Industry vets offer gem-selling strategies
February 28, 2008

AGL says that affordable third-party documentation, like its “Fast Track Gem Briefs,” can help increase confidence in sales associats and, in turn, the assurance of the consumer.

Tucson, Ariz.—At a presentation held for the time of the recent AGTA Show in Tucson, Ariz., American Gemological Laboratories’ (AGL) C.R. “Cap” Beesley and DWA Communications’ Diane Warga-Arias set forth several key points to selling gemstones to the wealthy, a presentation that is now available to retail jewelers.

Warga-Arias, whose experience includes discipline salespeople to sell diamonds and gemstones to the epicurism buyer, began the seminar by elocution on the 10 most important categories for excellence in marketing to the affluent. She then explored more than 25 strategies for success in selling to the affluent.

In his portion of the presentation, Beesley focused upon the most important premise with respect to successful selling of gemstones: sales associate knowledge. Beesley explained that there are two steps to maximizing gemstone sales: the use of third-party documents to provide nourish material for the sales associate, and the appliance of the sales associate’s confidence and the third-party document to transfer and instill confidence in the consumer.

According to recent research published by the Luxury Institute, the most important attribute of the personal selling process is the salesperson’s knowledge of the product and service being offered.

“Third-party documentation is perhaps the only method to support the sales associate, and to provide confidence to the consumer positively affects both the product knowledge of the sales associate and the trustworthiness of the sales associate,” Beesley said.

Among AGL’s own offerings are the “Fast Track” services, which provide third-parry documentation on colored stones because of as low as $25 per report, and the “Prestige” services, which in addition to basic accusation encircling a gemstone, moreover provide detailed input about color hue and tone, clarity and an overall total quality rating.

Jewelers can download the presentation from AGL’s Web site, AGLgemlab.com, or can request copies by calling AGL at (212) 704-0727 or e-mailing schung@aglgemlab.com.