ColumnistsOct 19, 2022
The PR Adviser: The 4 Superheroes of the Customer JourneyColumnistsNov 01, 2022
10 Sales Tips for the Holiday Season
Thinking about your sales approach and implementing subtle changes can make a big difference in effectiveness, Peter Smith writes.
Peter Smith is an industry consultant, speaker, sales trainer, and author. He can be reached via email at TheRetailSmiths@gmail.com.
With sales beginning to show signs of slowing, it becomes more important than ever that we maximize every opportunity to satisfy customers and close sales.
The sales process is a matter of small degrees in the right direction. With each positive action, you increase the likelihood of improving your own sales results and your customers’ positive experiences.
Whether you are a seasoned and accomplished sales professional or new to retail, thinking about your sales approach and implementing subtle changes today can make a big difference in your effectiveness.
Here are 10 tips to help with your sales efforts this season.
1. Get out from behind the furniture
The only reason to be behind a counter is to remove products to show a customer. Since that should never happen until you know what is most important to them, get out from behind the cases to welcome the customer and establish a rapport.
Removing barriers between you and your customer signals, both literally and metaphorically, your openness to making a connection.
2. Pay attention to open body language
Always approach a customer from the front and ensure that your body is open and welcoming. Your torso should face the customer and your hands should be visible.
Never approach the customer from behind and limit any approach from the sides.
From an evolutionary perspective, we want to know what’s coming, and we want to know that it poses no danger to us.
3. Make Eye Contact
In your greeting, and while you are engaged, ensure that you are maintaining eye contact with your customer.
You don’t have to lock in on his or her eyes to the point of being creepy, but four-second blocks of eye-contact will maintain a positive connection.
At times of non-contact, if you have moments of mutual verbal agreements and/or laughter—something like “That’s right. I totally agree”)—that can serve similarly.
Note, if you can’t recall the color of the customer’s eyes, your eye contact was not frequent enough or sustaining.
Related stories will be right here …
The sales process is a matter of small degrees in the right direction. With each positive action, you increase the likelihood of improving your own sales results and your customers’ positive experiences.
Whether you are a seasoned and accomplished sales professional or new to retail, thinking about your sales approach and implementing subtle changes today can make a big difference in your effectiveness.
Here are 10 tips to help with your sales efforts this season.
1. Get out from behind the furniture
The only reason to be behind a counter is to remove products to show a customer. Since that should never happen until you know what is most important to them, get out from behind the cases to welcome the customer and establish a rapport.
Removing barriers between you and your customer signals, both literally and metaphorically, your openness to making a connection.
2. Pay attention to open body language
Always approach a customer from the front and ensure that your body is open and welcoming. Your torso should face the customer and your hands should be visible.
Never approach the customer from behind and limit any approach from the sides.
From an evolutionary perspective, we want to know what’s coming, and we want to know that it poses no danger to us.
3. Make Eye Contact
In your greeting, and while you are engaged, ensure that you are maintaining eye contact with your customer.
You don’t have to lock in on his or her eyes to the point of being creepy, but four-second blocks of eye-contact will maintain a positive connection.
At times of non-contact, if you have moments of mutual verbal agreements and/or laughter—something like “That’s right. I totally agree”)—that can serve similarly.
Note, if you can’t recall the color of the customer’s eyes, your eye contact was not frequent enough or sustaining.
4. Smile
It has been reported that smiling improves your likeability and warmth by 9.7 percent.
Psychologists have long reported that mutual smiling is a strong indicator of harmony between two people and, let’s face it, that’s a solid base to build trust and connection.
Make sure your smile is authentic—usually not that difficult if you enjoy people—as fake smiling is less convincing than no smile at all.
5. Ask open-ended questions
The more you get your customer talking, the more involved in the process they will feel. There is no better way than to ask open-ended questions.
Salespeople really should have a go-to list of important open-ended questions, such as “Tell me what’s most important to you about this purchase?” and “What have you bought for her previously that was a big hit and why do you think that was the case?”
