A note to jewelry professionals.

MEMO

From: Uncle Andy (Jewelry Store Owner, Salesperson, Amateur Philosopher and Beer Lover)

To: All Jewelry Sales Professionals and Sales People

Subject: The obvious starting point to crushing it on the sales floor.

The following is an obvious secret that will most likely be accepted as “a given,” after you read it. As an owner/salesperson, I find it to be true, and an unspoken starting point to being a superstar sales person and all-around cool person.

Like most truths, it is a deceptively simple observation that was revealed to me over the course of the past year, when I decided suit up and get back on the sales floor. I learned way more than this little ditty, but as I said, it is a starting point … so let’s get started.

An Obvious Secret

If you want to succeed in this business, you gotta wanna be there.*

There you have it, Step Number A on The Road to Success and Riches as I see it.

You must be thinking, “Wait, what? That’s it? That’s the secret to all this?”

Partly, yes. It’s the beginning, middle and end to every moment you commit to being a Fine Jewelry Adviser. (That’s what you do you know. You advise people to get what you have, so their lives are better for having met you.)

Owners and good managers want you to win more than you know. We want you to rock this business. We hope you kill it and make a million dollars and that you’re proud of what you do and why you do it.

You can believe that or not, the choice is yours, but I’m telling you as a guy who does both, it’s true. We want you to be a superstar.

Can you see that the choice of loving or hating what you do, and where you do it, is up to you? Ultimately your success doesn’t come from your boss, or the brands you sell, or memorizing the company mission statement. Those things are great and necessary and sometimes motivating, but they aren’t the secret to crushing it in the real world.

It starts and ends with you, and you gotta wanna be there.

Everything you do while you are at work either adds or detracts from your place. That’s right, YOUR place. You are a part of something bigger, and you were hired because the owners or managers felt you could add something to the business.

You are an integral part of everyone else’s success, or lack thereof. (That includes your client’s wish for a successful purchase at your place.) Understand that YOU matter and let it to guide your minute-to-minute actions and decisions, and you will find yourself “doing the things” that bring success to you and your place. (You’ll feel better at the beginning, middle and end of your days too.).

The point is, if you don’t like your place, and you don’t want to be there, it’s doubtful you will have a heartfelt interest in seeing the business grow and develop and be successful and cool. If that’s the case, then do everyone a favor and get out.  

I understand that sometimes it’s not something you can just up and do, and if that’s the case, don’t give up, and don’t use it as an excuse to suck. Instead, do something to change your place for the better by what you do. Do it for the greater good, and before you know it things will improve, and you’ll realize you’re doing it for yourself.

And don’t be surprised if you suddenly find yourself high-fiving co-workers and clients because you like what you do and where you do it. (Whoa.) You’ll want to be there. When you hit that spot, buckle up because kick-assery is just around the corner.

But I’m telling you, none of that will happen unless you want to be there.

You Gotta Wanna Be There.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you your future, and it starts with YOU.

*In case it’s not obvious, I’m referring to the store where you work.

Andy Koehn is the owner of Koehn & Koehn Jewelers in West Bend, WI.