relationships and get future business from them. This is also a great way to get customer feedback on not only the products but the entire process. This more than anything else can help you create the perfect sales pitch for different types of buyers. It also gives you the opportunity for a follow-up pitch to introduce new product lines or possibilities.

First, send a personalized thank you and acknowledge the importance and appreciation for their purchase. Provide care instructions or offer a complementary service to increase the overall value of your sales calls. Take the time to encourage feedback or reviews as well.

Conclusion

By training your sales team on working to collect data from your shoppers, asking personal questions, and consistently following up, your staff will be delivering a solid pitch in no time.

All of these steps get so much easier if your jewelry store utilizes a powerful platform like Clientbook. When you can collect and analyze data from individual customers, you are much better equipped to give them exactly what they need and make sales pitches that resonate with their jewelry buying needs and interests. Want to see how Clientbook helps jewelers make more money? ? Click here for a free demo.