ColumnistsApr 05, 2022
The Smart Lab: How To Take Advantage of ‘Google My Business’ ColumnistsApr 13, 2022
Squirrel Spotting: Johnny Cash Was a Salesman
Peter Smith charts the singer’s unlikely path to sales excellence as a reminder of what jewelers need to look for when hiring salespeople.
Peter Smith is an industry consultant, speaker, sales trainer, and author. He can be reached via email at TheRetailSmiths@gmail.com.
In a 1997 interview on NPR’s “Fresh Air,” Johnny Cash talked to host Terry Gross about trying to sell home appliances at a store called Home Equipment Company in Memphis, Tennessee.
“I couldn’t sell anything and didn’t really want to,” he said.
Later in the same interview, Cash recounted how he had virtually stalked Sam Phillips, the owner of Sun Records, to give him a listen.
“I was fully confident,” Cash said, “I was going to see Sam Phillips and record for him.”
Cash called Phillips on the phone again and again but was turned down with each call. However, rather than allowing himself to be dissuaded from his dream, he took things to the next stage.
“One day, I just decided that I’m ready to go. I went down [to Sun Records] with my guitar and sat on the front steps of his recording studio and met him (Phillips) when he came in. I said, ‘I’m Johnny Cash. I’m the one that’s been calling and if you’d listen to me, I believe you’ll be glad you did.’”
Great singers—particularly those who are also songwriters—are storytellers. Their ability to communicate emotion to complete strangers in three or four minutes is central to their believability, their authenticity.
When Johnny Cash cited his inability to sell home appliances as evidence of his lack of sales acumen, he wasn’t totally right.
He might not have been able to sell home appliances, but when it came to selling himself and his music, he was a master.
Cash’s efforts to ensure he got an audition at Sun Records was a master class in sales. A micro one, for sure, but a case study no less.
His ability thereafter to sell his songs, his stories, is one for the history books. He could sell; he just didn’t want to sell home appliances.
I don’t know if Julie Panko can sing a lick, or if she’d ever want to sell appliances, but I do know that she is an accomplished sales professional for Mountz Jewelers in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania.
Julie didn’t have a jewelry background when she applied at Mountz. In fact, she didn’t have any kind of sales background at all.
Julie, you see, drove a school bus for 15 years in south central Pennsylvania. She did so because it afforded her the opportunity to take her 2-year-old daughter, Alayna, on the bus with her.
Six years later, she was able to do the same thing for her son, Jake, when he was 2 years old.
At the time Julie heard Mountz was hiring, her wardrobe, consisting almost entirely of sweats, T-shirts, and sneakers, was not her friend. A typical morning saw her quickly put her hair into a bun, sans makeup, and head off to inspect the bus and plot her route for the day.
She said she probably had one business button-down and a skirt in those days. Julie’s life was far removed from the world of luxury, of jewelry, of Rolex, and yet she eventually became a top sales professional for Mountz Jewelers.
“I couldn’t sell anything and didn’t really want to,” he said.
Later in the same interview, Cash recounted how he had virtually stalked Sam Phillips, the owner of Sun Records, to give him a listen.
“I was fully confident,” Cash said, “I was going to see Sam Phillips and record for him.”
Cash called Phillips on the phone again and again but was turned down with each call. However, rather than allowing himself to be dissuaded from his dream, he took things to the next stage.
“One day, I just decided that I’m ready to go. I went down [to Sun Records] with my guitar and sat on the front steps of his recording studio and met him (Phillips) when he came in. I said, ‘I’m Johnny Cash. I’m the one that’s been calling and if you’d listen to me, I believe you’ll be glad you did.’”
Great singers—particularly those who are also songwriters—are storytellers. Their ability to communicate emotion to complete strangers in three or four minutes is central to their believability, their authenticity.
When Johnny Cash cited his inability to sell home appliances as evidence of his lack of sales acumen, he wasn’t totally right.
He might not have been able to sell home appliances, but when it came to selling himself and his music, he was a master.
Cash’s efforts to ensure he got an audition at Sun Records was a master class in sales. A micro one, for sure, but a case study no less.
His ability thereafter to sell his songs, his stories, is one for the history books. He could sell; he just didn’t want to sell home appliances.
I don’t know if Julie Panko can sing a lick, or if she’d ever want to sell appliances, but I do know that she is an accomplished sales professional for Mountz Jewelers in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania.
Julie didn’t have a jewelry background when she applied at Mountz. In fact, she didn’t have any kind of sales background at all.
Julie, you see, drove a school bus for 15 years in south central Pennsylvania. She did so because it afforded her the opportunity to take her 2-year-old daughter, Alayna, on the bus with her.
Six years later, she was able to do the same thing for her son, Jake, when he was 2 years old.
At the time Julie heard Mountz was hiring, her wardrobe, consisting almost entirely of sweats, T-shirts, and sneakers, was not her friend. A typical morning saw her quickly put her hair into a bun, sans makeup, and head off to inspect the bus and plot her route for the day.
