Events & AwardsOct 28, 2025
Meet the 2026 Gem Award NomineesNotable jewelry designers, members of the press, and retailers are up for an award at next year’s gala.
OtherApr 23, 2015
Sales trainer shares 7 steps of proactive selling
At a session held Thursday, gemologist Debbie Hiss gave AGS Conclave attendees the low-down on how to close a sale and keep customers coming back.
New Orleans--Body language, word choice and taking a consultative stance can be the make-or-break factors in closing a sale, according to certified gemologist and sales trainer Debbie Hiss, who presented “The Art of Proactive Selling” at AGS Conclave on Thursday.
“The goal when you make the sale is not just getting the money, it’s making a customer and getting that customer to come back to you time and time again when the occasion calls for celebrating,” she said.
Below are seven steps Hiss suggest retailers take to help both close a sale and turn a customer into a returning client.
Welcome. This is where proactive selling begins, Hiss said. Make eye contact, show a positive facial expression, use the right body language--show the customer that they’re your priority. Use simple words and implant the name of your store into their brain: “Hi, welcome to Debbie’s Jewelers.”
“Remember, we are here to excite, to educate, to entice and to make sales,” Hiss said. “Part of what people are looking for is a memorable experience; this is a celebratory time, and the experience you give (customers) is often what will make the difference with that person deciding to spend their money with you.”
Connect. Be a person before a salesperson. This is not yet the time to get into why a customer has come into the store.
Notice something about the customer, Hiss said. Compliment them--on a handbag, a piece of jewelry--and use that compliment to create a two-way dialogue. Make sure to maintain eye contact.
“You want to make this person feel comfortable and create a rapport with them,” she said. “This all takes about 20 seconds to one minute; you will know when it’s time to move to the discovery phase.”
Discover. “This is where you differentiate and ask a series of questions that keeps you in control of the sales and raises the emotional level of the experience,” Hiss said. “Your job is to make it easy for him.”
To start, lead--don’t follow. Ask what the gift is for and when; this way, you can capture an anniversary or birthdate in your system, and contact the customer in 11 months to make it easy for them to return to the store to find another gift, she said.
Next, Hiss said, ask the customer how they plan to present the gift. What kind of reaction would they like to see?
“If it’s an anniversary or birthday, never ask ‘Is it a big one?’ because we do not want to keep training our guys that the only birthdays or anniversaries that deserve jewelry end in five and zero,” she said.
Present. “It’s about what the jewelry does, says or means,” Hiss said.
To start, she said, never show anything that won’t serve the reaction desired, and salespeople shouldn’t let what they personally can afford determine what they show. “A salesperson can have a hard time reaching past their own budget,” she warned.
Don’t list more than two features or facts about any piece of jewelry, and give a benefit for each fact listed. Also, for every item shown, show the customer a matching or coordinating piece.
“This is the time to bring out that complementary piece and plant the seed,” Hiss said. “Whether you keep it out or not is up to you, based on the flow of the transaction. Don’t wait until you’ve made the sale; the time to mention it is now.”
Address reactions and concerns. After presenting the jewelry, wait for a reaction and listen, Hiss said. Address the customer’s reaction and respond to concern, still leaving potential choices of jewelry exposed.
“Ask some either/or questions that will help you swing back to the discovery phase to find the right piece that will do what the customer wants it to do,” she said. “If they say, ‘That’s more than I wanted to spend,’ that’s different than ‘That’s more than I can spend.’
“Now is a time to say, ‘Where do you feel comfortable?’ without using the word ‘budget.’”
Close. Limit the jewelry possibilities to three, then narrow it down to two, and take a consultative or advisory approach--“Based on everything you’ve told me and everything I understand, I think this would be a good choice.”
Add on. “Always attempt the add-on sale, and introduce these pieces during the initial presentation,” Hiss said. “The best time to attempt is right after they’ve said yes.”
Hiss is a consultant with a number of companies and organizations, including the AGS, HRA/Crossworks and MK Diamonds in Los Angeles. She is the former director of sales training at Lazare Kaplan and is a global trainer for Hearts On Fire.
Present. “It’s about what the jewelry does, says or means,” Hiss said.
To start, she said, never show anything that won’t serve the reaction desired, and salespeople shouldn’t let what they personally can afford determine what they show. “A salesperson can have a hard time reaching past their own budget,” she warned.
Don’t list more than two features or facts about any piece of jewelry, and give a benefit for each fact listed. Also, for every item shown, show the customer a matching or coordinating piece.
“This is the time to bring out that complementary piece and plant the seed,” Hiss said. “Whether you keep it out or not is up to you, based on the flow of the transaction. Don’t wait until you’ve made the sale; the time to mention it is now.”
Address reactions and concerns. After presenting the jewelry, wait for a reaction and listen, Hiss said. Address the customer’s reaction and respond to concern, still leaving potential choices of jewelry exposed.
“Ask some either/or questions that will help you swing back to the discovery phase to find the right piece that will do what the customer wants it to do,” she said. “If they say, ‘That’s more than I wanted to spend,’ that’s different than ‘That’s more than I can spend.’
“Now is a time to say, ‘Where do you feel comfortable?’ without using the word ‘budget.’”
Close. Limit the jewelry possibilities to three, then narrow it down to two, and take a consultative or advisory approach--“Based on everything you’ve told me and everything I understand, I think this would be a good choice.”
