Current Diamond Council of America President and CEO Terry Chandler is set to retire in January 2026.
Clienteling Isn’t a Buzzword. It’s an Essential Business Model.
More shoppers are walking out without buying. Here’s how smart jewelers can bring them back—and the tool they need to do it right.

Brought To You By Clientbook
A couple lingers by the case—early twenties, dressed casual but polished. She points out a solitaire; he nods, but they don’t ask to see it. Just a few questions, a few smiles, then the classic finishing line: “We’re just starting to look.”
They leave with a thank-you and a business card. Maybe the associate jots down a note, maybe not. Maybe there’s a plan to follow up, maybe there isn’t.
Two weeks later, you see it: A photo on Instagram. A ring. A proposal. A jeweler tagged—not yours.
In the luxury jewelry world, this is death by a thousand maybes.
The Opportunity: Drifting Shoppers
Jewelers often focus on how to get more people in. But not nearly enough are asking: “What’s happening after they leave?”
But without a strategy to keep them in your orbit, they drift toward someone else’s.
The Problem: A Follow-Up Leak
Too often, follow-up depends on who had the conversation, how good their memory is, and whether they scribbled a name down somewhere between lunch and closing. It’s inconsistent, it’s unscalable, and—if we’re being honest—it’s costing you sales.
And those lost sales? You usually don’t even know they’re gone. They don’t announce themselves. They just don’t come back.
What’s worse: your sales associates feel it too. When they don’t have a system to keep track of leads, they lose motivation. They chase whoever’s right in front of them. But clienteling isn’t about chasing—it’s about cultivating.
The Solution: Clienteling As an Essential Business Model
It’s not about flooding inboxes with mass emails or handing out punch cards with “Buy 5, get 1 free.” Clientbook turns every casual browser into a contact, every visit into a profile, and every “just looking” into a warm potential client ready for a thoughtful follow-up.
Let’s say someone comes in, tries on a few pieces, and leaves. With Clientbook, their preferences, notes, and contact info are captured before they hit the parking lot. One week later? The associate sends a message:
It’s not salesy. It’s thoughtful. And it works.
Following the New Rules of the Game
Here’s how successful jewelers are making that shift from occasional visitors to loyal customers, using Clientbook:
Capture the right info—every time
- What they looked at
- What they liked
- Who they’re shopping for
- When they might need it by
Make personalized follow-ups second-nature
We’re not talking about generic texts. We’re talking about:
That’s personal. That’s powerful.
Make it easy for your team to be great
Track what works (and fix what doesn’t)
The Bottom Line: It’s Not Just About Who Walks In. It’s About Who Comes Back
Clienteling isn’t about pressure. It’s about presence. It’s about making sure that when they are ready, you’re the one they remember.
So keep your foot traffic. But make it count. Because in this business, it’s not just about who walks in. It’s about who comes back.
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