She said she probably had one business button-down and a skirt in those days. Julie’s life was far removed from the world of luxury, of jewelry, of Rolex, and yet she eventually became a top sales professional for Mountz Jewelers.
“Saying that you are open to hiring people without sales experience is of little consequence if you don’t structure your recruitment efforts accordingly.”— Peter Smith
Koser Jewelers’ Ryan Torrenti graduated from Lancaster Bible College with a bachelor’s degree in student ministries. Needing to pay his bills, he took the only job he could find at the time—a warehouse worker for Best Buy.
Ryan shared that he needed two references just to get an interview for the warehouse job, almost laughable by today’s standards.
Despite overwhelming evidence showing that top salespeople come from all walks of life, companies continue to advertise for people with experience in sales and then bemoan the poor quality of candidates they do somehow manage to unearth.
With that mindset, you don’t find people like Julie Panko or Ryan Torrenti—stars in their respective stores.
They would never have gotten the chance to become outstanding salespeople because they drove school buses and stocked shelves.
Saying that you are open to hiring people without sales experience is of little consequence if you don’t structure your recruitment efforts accordingly.
If you want to tap into a broader base of potential candidates—and note that conservative estimates indicate 25 percent of all people have sales wiring—then scream it from the rafters in your messaging.
Let people know that your very best people drove school buses, stocked shelves, tended bar, were schoolteachers, etc., and that you are looking for people with the ambition to be great.
People who love people. People who are self-motivated. People who want to listen. People who want to make a career in sales.
In advertising for experienced salespeople or, worse still, experienced jewelry salespeople, we are in effect conceding that we are unwilling to train the very things that can be trained (product, process) while ignoring the things that cannot be trained (motivation, empathy, resilience, work ethic).
When Julie first became a sales professional, she knew nothing whatsoever about selling luxury products; Mountz had to teach her the ropes.
But they didn’t have to worry about her wiring, her personality, her inherent decency, her drive. She brought that with her, along with a sincere passion for people and a desire to help them.
It wasn’t an easy adjustment. In fact, she told me how very challenging it was at first trying to understand and sell expensive jewelry.
“My mom lives a couple of doors down from me and I shared my early frustrations with her, telling her that I was going to give this three weeks only.”
Not surprisingly, Julie’s mom and sister encouraged her to stay the course, reminding her that she was destined for great things.
Koser Jewelers in Mount Joy, Pennsylvania did not have to teach Ryan to care about people or to want to make a difference in their lives.
Like Julie, he too brought a genuine love of people, a desire to help them, and a determination to be a success into his role.
“My father was in sales, and I knew how cutthroat the business could be. I knew how important it was to make the numbers, but I didn’t want to lose my identity in pursuit of sales success,” he said.
“It was my passion for people that made me realize that sales would be a great outlet for me. Working in a big-box store allowed me to be an anthropologist of sorts because I was meeting customers from all
different walks of life.”
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
In “The Empathy Effect,” Dr. Helen Riess wrote, “In human interactions, empathy is one of the most powerful forces we have for connecting with and helping others. And like any skill, it can be molded, fine-tuned, enhanced, and managed.”
Not surprisingly, neither Ryan nor Julie indicated their persuasive prowess in describing their own success; rather, it was their desire to understand what was most important to their customers.
As Ryan said, “Each person I interact with is of infinite worth and value, regardless of their needs. I am genuinely an advocate for my customers, and everything I do is a result of that core belief.”
Both Julie and Ryan described empathy as their strongest suit, and Julie talked about building trust and listening to every customer, no matter how small their needs might be.
Kevin Mitchell is an associate professor of Genetics and Neuroscience at Trinity College Dublin.
In his groundbreaking book, “Innate: How the Wiring of Our Brains Shape Who We Are,” he wrote: “There is little evidence to support the idea that we can really change our personality traits, that we could, for example, learn to be biologically less neurotic or more conscientious.
“You may be able to learn behavioral strategies that allow you to adapt better to the demands of your life, but these are unlikely to change the predispositions themselves.”
We are surrounded by people with sales wiring, and yet many of them are not working in a sales capacity.
They’re waiting tables, tending bar, teaching, and working in doctor’s offices. Some of them even drive school buses and stock shelves.
As for the guitar players and songwriters, they may have a different path for now.
More on Columnists
The Latest
SurveysApr 03, 2025
2025 Retail Sales to Grow More Slowly Amid ‘Uncertainty,’ Says NRFThe National Retail Federation expects retail sales growth to return to pre-pandemic levels as consumers continue to face inflation.
TrendsApr 03, 2025
Tallulah Willis Imbues Antique Engagement Ring With MagicThe 4-carat, old mine brilliant-cut diamond engagement ring was co-designed by Willis and New York City-based brand Karina Noel.