Add on. “Always attempt the add-on sale, and introduce these pieces during the initial presentation,” Hiss said. “The best time to attempt is right after they’ve said yes.”
Hiss is a consultant with a number of companies and organizations, including the AGS, HRA/Crossworks and MK Diamonds in Los Angeles. She is the former director of sales training at Lazare Kaplan and is a global trainer for Hearts On Fire.
More on Other
The Latest
Recorded WebinarsOct 28, 2025
Watch: The State of the Jewelry Industry Leaders from Jewelers of America and National Jeweler discuss the gold price, tariffs, and more in this one-hour webinar.
CollectionsOct 28, 2025
Eriness Reflects on Life in ‘One of One’ CollectionAfter experiencing motherhood, growth, and loss, founder and designer Erin Sachse has created 10 irreplaceable jewels.
AuctionsOct 27, 2025
Napoleon Left This Brooch Behind, And Now It’s Up For AuctionIt is part of Sotheby’s “Royal & Noble Jewels” sale along with an ornate hair ornament and an old mine-cut light pink diamond ring.
Weekly QuizOct 16, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
CrimeOct 27, 2025
Arrests Made in Louvre Jewel Heist One of the individuals was apprehended at the airport as he was trying to flee the country.
MajorsOct 27, 2025
Target to Cut 1,800 Corporate JobsThe retailer, which has faced struggling sales in recent quarters, is looking to streamline its operations.
Brought to you by
DESERT DIAMONDS: The Newest Trend in Natural Diamond JewelryFrom sunlit whites to smoky whiskeys, introduce your clients to extraordinary diamonds in colors as unique as their love.
Events & AwardsOct 27, 2025
Hill Management Group Hired to Help Atlanta Jewelry ShowHill Management Group will oversee, market, and produce next year’s spring show.
AuctionsOct 24, 2025
Bonhams Under New Ownership, Top Executives ReplacedLondon-based investment firm Pemberton Asset Management acquired the auction house for an undisclosed amount.
GradingOct 24, 2025
DMIA to Hold Diamond Testing Instrument DemoThe workshop will give attendees the chance to try out and ask questions about three different diamond verification instruments.
CrimeOct 24, 2025
Video Emerges of Louvre Jewelry Robbers Fleeing the Scene The footage shows two of the jewelry heist suspects descending from the second floor of the museum and then escaping via scooter.
CollectionsOct 24, 2025
Piece of the Week: Wyld Box Jewelry’s ‘Ray of Light’ EarringsFounder and designer Rosanna Fiedler looked to a vintage Cartier clutch when designing the sunlight-inspired drop earrings.
FinancialsOct 23, 2025
Jewelry Sales Resilient Despite Struggles at LVMH, KeringThe luxury conglomerates faced a challenging Q3 amid geopolitical and economic tensions.
SourcingOct 23, 2025
Petra Diamonds Turns to Shareholders to Raise Capital The struggling diamond mining company, which owns the historic Cullinan mine, has launched a rights issue to raise about $25 million.
WatchesOct 23, 2025
‘Million Dollar Hip Hop Watches’ Recounts Watch HistoryThe book details the journey of watches as symbols of hard-earned success in hip-hop for artists like 2Pac, Jay-Z, and more.
AuctionsOct 23, 2025
Freeman’s | Hindman Names New VP, Senior Specialist for Jewelry & WatchesAlexis Vourvoulis, who most recently worked at Tiffany & Co., brings more than two decades of jewelry experience to her new role.
TrendsOct 22, 2025
The Taylor Swift Effect: Antique Diamonds EditionThe superstar’s August engagement put the stamp of approval on an already hot engagement ring trend.
TrendsOct 22, 2025
Don’t Forget These Diamond Jewelry Trends When Stocking for the HolidaysRetailers should offer classic styles with a twist that are a perfect fit for layered looks, experts say.
AuctionsOct 22, 2025
Pink Diamond, Vanderbilt Jewels to Headline Phillips’ Geneva AuctionThe nearly 7-carat fancy vivid purplish pink diamond could sell for around $9 million.
SourcingOct 22, 2025
In ‘Storied Diamond,’ Jared Jewelers Is Emphasizing the Journey The retailer’s new collection of engagement rings and fashion jewelry is set with natural diamonds that are traceable via blockchain.
CollectionsOct 22, 2025
Tiffany & Co.’s ‘Bird on a Rock’ Finds New PerchChief Artistic Officer Nathalie Verdeille has reimagined the iconic design in both figurative and abstract creations.
Events & AwardsOct 22, 2025
JFC Kicks Off Halloween Costume ChallengeFive dollars buys one vote toward an industry professional you want to see dressed up as a hero, or a villain, this Halloween.
Events & AwardsOct 22, 2025
Hillsborough Antique Show Gets New OwnerRecently acquired by KIL Promotions, the November edition of the public show in San Mateo, California, will be held Nov. 7-9.
GradingOct 21, 2025
GIA Examines Rare Bicolor Pink DiamondThe stone’s two zones, one pink and one colorless, may have formed at two different times, the lab said.
MajorsOct 21, 2025
Pomellato Brings ‘Global Attitude’ to Rodeo Drive FlagshipHollywood glamour meets Milanese sophistication in the design of Pomellato’s new store in Beverly Hills, California.
Lab-GrownOct 21, 2025
Grown Brilliance Opens First FlagshipThe New York City store showcases a chandelier with 1,500 carats of lab-grown diamonds designed by an FIT student.
