I’ve written in the past about the positive things you can do to close sales. But here are the “sale killers” that can derail any sale if you’re not careful.
1. The client isn’t asked to buy. This is the No. 1 sale killer in our industry.
2. You leave the client to go get something you need for your presentation. If you take the product with you, you’ve told the client you don’t trust them. If you leave it, it makes them nervous because they feel like they have to guard it.
3. Interruptions. You’re in the middle of a presentation and another salesperson walks up and says, “Do you have Mrs. Jones’ appraisal ready?”
4. Doing a price presentation instead of selling the quality of the item or making the presentation about the client. If you focus on the price, the client thinks you are pre-judging their ability to purchase or that you can’t afford it yourself.
5. Negotiating when it’s not needed.
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6. Lack of product and gemological knowledge. If the client knows more than you do, that’s a sale killer.
7. Lack of teamwork. Whether it’s calling someone in for an assist, someone who has more technical knowledge, someone who’s a runner to help clean and polish jewelry for you, or someone to help close, don’t be afraid to ask for help.
8. A bad attitude. If your attitude sucks, stay home. If you have a great one, bring it to work and share it.
9. Being too pushy. You can be professionally aggressive and polite, but not pushy.
10. Doing a show-and-tell presentation. You can’t just tell them about it and teach them; you have to know how a sale works and sell.
11. Huddling. Subconsciously, the client feels left out and possibly uncomfortable. Disperse.
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12. Store floor vacancy. The client comes in and there’s no one to greet them.
14. Your inability to handle objections.
15. Not selling company benefits (reasons to buy from your company). This gives the client peace of mind and freedom from risk that they’re in the right store.
16. Not using value-added statements and proving the price on the tag is real.
17. Doing busy work. This should never be more important than your clients.
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18. Not spending enough time with the client.
19. Not recognizing the 30-second window when the client is ready to purchase.
20. How you handle the jewelry in front of the client. Show respect. Wear white gloves; take it out gently, put it back in gently.
21. Not working well with the “just looking” client. Too many times, they’re left unattended.
22. Not asking enough relationship and selling-specific questions. Always get the client to talk. Make the presentation about them.
Solve these issues in your store and you’ll solve the problem of sale killers!
Shane Decker has provided sales training to more than 3,000 jewelry stores. Shane cut his teeth in jewelry sales in Garden City, KS, and sold over 100 1-carat diamonds four years in a row. Contact him at sdecker@ex-sell-ence.com
