RETAIL JEWELER ANDY KOEHN, co-owner of Koehn & Koehn in West Bend, WI, with his wife, Jenn, has long embraced a casual, informal approach to selling engagement rings, which he explored with a podcast, Buy Like a Guy. He talks to engagement ring shoppers like he’s their buddy at a bar or their most honest friend who happens to know a thing or two about diamonds.
With the April debut of his book, The Inappropriate Guide To Buying An Engagement Ring: Irreverent Wisdom From An Industry Insider, he seeks to widen his audience for down-to-earth advice while potentially offering a practical tool to other retail jewelers.
His no-BS approach is converting hesitant customers at an encouraging rate.
“I think our industry is starting to take ourselves more seriously than we used to,” Koehn says.
“I know our stuff is behind glass, but it doesn’t mean we have to be super serious and formal and behind glass ourselves. We can have fun and talk to them like people.”
The idea for the book was inspired by the podcast. When a staff member suggested turning his unconventional selling methods into a training tool, Koehn realized he was onto something bigger.
Andy & Jenn Koehn
“We live in a small town, and people constantly ask me for my best advice about diamonds and jewelry,” he explains. “If you get asked enough times, you think there are a fair number of people who would like these answers.”
But Koehn decided that traditional industry education wasn’t cutting it. “I get why there are the 4 Cs and why details matter, but ultimately a guy doesn’t wake up thinking about cut, clarity, carat and color. He says, ‘I want to get engaged and I want the most powerful symbol in the world.’”
The book lives up to its title with colorful language and unfiltered advice. Amazon’s description warns readers about “raw language” and that it’s “not recommended for those who faint at four-letter words.”
“I was writing it for me,” Koehn says. “I’m writing like I talk, so there’s a lot of profanity in there. That’s where the best stuff comes from, being authentic. A quarter of the way through, I thought, now I have my title: This is so inappropriate!”
The guide covers practical topics like finding your “guy on the inside,” decoding the 4 Cs without industry jargon, the truth about lab-grown diamonds, and how to spend money on a ring without feeling ripped off.
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What started as a way to get something off his chest became an unexpected sales tool. Instead of handing out traditional 4 Cs brochures to customers who wanted to “think about it,” Koehn started giving them his book. In the first few months, he gave away 18 books to the undecided. Nine customers returned to buy rings, creating a 50% conversion rate and $58,129 in total sales.
“Pamphlets can be just a regurgitation of what they see online, and they’re really dull,” Koehn notes. “When guys come in looking for an engagement ring and say they ‘have to think about it’ and walk out the door, this book can be an awesome business card.”
Recognizing an opportunity for other retailers, Koehn created a starter pack for jewelers that includes discounted books, a customizable insert template, a quick-start guide, and clear adhesive sleeves for business cards.
“I have no designs on conquering the world,” he says. “Jewelers can use this book to get these guys in their own back yards to come to their stores. If you’re a retail jeweler, give this book to clients and add your business card to it.”
Client feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with customers telling Koehn they laughed out loud while reading it. “My favorite thing to hear is it’s funny,” he says.
Koehn’s success proves that authenticity sells, even when it seems to be inappropriate. By treating customers like real people instead of sales targets, he’s created a tool that not only educates but entertains, turning skeptical shoppers into loyal customers.
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