EditorsSep 15, 2025
Skipping the Necklace, Embracing Snakes: The Best Jewelry From the 2025 Emmy AwardsAssociate Editor Natalie Francisco shares eight of her favorite jewelry looks from the 77th annual Primetime Emmy Awards, held Sunday night.
IndependentsDec 20, 2016
5 Questions on ‘Sell Something’
Vibhor Gems president, author and National Jeweler columnist Peter Smith answers questions about his new book, which is out now.
Peter Smith, the author of “Hiring Squirrels: 12 Essential Interview Questions to Uncover Great Retail Sales Talent,” has a new book out called “Sell Something: Principles and Perspectives for Engaged Retail Salespeople.”
New York--In his new book for retail salespeople, Peter Smith explores the paradox of choice and the contrast principle, and explains how something called regret avoidance can be a powerful motivator for consumers.
Sell Something is not, as Smith puts it, a typical “Sales 101”-type of book.
Recently, the Vibhor Gems president and National Jeweler columnist took the time to answer five questions about his new book, which is available now on Amazon.
Sell Something is Smith’s second book, following 2014’s Hiring Squirrels.
National Jeweler: What inspired you to write Sell Something?
Peter Smith: I felt like I really had something to say on a subject that I wasn’t reading about or hearing about in the jewelry space.
There are lots of people conducting what I’d call variations on time-worn themes when it comes to sales training and understanding sales personnel, but I wasn’t seeing much that was incorporating the really important advances in neuroscience that have come to the fore in the last 10 years or so. These advances allow us to now understand human behavior (salespeople and customers) in a way that we couldn’t previously.
NJ: What kind of research did you do for the book?
PS: I used 60 or so direct sources in Sell Something. That would include mostly books on the social sciences and some relevant white papers. Those references come from the top researchers, academics and writers in the field of neuroscience; people such as Susan Cain, Adam Grant, Daniel Pink, Amy Cuddy, Daniel Kahneman, Daniel Goleman, etc.
My passion for the social sciences means that about half of the 50 or so books I’ll read in a given year fit into that category, so I was able to access years of reading and dozens of highlighted works on the subject.
Then, of course, I have the luxury of seeing things up close and personal from my own work in the industry, studying retail and, in particular, retail salespeople.
Lastly, when I was working on (my last book) Hiring Squirrels, I used personality-assessment data from more than 700 salespeople who were then employed in independent retail stores.
That data, and those profiles, of course, were very helpful in understanding both successful salespeople (42 percent) and those who were not at all suited to sales (58 percent) and helped to shape Sell Something.
NJ: What is the most common mistake retail jewelry salespeople make that cause them to lose a sale?
PS: I have to give you two of the most common mistakes. The first one is that far too many salespeople think that those who know the most sell the most. Nothing could be further from the truth, and this over-reliance on product information dumping, instead of making real emotional connections, costs millions of dollars in lost business in our industry every day.
The second point is that salespeople think the customer will tell them when they are ready to buy, instead of the salesperson owning the responsibility for influencing and inspiring the customer into wanting to make a purchase.
Sell Something is not, as Smith puts it, a typical “Sales 101”-type of book.
Recently, the Vibhor Gems president and National Jeweler columnist took the time to answer five questions about his new book, which is available now on Amazon.
Sell Something is Smith’s second book, following 2014’s Hiring Squirrels.
National Jeweler: What inspired you to write Sell Something?
Peter Smith: I felt like I really had something to say on a subject that I wasn’t reading about or hearing about in the jewelry space.
There are lots of people conducting what I’d call variations on time-worn themes when it comes to sales training and understanding sales personnel, but I wasn’t seeing much that was incorporating the really important advances in neuroscience that have come to the fore in the last 10 years or so. These advances allow us to now understand human behavior (salespeople and customers) in a way that we couldn’t previously.
NJ: What kind of research did you do for the book?