SourcingApr 03, 2025
Canadian Mine Produces 158-Carat Yellow Diamond Rio Tinto unearthed the diamond at its Diavik mine in Canada’s Northwest Territories.
Brought to you by
The Heart of the Industry: Giving Bench Jewelers the Recognition They DeserveBench jewelers spend years honing their skills, Jewelers of America’s Certification validates their talents.
CollectionsApr 03, 2025
Buccellati to Open Immersive Exhibition in MilanThe multisensory experience, open April 8-13, will feature the brand’s silver creations among dream-like scenes of natural landscapes.
Weekly QuizApr 03, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Policies & IssuesApr 03, 2025
Jewelers of America to Hold Webinar on TariffsThe virtual event will take place April 7 at 3 p.m.
CollectionsApr 02, 2025
Bea Bongiasca’s ‘Tarallo’ Collection Expansion Is a ZooThe pieces in “Animali Tarallo” portray animals from stingrays to elephants through portraits and interpretations of their patterns.
Brought to you by
Natural Diamonds Should Mean MoreNatural diamonds mean more than lab-grown, but when every cut is ideal, they all look the same. Customers want more—Facets of Fire delivers.
MajorsApr 02, 2025
Neiman Marcus’ Dallas Flagship Will Remain Open, For NowParent company Saks Global said the iconic location will be open through the holiday season as it decides what to do with the space.
SourcingApr 02, 2025
Winston’s Collection of Natural Color Diamonds Now on Display in D.C. Ronald Winston, son of Harry Winston, donated the diamonds to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.
Events & AwardsApr 02, 2025
Punchmark to Host Client WorkshopThe educational event will take place in Charlotte, North Carolina, this May.
IndependentsApr 01, 2025
Bergman Jewelers in Omaha Closing After 137 YearsThe independent jeweler first opened its doors in 1888.
MajorsApr 01, 2025
QVC Group to Cut 900 Jobs in the U.S.The layoffs come amid the TV shopping channel’s efforts to restructure and focus on live shopping through social media.
Events & AwardsApr 01, 2025
U.S. Antique Shows Adds Fall Show in FloridaThe debut event will take place in Miami’s Coconut Grove neighborhood this fall.
Events & AwardsApr 01, 2025
TJS to Host Discussion on Jewelry Industry’s Labor ShortageThe roundtable will take place May 17 ahead of the trade show’s welcome dinner.
CollectionsApr 01, 2025
Monica Rich Kosann Says ‘Good Grief’ in Peanuts Jewelry CollectionThe “Peanuts x Monica Rich Kosann” collection features the comic strip’s classic vocabulary across 10 bracelet designs.
Recorded WebinarsMar 31, 2025
Watch: What Do We Mean When We Say ‘Recycled’ Gold?Three industry experts dive into the complexities of the material often marketed as an “ethical” alternative for metal in jewelry.
TrendsMar 31, 2025
Amanda’s Style File: Dripping in DiamondsDiamonds are not only one of the most prominent gemstones, but the birthstone for those born in April.
MajorsMar 31, 2025
Lashbrook Expands Into Luxury Golf Gifts With AcquisitionThe Utah-based company known for making wedding bands has acquired Doubloon Golf.
WatchesMar 31, 2025
Bulgari CEO Jean-Christophe Babin Will Also Head LVMH WatchesThe longtime luxury executive led one of LVMH’s watch brands, TAG Heuer, for 12 years before taking over Bulgari in 2013.
CrimeMar 28, 2025
2 Suspects Arrested in $1.7M Smash-and-Grab Robbery of NY Jewelry StoreAuthorities said the robbers fled with jewelry and 70 Rolex watches, later taking pictures of themselves posing with big stacks of cash.
SourcingMar 28, 2025
19th-Century Jade Book Now Available in EnglishLotus Gemology founder Richard W. Hughes has translated Heinrich Fischer’s 1880 book “Nephrit und Jadeit” from its original German.
CollectionsMar 28, 2025
Piece of the Week: Löf’s ‘The Valentine’ RingThe ring's design features contrasting lines influenced by work from architecture-inspired photographer Nikola Olic.
SurveysMar 27, 2025
Consumer Confidence Falls in March Amid ‘Gloomy’ OutlookThe Conference Board’s index fell as consumers continued to worry about the impact of tariffs, the labor market, and the price of eggs.
AuctionsMar 27, 2025
300-Year-Old Ring Linked to Witch Trial Judge Goes Unsold at Auction However, two medieval jewels surpassed estimates at Noonans Mayfair’s recent jewelry auction in London.
WatchesMar 27, 2025
Austin Butler Joins Breitling as Brand AmbassadorThe Oscar-nominated actor debuted in the campaign for the new “Top Time B31” collection, which introduced Breitling’s Caliber B31.
SourcingMar 27, 2025
Susan Jacques, Gaetano Cavalieri to Headline 2025 ICA Congress The Congress is scheduled to take place May 19-22 in Brasilia, Brazil.
