EditorsAug 24, 2026
Q&A: Reeds Jewelers VP Genna Zimmer on 80 Years in BusinessThe third-generation jeweler shared how the North Carolina retailer is celebrating this milestone and the love story that started it all.
IndependentsAug 08, 2017
Coach’s Corner: The Most Underutilized Selling Skill Is ...
Storytelling, according to Pat Henneberry, and it starts with making the customer feel like their story is being heard.
Pat Henneberry is vice president of global learning and development at Hearts On Fire. She also is founder of The Jewelry Coach, a sales training community for jewelers.
I’ve been teaching how important storytelling at the counter is for more than 30 years. I am also preparing a new class on the subject for Hearts On Fire’s upcoming University (a three-day event to help retailers with their personal and professional development).
I believe we can all be great storytellers; it’s in our DNA.
Learning to sell through storytelling is, in my opinion, the single most underutilized tool a sales professional can have. Earning a customer’s trust is essential when it comes to selling. It always has been, and today it’s more important than ever before.
We know the new customer demands a unique experience and a connection with the salesperson. They also don’t want to be sold to. It’s human nature to want to make a connection with the person whom we’re buying from, to feel like our needs are understood and that the sales associate cares about more than just a commission.
Therefore, closing on a sale depends on the salesperson’s ability to make a customer feel as though their unique story is being heard.
The key here lies in understanding. As a customer, when we feel understood, communication with your sales associate is more natural, and we tend to feel a level of trust. Once trust is established, we are more open to hearing a sales associate’s story about how this item solves the customer’s problem or need.
From there, we can say “yes” without feeling pushed. No one wants to feel pushed.
Sell Stories, Not Jewelry
One of the most effective ways of making sure sales associates don’t come off as untrustworthy is to ensure they are thinking about their store, their brands and their potential customers as a collection of stories.
I tell sales associates, managers and owners every day that they should be able to tell a story about everything in their cases. Yes, they look at me like I am crazy (I am not.) Winning over customers is to think of everything in your cases and the store as a narrative that aligns with your customers’ stories.
We are living in a time of unprecedented knowledge and skepticism, and many of the old methods of persuasion selling are no longer good enough. In order to close a sale, we need to connect with our customers on an emotional level. I will go to my grave preaching this, and I preach it every day.
In almost all
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
situations, people respond to great stories. Sales is no different. Sales associates must learn how to effectively encapsulate the value of what they are offering within the context of a customer’s pain point, as this is the best way to truly connect with them.
If you sit in one of my workshops or academies at Hearts On Fire, you know how passionate I am about this. I call it your customers’ “unspoken need.”
Sharing
But, how can we improve the quality of the stories the sales associates are telling?
A first step is to establish an environment of collaboration among your team that encourages them to share winning stories, compelling language and tips on objection-handling with one another on a regular basis.
Storytelling is most effective when it comes, as the saying goes, “straight from the horse’s mouth.”
Therefore, managers should find ways to collect peer-generated insights that sales associates can easily refer to as a refresher whenever and wherever they need it.
Practice your brand stories with everyone. You should be able to tell a story about everything in your cases and be able to connect the story to your customer. Working together on this will be essential.
An easy way to do this would be to assign items in your cases to a sales associate, and that associate will need to report back the brand or collection story and train the team on it. Everyone wins.
Best of luck!
Pat Henneberry is vice president of global learning and development at Hearts On Fire. She also is founder of The Jewelry Coach, a sales training community for jewelers. Reach her at pat@thejewelrycoach.com.
If you sit in one of my workshops or academies at Hearts On Fire, you know how passionate I am about this. I call it your customers’ “unspoken need.”
Sharing
But, how can we improve the quality of the stories the sales associates are telling?
A first step is to establish an environment of collaboration among your team that encourages them to share winning stories, compelling language and tips on objection-handling with one another on a regular basis.
Storytelling is most effective when it comes, as the saying goes, “straight from the horse’s mouth.”
Therefore, managers should find ways to collect peer-generated insights that sales associates can easily refer to as a refresher whenever and wherever they need it.
Practice your brand stories with everyone. You should be able to tell a story about everything in your cases and be able to connect the story to your customer. Working together on this will be essential.
An easy way to do this would be to assign items in your cases to a sales associate, and that associate will need to report back the brand or collection story and train the team on it. Everyone wins.
Best of luck!
Pat Henneberry is vice president of global learning and development at Hearts On Fire. She also is founder of The Jewelry Coach, a sales training community for jewelers. Reach her at pat@thejewelrycoach.com.
More on Independents
The Latest
Events & AwardsAug 24, 2026
Rio Grande, MetalWerx Host Argentium Silver WorkshopThe class, led by renowned metalsmith Cynthia Eid, highlighted Argentium silver as an alternative to gold amid high prices.
Events & AwardsAug 24, 2026
JIS Miami Opens Fall 2026 RegistrationThe show is slated for Oct. 16-19 at the Miami Beach Convention Center.
Brought to you by
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSubmit your pieces for a chance to win in this year's competition.
