No other consumer product on the planet is examined and analysed in greater detail than diamonds. We have colour grades with imperceptible differences, clarity grades that take into account inclusions that are invisible to our eyes. We measure cutting to tolerances of 1/100 of a millimetre and angles to less than one degree. These are all vital bits of information to those of us in the trade. But are they as important to our customers? Not really. They only care about the details because we tell them they are important.
By getting so hung up on all the intricacies of diamonds, we are doing a disservice to our customers. We are attempting to impose our standards, our likes and requirements on them without understanding why they are buying jewellery in the first place. We try to tell them that one stone is better than another based on our own perceptions and prejudice.
People buy diamonds with their emotions, not with their analytical mind. They are attracted to the beauty, the romance and the meaning it has to them. We need to trust our customer and understand that she has her own likes and dislikes that have nothing to do with all the technical elements that we like to prattle on about. She is not buying specifications; she is buying an emotional response, a representation of love. We have no right to steer her away from what her heart and aesthetic sensibilities desire.
Next time you have a diamond customer, just show a selection of stones without discussing grades. If she asks about the grading, let her know that you’ll discuss it when the time is right. For now, you just want to see what she likes. Don’t look at the stones, instead watch her face. Look for the tell-tale signs of interest and desire: a quickening of her breathing, dilation of her pupils, a slight flush of colour on her cheeks. When you see these indicators you know you have found HER stone. Ask her questions that re-enforce her choice…How will she feel when she wears it? Will she be proud to show it to her friends?
Once you have established that she loves the diamond, you can go on to discuss the details. Let her know that she made a good choice. The details only help determine the price and not the emotional value. If she balks at a lower grade, remind her that this is the stone that makes her eyes light up and her heart sing. Numbers and letters on paper should not change that emotional response.
Remember that we are not selling paper. In fact, we are not really selling the diamond. After all, it’s only a shiny pebble. We are selling a deep visceral, emotional response. An ideal diamond is the one that leaves your store with a happy customer.
SELL THE LOVE!