6. Listen with intent
Once you’ve asked your questions, listen, and then listen some more.
Concentrated listening and observation of your customer’s body language is the gateway to unlocking even the most subconscious of needs.
Distracted listening (looking disinterested or looking away while your customer is speaking) is massively detrimental to a shared experience.
7. Present three options
When you are presenting product, give the customer three options. Having a choice matters a great deal, but the more options you present, the more difficult it is for the customer to decide.
In your three options, have the lowest price be at the customer’s stated budget. The third option should be double the budget. And the second option should be right in the middle of the lowest and highest prices.
That’s called the contrast principle, and history has shown the middle option is selected most frequently.
8. Pay attention to how you say the price
Since we read from left to right, we always put greater emphasis on the first number we read, or hear, when price is being quoted. To that end, resist the urge to quote a rounded-up price; $1,999 should never become $2000.
The second important point is to use the fewest number of syllables when quoting price.
For example, one thousand six hundred and fifty dollars (11 syllables) is a very different price in our brain than sixteen fifty (four syllables).
Practice stating prices using fewer syllables.
Since we read from left to right, we always put greater emphasis on the first number we read, or hear, when price is being quoted. To that end, resist the urge to quote a rounded-up price; $1,999 should never become $2000.
The second important point is to use the fewest number of syllables when quoting price.
For example, one thousand six hundred and fifty dollars (11 syllables) is a very different price in our brain than sixteen fifty (four syllables).
Practice stating prices using fewer syllables.
9. Ask for the sale
Always ask for the sale. Do it with confidence and a smile on your face.
State the price without apology or qualification.
And make sure your voice does not have an upswing at the end (as though you are asking a question) as it comes across as less than convincing.
10. Be prepared to turnover customers
There is no salesperson on the planet who will be liked by every customer.
People make unconscious decisions about whether they like or dislike someone within one-tenth of one second of meeting them.
To that end, having a turnover strategy is critical on a sales floor.
If you feel like you are personally not connecting with a customer, appropriately and subtly hand them over to a colleague and move on to the next opportunity.
Here’s to your success in the upcoming season. Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn or email me with any questions or comments.
Always ask for the sale. Do it with confidence and a smile on your face.
State the price without apology or qualification.
And make sure your voice does not have an upswing at the end (as though you are asking a question) as it comes across as less than convincing.
10. Be prepared to turnover customers
There is no salesperson on the planet who will be liked by every customer.
People make unconscious decisions about whether they like or dislike someone within one-tenth of one second of meeting them.
To that end, having a turnover strategy is critical on a sales floor.
If you feel like you are personally not connecting with a customer, appropriately and subtly hand them over to a colleague and move on to the next opportunity.
Here’s to your success in the upcoming season. Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn or email me with any questions or comments.
More on Columnists
The Latest
Events & AwardsJul 11, 2025
The Edge’s Annual Conference Returns in SeptemberIts sessions will focus on inventory strategies, staff performance, retention and acquisition, emerging market trends, and more.
CollectionsJul 11, 2025
Piece of the Week: Miseno’s ‘Arco’ EarringsFor its 10th anniversary, Miseno designed the “Arco” earrings based on the Arco Felice, an arch conceptualized in A.D. 95 in Miseno, Italy.
Policies & IssuesJul 11, 2025
James Avery to Donate $1M to Texas Hill Country Relief EffortsThe jewelry company is one of several contributing to relief efforts in the region after the recent floods.
Brought to you by
Investing in the Next Generation of Bench JewelersThe Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.
TrendsJul 11, 2025
Kelly Osbourne’s Engagement Ring Is Sweet as HoneyInspired by fiancé Sid Wilson’s nickname for her, the white and yellow diamond ring features a unique honeycomb design.
Weekly QuizJul 10, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
CollectionsJul 10, 2025
Penny Preville Celebrates 5 Decades of Jewelry DesignThe brand is marking its 50th anniversary with a limited-edition bangle, high jewelry suites, new collections, and more.
