We bought a new car for my wife last year.  It’s interesting how things have changed.  Her last car had a shortened version of key facts in a tiny, hand-held booklet that became her “go to” manual for things to know.  Things like what each button on the car means, how to unhook the hood latch, how to open the trunk, and how to turn the radio on.  The new car only has a 200-page manual that resembles a doctoral thesis more than a handy-dandy car manual.  Yes, there is an online manual, but darned if I can figure that out….  The car also has an automatic shift where you can’t keep the transmission in a particular gear because some expert felt we would burn the engine out by leaving it in a lower gear.  I drive in the mountains a lot, and it frustrates me that I can’t keep a new car in the gear I want.  Whatever happened to the old notion that simpler is better?

So a customer comes into a jewelry store weighted down with files of information about diamonds, which he researched over the internet.  After all, isn’t everyone an expert on diamonds now, since information is available online and accessible to everyone?  Then they want a G color VS1 clarity because they determined on their own that this is what they want, and they want it for a certain price.  They don’t even ask about cut, which should be their top priority.  They are so confused that what they really need is an expert who can tell them what they want after simplifying the process.  That’s a jeweler’s role, to simplify the diamond buying process to key points that will help the couple get what they want, and what they need, even if they think they already know what that is.

The more you can simplify the buying process, and appeal to the emotional aspect of the purchase, the easier it will be to make the sale, most every time.  After all, we are celebrating life’s joyous events.  Let’s keep that part simple, and memorable.

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