MajorsFeb 05, 2026
Pandora to Begin Selling Platinum-Plated JewelryThe introduction of platinum plating will reduce its reliance on silver amid volatile price swings, said Pandora.
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
SourcingFeb 05, 2026
De Beers Lowers Production Guidance for 2026, Anglo Mulls Another WritedownIt would be the third impairment charge in three years on De Beers Group, which continues to grapple with a “challenging” diamond market.
IndependentsFeb 05, 2026
Borsheims to Undergo Massive Renovation in the Spring The Omaha jewelry store’s multi-million-dollar renovation is scheduled to begin in mid-May and take about six months.
Brought to you by
The MJSA Mentor & Apprenticeship Program: Attracting & Training the Next Generation of Bench JewelersLaunched in 2023, the program will help the passing of knowledge between generations and alleviate the shortage of bench jewelers.
CollectionsFeb 05, 2026
Marco Bicego’s Amethyst Collection Travels to a Purple ParadiseThe “Paradise Amethyst” collection focuses on amethyst, pink tourmaline, garnet, and 18-karat yellow gold beads.
Weekly QuizFeb 05, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
FinancialsFeb 05, 2026
Watches of Switzerland Reports Strong Holiday Results in Q3The retailer credited its Roberto Coin campaign, in part, for boosting its North America sales.
ColumnistsFeb 04, 2026
January Jewelry Sales: More Dollars Spent, Fewer Units Sold Sherry Smith unpacks independent retailers’ January performance and gives tips for navigating the slow-growth year ahead.
Brought to you by
How Jewelers Can Fight Back Against Cell JammersCriminals are using cell jammers to disable alarms, but new technology like JamAlert™ can stop them.
MajorsFeb 04, 2026
What Designers Should Know About Saks Global’s BankruptcyFrom how to get an invoice paid to getting merchandise returned, JVC’s Sara Yood answers some complex questions.
TrendsFeb 04, 2026
Amanda’s Style File: February Birthstone BlissAmethyst, the birthstone for February, is a gemstone to watch this year with its rich purple hue and affordable price point.
MajorsFeb 04, 2026
Marco Bicego Names New Global Marketing DirectorThe Italian jewelry company appointed Matteo Cuelli to the newly created role.
MajorsFeb 04, 2026
Frederick Goldman Updates Leadership TeamThe manufacturer said the changes are designed to improve speed, reliability, innovation, and service.
Policies & IssuesFeb 03, 2026
Tariff Relief on Horizon for India as Trump, Modi Make DealPresident Trump said he has reached a trade deal with India, which, when made official, will bring relief to the country’s diamond industry.
CollectionsFeb 03, 2026
Jade Trau Releases New Charms, Introduces RondellesThe designer’s latest collection takes inspiration from her classic designs, reimagining the motifs in new forms.
WatchesFeb 03, 2026
Casio America Calls Jersey City HomeThe watchmaker moved its U.S. headquarters to a space it said fosters creativity and forward-thinking solutions in Jersey City, New Jersey.
SourcingFeb 03, 2026
Nivoda Reveals Upgraded Gemstone MarketplaceThe company also announced a new partnership with GemGuide and the pending launch of an education-focused membership program.
GradingFeb 02, 2026
IGI to Acquire American Gemological Laboratories IGI is buying the colored gemstone grading laboratory through IGI USA, and AGL will continue to operate as its own brand.
CrimeFeb 02, 2026
Ylang 23’s Dallas Store BurglarizedThe Texas jeweler said its team is “incredibly resilient” and thanked its community for showing support.
EditorsFeb 02, 2026
Stars Choose Chokers, Elongated Earrings at 2026 GrammysFrom cool-toned metal to ring stacks, Associate Editor Natalie Francisco highlights the jewelry trends she spotted at the Grammy Awards.
CollectionsFeb 02, 2026
2026 Winter Olympic Medal Design Symbolizes UnityThe medals feature a split-texture design highlighting the fact that the 2026 Olympics are taking place in two different cities.
SurveysJan 30, 2026
These Are the Top Brands of 2026, Says YouGovFrom tech platforms to candy companies, here’s how some of the highest-ranking brands earned their spot on the list.
CollectionsJan 30, 2026
Follow the Beat With Etiq’s ‘Khol’ RingThe “Khol” ring, our Piece of the Week, transforms the traditional Indian Khol drum into playful jewelry through hand-carved lapis.
MajorsJan 30, 2026
Arch Crown’s 2026 ‘Tag & Label’ Catalog Is HereThe catalog includes more than 100 styles of stock, pre-printed, and custom tags and labels, as well as bar code technology products.
CollectionsJan 29, 2026
Ghirardelli’s ‘Chocolocket’ Returns for Valentine’s DayThe chocolatier is bringing back its chocolate-inspired locket, offering sets of two to celebrate “perfect pairs.”
AuctionsJan 29, 2026
These Were Bonhams’ Top 10 Jewelry Lots in 2025The top lot of the year was a 1930s Cartier tiara owned by Nancy, Viscountess Astor, which sold for $1.2 million in London last summer.
SourcingJan 29, 2026
Stuller Website to Mark AGTA-Sourced GemstonesAny gemstones on Stuller.com that were sourced by an AGTA vendor member will now bear the association’s logo.
WatchesJan 29, 2026
Audemars Piguet Opens AP House in AtlantaThe Swiss watchmaker has brought its latest immersive boutique to Atlanta, a city it described as “an epicenter of music and storytelling.”
