Benjamin Franklin once said, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” But wait, let’s take a step back—this is jewelry, not war. Though admittedly, with custom jewelry, sometimes it’s hard to tell. Expectations are high, budgets are in place, and negotiations are at stake. So how will you prepare for custom selling success this Holiday Season?
Think about your last custom jewelry sale. Was it created on CounterSketch®, through Stuller’s Modify a Style feature, or Stuller Showcase®? What tools do you have at your disposal? Do yourself and your sales staff a favor and have the following staples readily available in your customization area. This way, when those Holiday shoppers start streaming in, you’ll be prepared for custom selling success.
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1. Millimeter Gauge
Most retail customers don’t think in millimeters. It’s as if your dry cleaner spoke to you in thread count. Sure, you’re mildly familiar, but all you really care about is how it feels. A millimeter gauge helps your customer to visualize real stone sizes. Not to mention, if you are working on a remount project, you must be able to quickly measure the stones your customer wishes to incorporate into their custom piece.
2. Prototype Jewelry
People come to jewelry stores to try on jewelry (shocker I know). Prototype jewelry helps take visualization to the next level. If you are designing a custom piece, it’s unlikely you’ll have exactly what your customer is looking for in stock. However, if you can find similar styles to try on, your customer will be able to visualize their custom creation.
In fact, samples are extremely common in the wedding industry. Bakeries don’t make an entire cake for the couple to sample, just bite-sized pieces (or cupcakes, if they are lucky). The same is true of wedding dresses. The bride-to-be tries on several dresses, and the one she ultimately orders is almost always tailored to her specifications, size, length, color, etc. Now imagine that dress selection process using only pictures and no actual dresses to try on. That would be terrible! How would the bride know which is best for her? Think of your prototypes as sample dresses for your custom customers to try on.
3. A Mighty Microscope
Stones are the centerpieces of most jewelry designs. And whether you are selling a new center stone or remounting an heirloom jewel, you and your customer will need to examine the stone to familiarize yourself with its characteristics, as it can drive the design. Or better yet, try the GemCam Imaging System, an easy way to snap and send gemstone photos straight from your device.
4. Mandrel & Ring Sizers
The size of the ring is one of the most important pieces of information to consider in a custom piece of jewelry. Be sure to collect this information early on. If the gift is a surprise, a ring mandrel works perfectly to measure the recipient’s existing ring.
5. The Basics of Jewelry Terminology and Design Guide
Finally, custom selling success calls for technical conversations with customers without making them feel uninformed. Sometimes, your [millennial] visitors have searched the web and educated themselves on Instagram and Pinterest. Use this pictorial guide to make sure everyone is on the same page. Use this tactile educational reference to explain the differences between emerald, radiant, princess, and Asscher cut diamonds, for example. It will aid the design process and ensure that you and your customer are speaking the same language. View and download a FREE copy of The Basics of Jewelry Terminology and Design Guide here.
Hopefully, you already have these essential tools on your sales floor. Now it’s your job to make sure you have enough for your staff to handle Holiday traffic and that these tools are easily accessible. If not, a small investment in these staples will tune in your customer-focused strategy and ensure custom selling success this Holiday Season!