PS: I used 60 or so direct sources in Sell Something. That would include mostly books on the social sciences and some relevant white papers. Those references come from the top researchers, academics and writers in the field of neuroscience; people such as Susan Cain, Adam Grant, Daniel Pink, Amy Cuddy, Daniel Kahneman, Daniel Goleman, etc.
My passion for the social sciences means that about half of the 50 or so books I’ll read in a given year fit into that category, so I was able to access years of reading and dozens of highlighted works on the subject.
Then, of course, I have the luxury of seeing things up close and personal from my own work in the industry, studying retail and, in particular, retail salespeople.
Lastly, when I was working on (my last book) Hiring Squirrels, I used personality-assessment data from more than 700 salespeople who were then employed in independent retail stores.
That data, and those profiles, of course, were very helpful in understanding both successful salespeople (42 percent) and those who were not at all suited to sales (58 percent) and helped to shape Sell Something.
NJ: What is the most common mistake retail jewelry salespeople make that cause them to lose a sale?
PS: I have to give you two of the most common mistakes. The first one is that far too many salespeople think that those who know the most sell the most. Nothing could be further from the truth, and this over-reliance on product information dumping, instead of making real emotional connections, costs millions of dollars in lost business in our industry every day.
The second point is that salespeople think the customer will tell them when they are ready to buy, instead of the salesperson owning the responsibility for influencing and inspiring the customer into wanting to make a purchase.
NJ: What is the No. 1 thing you hope readers take away from this book?
PS: I would hope that salespeople who are serious about their profession will be reminded that there is no substitute for serial learning. That means learning about the business of sales and human behavior and not just products.
There are so many resources available to salespeople today, and they really should be dedicating a few minutes every day; listening to TED Talks, podcasts, or reading articles, books and posts about sales and consumer behavior.
NJ: What is your favorite anecdote from the book?
PS: One story in particular stands out. Lara, a salesperson who is a top performer, was having an unusually hard time connecting with a man who had entered her store. I could sense her frustration as she recounted her story, and yet it was clear that she was doing a magnificent job reading the customer and demonstrating real empathy in her efforts to make a meaningful connection.
In the end, we learn that the man had just realized a terrible tragedy in his life and, despite the fact that no salesperson could ever have been prepared for that news, Lara managed the situation to an end that was immensely satisfying for the customer and over and beyond what one might reasonably have expected under the circumstances.
More on Independents
The Latest
SurveysSep 15, 2025
Resilient Shoppers to Boost Holiday Retail Sales, Says DeloitteIt’s predicting a rise in retail sales this holiday season despite economic uncertainty and elevated inflation.
SourcingSep 15, 2025
Gemfields Achieves $32M at High-Quality Emerald AuctionIt included the sale of the 11,685-carat “Imboo” emerald that was recently discovered at Kagem.
Brought to you by
reDollar.com Is Rolling Out the Next Level Jewelry, Diamond & Watch Consignment ProgramWith their unmatched services and low fees, reDollar.com is challenging some big names in the online consignment world.
SourcingSep 15, 2025
AGTA Elects 8 Members to Board of Directors The newly elected directors will officially take office in February 2026 and will be introduced at the organization’s membership meeting.
Weekly QuizSep 12, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
EditorsSep 12, 2025
Out & About: Mining Sapphires in Rock Creek, MontanaAssociate Editor Lauren McLemore headed out West for a visit to Potentate Mining’s operation hosted by gemstone wholesaler Parlé Gems.
TrendsSep 12, 2025
Piece of the Week: Arunashi’s Fordite and Rhodolite EarringsFordite is a man-made material created from the layers of dried enamel paint that dripped onto the floors of automotive factories.
Brought to you by
Rallying Call for the Jewelry Industry on Tariffs and Other Key IssuesJewelers of America is leading the charge to protect the industry amidst rising economic threats.