CollectionsAug 24, 2026
Francesca Villa Honors Napoleon, His Empresses In New CapsuleThe “Empresses” capsule uses 19th-century medals depicting Napoleon, Joséphine, and Marie-Louise across five one-of-a-kind pieces.
Weekly QuizAug 20, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
SurveysAug 21, 2026
These Are 2026’s Hottest Retailers, Says NRFThe retailers at the top of the list offer affordable products and fun, discovery-fueled experiences.
WatchesAug 21, 2026
Bremont Names Former Vacheron Constantin Exec CMODaniel Bing was formerly the marketing director for the Americas at Vacheron Constantin.
Brought to you by
Why More Jewelry Retailers Are Hosting Turnkey Estate Buying EventsRetailers are seeking new ways to attract customers, increase traffic, and create revenue – Estate buying events are a popular solution.
CollectionsAug 21, 2026
Bijules, Kamyen Serve Up ‘Topspin’ Tennis Bracelet Ahead of US OpenIn our Piece of the Week, the designers reimagine the tennis bracelet with green enamel wrapped around a strand of “Desert Diamonds.”
PodcastsAug 20, 2026
Episode 8: Diamond Industry Update With David Bonaparte & Ronnie VanderLindenThe industry veterans join the podcast to discuss diamond marketing, the FTC Jewelry Guides, and lobbying for lower tariffs.
TechnologyAug 20, 2026
A New AI-Powered Gemstone Identification App Is HereFounder Vik Westermann said the app is a “starting point” to inspire people to work with appraisers and gem labs, not replace them.
AuctionsAug 20, 2026
Storied Unicorn Brooch Up for Auction Gallops to New Home The Verdura brooch, which belonged to the late Virginia Fortune Ryan Ogilvy, was sold to a private collector in Asia.
Events & AwardsAug 20, 2026
MJSA Education Foundation Names 5 Scholarship WinnersThe five students were awarded a total of $10,000 through the nonprofit’s 2026 “Future of Jewelry Making” scholarship.
MajorsAug 20, 2026
Plumb Club Elects 2026-2027 BoardSteven Lerche is now beginning his term as the youngest member to become president of The Plumb Club’s elected executive committee.
MajorsAug 19, 2026
Mike Alexander To Succeed Scott Murphy as Jewelers Mutual CEO Murphy will retire at the end of the year and Alexander, currently the company’s president, will take over at the start of 2027.
Policies & IssuesAug 19, 2026
Spinelli Kilcollin Embraces Dupes With Trade-In ProgramThe jeweler is encouraging customers who own lookalike rings to come into the store and trade them for credit towards an authentic piece.
MajorsAug 19, 2026
Zales Wants You to Wear Fine Jewelry Every DayThe new campaign, “You Are The Occasion,” discourages shoppers from saving their fine jewelry for special occasions only.
SourcingAug 19, 2026
Vasant Mehta, a Dedicated Diamond Industry Leader, Dies at 81Mehta led India’s GJEPC through the 2008 financial crisis and was respected worldwide for his wisdom, integrity, and knowledge.
CrimeAug 18, 2026
2 California Men Arrested in Fatal Vehicle Smash RobberyOne is the driver who allegedly crashed a car into a Sacramento jewelry store in April, striking a 71-year-old employee who later died.
ColumnistsAug 18, 2026
Peter Smith: The IKEA Effect and Bridal Branding In a new column, Peter Smith posits that people actually enjoy putting together IKEA furniture, and the same is true for engagement rings.
CrimeAug 18, 2026
Thieves Snatch $1M in Jewelry From New Jersey Jeweler9lakha Jewelers in Iselin, New Jersey, was the target of a smash-and-grab robbery on Aug. 8.
Lab-GrownAug 18, 2026
Ring Concierge, Kendall Jenner’s Tequila Brand Collab on GiveawayThe jeweler has partnered with 818 Tequila to gift lab-grown diamond studs to a bride-to-be and their bridal party.
Events & AwardsAug 17, 2026
Exhibition on Louis Comfort Tiffany’s Studios to Open at The MetThe exhibition will feature more than 100 drawings of stained-glass lampshades, windows, and more, many created by women and émigrés.
CollectionsAug 17, 2026
Marquise Diamonds Dance in Spinelli Kilcollin’s ‘Wren’ CollectionMarquise-cut diamonds in drop charms are the center of the new collection, reflecting the movement of a dancer in modular styles.
Events & AwardsAug 17, 2026
There’s a New Jewelry Show Coming to FloridaThe inaugural Fort Lauderdale Jewelry, Antique, & Object Show will be held from Jan. 28 through Feb. 1, 2027.
CrimeAug 14, 2026
Wife of Man Convicted in Jeweler’s Murder Sentenced for Conspiracy Amanda Ileana Hernandez is married to Carlos Hernandez, one of two men in prison for the 2024 murder of Michigan jeweler Hussein Murray.
TrendsAug 14, 2026
Paul Morelli’s Latest ‘Wavey Vine’ Earrings Embrace ColorThe reimagined jewel, our Piece of the Week, trades the diamonds in the original 1998 design for blue, pink, yellow, and green sapphires.