IndependentsJul 10, 2025
Steven Goldfarb to Retire, Close Alvin Goldfarb JewelerGoldfarb said changes in the industry, coupled with his age and the updates needed to modernize his business, drove his decision.
Brought to you by
Jewelers of America is Headed to Las Vegas for JCK 2025The countdown is on for the JCK Las Vegas Show and JA is pulling out all the stops.
MajorsJul 10, 2025
LVMH Names New Chairman, CEO of the AmericasLongtime LVMH executive Michael Burke has stepped into the role.
Events & AwardsJul 10, 2025
IAC Gold and Diamond Conference Returns to NYC Central topics of next week’s event include climate action, labor rights, artisan preservation, and value retention in producing countries.
MajorsJul 10, 2025
Hearts On Fire Appoints New Sales DirectorVickie Rokkos has joined the jewelry company as its new national sales director of North America.
SurveysJul 09, 2025
Jewelry Stays Strong as Luxury Market Slows, Bain & Co. Says Turbulence will be the new baseline for luxury as it faces its biggest potential setbacks in 15 years, a recent report said.
Supplier BulletinJul 09, 2025
JCK Unwrapped: Trends, Insights & Post-Show TipsSponsored by Rio Grande Jewelry Supply
CollectionsJul 09, 2025
Cece Jewellery’s New Fruit Jewels Celebrate Life’s SweetnessThe “For the Love of Fruits” collection features five fruit pendants, each holding a different meaning.
EditorsJul 09, 2025
The Most-Read Stories of 2025, So FarDiamonds and crimes (some involving diamonds) top the list of National Jeweler’s most popular stories halfway through the year.
SourcingJul 09, 2025
Florida Couple Finds 3-Carat Diamond in ArkansasThey discovered “The Dash Diamond,” named for their dog, at the Crater of Diamonds State Park earlier this month.
CollectionsJul 08, 2025
Mikimoto’s High Jewelry Collection Turns Pearls into PetalsThe “Les Pétales” collection imagines roses caught mid-bloom as a tribute to nature’s beauty.
IndependentsJul 08, 2025
David Rotenberg of David Craig Jewelers Dies at 79Rotenberg was an active member of the American Gem Society and an accomplished appraiser who also worked with therapy dogs at a hospital.
TechnologyJul 08, 2025
‘Diamond Divas’ Brings the Showroom to Social Media Reality SeriesIt follows New York-based brand Shahla Karimi Jewelry’s all-women team in “Say Yes to the Dress” meets “The Office”-style episodes.
Policies & IssuesJul 08, 2025
SMO Gold Launches New FoundationIn its inaugural year, the SMO Foundation will focus on supporting two organizations in West Africa and one in South America.
Policies & IssuesJul 07, 2025
Higher Tariffs Set to Take Effect Aug. 1, Officials SayThe announcement comes just as the 90-day freeze on the “reciprocal” tariffs nears its end, giving countries more time to negotiate.
SourcingJul 07, 2025
Natural Diamond Council CEO David Kellie To Step DownKellie, who joined the organization in 2019, will remain in his role through the end of 2025.
CrimeJul 07, 2025
7 Suspects Charged in California Jewelry Store BurglaryPolice officers apprehended the suspects as they were allegedly attempting to gain entry into another jewelry store.
Events & AwardsJul 07, 2025
Applications Open for Ella Klein Internship The program, a collaboration between Julius Klein Diamonds and the Women’s Jewelry Association, is in its second year.
Supplier BulletinJul 03, 2025
Protect Your Customers and Your BusinessSponsored by the Gemological Institute of America
MajorsJul 03, 2025
Brilliant Earth Names Tennis Star Madison Keys as Its New AmbassadorThe 2025 Australian Open champion is the jewelry brand’s first athlete ambassador.
MajorsJul 03, 2025
Muse Sets Up Shop in Nordstrom’s New Jewelry HallThe West Village jewelry boutique’s new shop-in-shop is the cornerstone of Nordstrom’s revamped jewelry hall.