Events & AwardsSep 12, 2025
Al Gilbertson Wins 2025 Robert M. Shipley AwardGilbertson has worked as a researcher, jeweler, lapidary artist, appraiser, and business owner throughout his decades in the industry.
Policies & IssuesSep 11, 2025
Supreme Court to Hear Tariffs Case in November A decision likely won’t come until January 2026 at the earliest, and the tariffs remain in effect until then.
MajorsSep 11, 2025
Tabayer Opens Nordstrom Shop-In-ShopLocated in the revamped jewelry hall at the retailer’s New York City flagship, this opening is Tabayer’s first shop-in-shop.
SourcingSep 11, 2025
Need to Sell More Natural Diamonds? De Beers Has an App for ThatThe new, free app offers accessible educational content, like games and podcasts, for U.S. retailers.
MajorsSep 10, 2025
Stuller to Swap Gold Scrap for Full Credit to AccountAs the gold price rises, the manufacturer is offering a 100 percent payout through Sept. 30 for gold clean scrap.
SourcingSep 10, 2025
Tech Meets Style in the New Loewe x Jacob & Co. HeadphonesJacob & Co. partnered with the German technology company on two pairs of headphones, one set with diamonds and the other with sapphires.
TrendsSep 10, 2025
Tiffany & Co. Archival Jewels Bring Life to ‘Frankenstein’Guillermo del Toro’s 2025 “Frankenstein” will feature 27 jewels and objects from the storied brand, including pieces from its archives.
MajorsSep 10, 2025
24 Karat Club of New York’s Banquet to Return to Waldorf AstoriaThe Waldorf Astoria New York’s grand reopening this past summer means a homecoming for the industry group’s annual event.
SourcingSep 09, 2025
Anglo American to Merge With Canadian Copper Miner Anglo plans to merge with Teck Resources Ltd. to form Anglo Teck. The deal changes nothing about its plans to offload De Beers.
AuctionsSep 09, 2025
‘The Mellon Blue’ to Return to Auction, This Time at Christie’s The 9.51-carat fancy vivid blue diamond, which set two world auction records at Sotheby’s in 2014, is estimated to fetch up to $30 million.
AuctionsSep 09, 2025
Phillips Names Dianne Batista Head of Jewels, New YorkThe industry veteran joins the auction house as it looks to solidify its footprint in the jewelry market.
MajorsSep 09, 2025
MJSA Education Foundation Announces 2025 Scholarship WinnersThe nonprofit awarded four students pursuing a professional career in jewelry making and design with $2,250 each.
MajorsSep 08, 2025
MJSA Is Officially Now Under JA’s UmbrellaThe two organizations have finalized and signed the affiliation agreement announced in May.
AuctionsSep 08, 2025
Sotheby’s To Auction ‘Exceptional’ Collection of JAR, Suzanne Belperron JewelsThe single-owner sale will headline Sotheby's inaugural jewelry auction at the Breuer building, its new global headquarters, this December.
Events & AwardsSep 08, 2025
27 Can’t-Miss Converge Sessions, Events From sunrise yoga to tariffs talks, these are some events to check out at the upcoming inaugural event.
ColumnistsSep 05, 2025
Peter Smith: A Lasting Lesson From Maurice Tempelsman Smith recalls a bit of wisdom the industry leader, who died last week, shared at a diamond conference years ago.
CollectionsSep 05, 2025
Piece of the Week: Jamie Turner’s ‘Victoria’ Necklace The “Victoria” necklace features a labradorite hugged by diamond accents in 18-karat yellow gold.
Policies & IssuesSep 05, 2025
Trump Takes Tariffs Case to the Supreme Court Two lower courts have moved to block the import taxes, which will remain in place as the legal battle continues.
WatchesSep 05, 2025
Patrick Mahomes Is the New Hublot Brand AmbassadorThe Kansas City Chiefs quarterback shares Hublot’s dedication to pursuing greatness, the Swiss watchmaker said.
