WatchesApr 10, 2026
These Watches Have Increased in Value the Most Since 2018, Says Chrono24The top-performing watch models may be surprising, with Rolex and several popular pandemic-era picks notably absent from the top 20.
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?
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
“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
CollectionsApr 10, 2026
Ophelia Eve’s Toggle Pendant Holds Your SecretsThe “Scroll” toggle pendant, our Piece of the Week, opens to reveal a hidden message, mantra, or love letter written on washi paper.
ColumnistsApr 09, 2026
Jewelry Demand Isn’t Stronger, Prices Are Just Higher Jewelers who misinterpret the state of the jewelry market risk employing the wrong retail strategy, cautions columnist Sherry Smith.
Brought to you by
Protect Your Customers and Your BusinessYou deserve to know what you are selling–to protect your customers as well as your business and your reputation.
MajorsApr 09, 2026
Tiffany & Co. Promotes Nathalie Verdeille to SVP, Chief Artistic OfficerIn her newly expanded role, she will continue to oversee the jewelry category, as well as watches, home, and accessories.
Weekly QuizApr 09, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
WatchesApr 09, 2026
Jacob & Co. Rolls Out Its Sequel to ‘The Godfather’ Musical Watch“The Godfather II” watch plays two melodies from the mob film’s score, “The Godfather’s Waltz” and “The Godfather Love Theme.”
Events & AwardsApr 09, 2026
JCK Announces Jesse Itzler as 2026 Keynote SpeakerOrganizers have also introduced the new JCK Talks Signature Series, as well as an offering of watch-focused workshops and lectures.
Brought to you by
Is This You? Every Jeweler Has This Problem; We Have the Solution.Every jeweler faces the same challenge: helping customers protect what they love. Here’s the solution designed for today’s jewelry business.
SourcingApr 09, 2026
AGA To Honor ‘Quiet Leadership’ With New AwardThe Alan Hodgkinson Medal recognizes gemologists who are consistently generous with their time and expertise.
WatchesApr 09, 2026
Oris Names New CEO, CFOThe Swiss watchmaker is changing up its executive leadership team as part of a restructuring.
CollectionsApr 08, 2026
Hearts On Fire Celebrates 30 Years By Asking a QuestionThe “What’s Your Signature?” campaign invites women to think about how they see themselves.
SourcingApr 08, 2026
Sale of 42-Carat Blue Diamond Gives Petra a Boost in Q3The big diamond’s sale added to the company’s revenue though the market remains “challenging” overall, particularly for smaller goods.
Events & AwardsApr 08, 2026
AGS Confluence Returns with AI, Sustainability SessionsRob Bates of The Jewelry Wire will also moderate a panel on the state of the jewelry industry during the virtual event.
Events & AwardsApr 08, 2026
TJS to Honor 2 Longtime Former Stuller EmployeesThe Jewelry Symposium will honor two industry veterans with lifetime achievement awards at its upcoming May event.
TrendsApr 08, 2026
Amanda’s Style File: April’s Brilliant Birthstone With their durability, brilliance, and beauty, diamonds are the perfect stone for everyday birthstone jewelry.
MajorsApr 07, 2026
QVC Group’s Latest Filing Calls Its Future Into QuestionThe retailer failed to file its annual report on time and said it may issue a going concern warning.
ColumnistsApr 07, 2026
Peter Smith: A Tip to the Post Office on Workplace CultureSmith recounts a recent trip to the post office that included an uncomfortable, embarrassing, and public exchange between two employees.
GradingApr 07, 2026
GIA CFO David Tearle to Retire in June John Cowley, who has more than 30 years of experience, is succeeding Tearle as the lab’s chief financial officer.
CollectionsApr 07, 2026
Nerd Out Over Gemology Geek’s First Jewelry CollectionFounder Erica Silverglide has designed 35 colorful pieces set with fluorescing gemstones for the brand's first finished jewelry offering.
CollectionsApr 07, 2026
Ukrainian Jewelers Highlighted In New Book“Ukrainian Jewelry | Contemporary Jewelry and Art Jewelry from Ukraine” features 33 contemporary Ukrainian designers and studios.
CollectionsApr 06, 2026
Fope’s New Jewelry Debuts Are Golden“The Golden Now” campaign celebrates the here and now with the brand’s signature styles and a selection of its new pieces.
MajorsApr 06, 2026
Kecia Caffie, Corinne Bentzen No Longer With Signet JewelersSignet confirmed that Caffie, president of Zales and Banter, and Bentzen, who headed Blue Nile, have left the company.
CollectionsApr 06, 2026
Historian Tanzy Ward Pens Book on Black Victorians’ JewelryThe antique jewelry dealer talks about the importance of including Black Americans in jewelry history and preserving their stories.
SourcingApr 06, 2026
Gemfields Reports $51M Loss in 2025Both its mines faced challenges last year, from operational issues to disruptions in the market.
CollectionsApr 03, 2026
Taylor Swift’s ‘Elizabeth Taylor’ Video Puts Jewelry Front and CenterIconic pieces, like the Mike Todd Diamond Tiara, appear in the superstar’s new music video for her song inspired by the actress.
MajorsApr 03, 2026
Saks Global Says It Will Emerge From Bankruptcy This SummerThe luxury retailer, which went Chapter 11 in January, announced Thursday that it has secured $500 million in exit financing.
Events & AwardsApr 03, 2026
JCK Luxury, NouvelleBox Partner on New Designer BallroomThe NouvelleBox ballroom will feature independent jewelry designers, including Lene Vibe, Wyld Box Jewelry, and Kiaia Limited.
