WE HAVE A funny habit as salespeople. We work so hard at the sales presentation and everything that happens before the close that we tend to neglect what happens after. Once we hear “I’ll take it,” we rush to the checkout before our guest has a chance to change their mind.
I have two important insights for you. First, clients are happier getting this gift off of their shopping list than you are to have made a sale. Second, they’re not done shopping. In 2021, shoppers visited an average of 15 stores. Every guest is an opportunity to create an add-on sale. Here’s how.
Ask “Who Else Is on Your List?”
I have to give credit to our store owner Craig Husar for this, but it is the perfect question to ask because it’s not a yes/no question, and we all shop for more than one person. He may be buying a tennis bracelet for his wife, but his son would love a watch, his daughter would love a Swarovski necklace or St. Christopher charm. Before we let them leave with a gift for one person, we need to uncover who else on their list we can help with.
Advertisement
Offer Matching Pieces
You know what’s really hard? Selling a pair of earrings that are a distinct match to a pendant after you’ve already sold the pendant. The most natural person for those matching earrings is the woman with the pendant. The lead-in line goes something like this: “The designer who created this pendant also made matching earrings to complete the set. You can wait until her birthday or anniversary to gift them, but you should get these now while we have them.” It gives him a surefire hit for the next occasion that rolls around, but you need to professionally create a sense of urgency.
Suggest Stacking
One of the biggest trends we’ve seen in recent years is women stacking multiple necklaces together. Chances are excellent that the necklace you just sold has a beautiful complementary piece that she could wear a little longer or shorter. That bracelet or ring he just picked? Same thing, women are wearing multiple rings and bracelets at the same time to complete their ensemble. This one can be a little hard to visualize, so be sure to call a teammate over to model the look.
Holiday shoppers have more than one person to shop for, and they often don’t leave themselves a lot of time to get through their lists. Add-ons are not something we do to our guests, but rather for our guests. For every person you help this season, you should be asking yourself, “How can I help them get as much of their list done as possible?”
Advertisement
Family Legacy, New Chapter: How Wilkerson Turns 89 Years of History Into Future Success
After 89 years of serving the Albany community, Harold Finkle Your Jeweler faced a pivotal decision. For third-generation owner Justin Finkle, the demanding hours of running a small business were taking precious time away from his young family. "After 23 years, I decided this was the time for me," Finkle explains. But closing a business with nearly nine decades of inventory and customer relationships isn't something easily managed alone.
Wilkerson's comprehensive approach transformed this challenging transition into a remarkable success story. Their strategic planning handled everything from advertising and social media to inventory management and staffing — elements that would overwhelm most jewelers attempting to navigate a closing sale independently.
The results speak volumes. "Wilkerson gave us three different tiers of potential goals," Finkle notes. "We've reached that third tier, that highest goal already, and we still have two weeks left of the sale." The partnership didn't just meet financial objectives—it exceeded them ahead of schedule.
