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Sales Appointments

Sandra Paluzzi
The Bead Peddler®

Oh, happy day!  You get to show your jewelry to a potential buyer!  Your goal for the day - to qualify the store as a potential customer.  Note I did not say that your goal is to sell the jewelry.  That is something you can't control.  However, you can present your goods in the most positive light and find out if your jewelry is a good match for that store.  If you have done your homework, you already know that your jewelry goes well with the ambience of the store.  It is simply a matter of seeing if you and the store buyer are a good business match.

Leave a few minutes early so you will be on time for your appointment.  If you do get caught in an unbelievable traffic jam which will make you late, call the store to explain that you're on your way. 

Finally you are at the store.  You are self confident because you know you have a good product that  would work in that store.  You know that your passion for the jewelry will show in your presentation.  Approach an available store clerk and ask for your contact.  If all of the clerks are with customers, wait for one to become free before you announce yourself.  Use the time to once again scan the exiting merchandise to see which pieces best compliment your line.

Finally, the moment has arrived.  You are face to face with the store buyer.  Introduce yourself and shake hands.  The buyer will probably decide where you will meet.  Most likely, it will be in a room separate from the showroom.  However, you may be asked to make your presentation at the check out counter.  There are advantages to both positions: you will not be interrupted if you're in an isolated room.  However, if you're in the show room, you have the option of playing with the store's existing merchandise during the presentation.  If given my choice, I would opt for the office.

It will take you a few minutes to settle into the presentation.  Before you start to show your jewelry, try to engage in focused small talk.  If you're talking to the owner, you can ask how s/he broke into the business, how long s/he's been in business. etc. Then you can segue into what a good job you think s/he's done.   Specific comments about how much you like the existing store lines work well.  For example, you can say 'Well, you've brought in a great line of (sterling silver earrings, clothing with classic lines, funky jewelry, fantastic color schemes, or whatever caught your eye).  Here you will find your common ground, a place for you to naturally begin to show your jewelry. 

Now it may be that you're with a controlling manager who wants to carry the ball during the conversation.  Answer all questions and then say, 'enough about me, I'd like to learn a little about you'.  At this point, you can ask the questions I outlined above.

As you're showing the jewelry, point out its BENEFITS (not properties) to the owner.  The sterling silver earwires are safe for everyone to wear, the high gem quality stones are remarkably clear and brilliant to behold, a perfect compliment to the store's other high end lines, the beads you created will not be found elsewhere, etc.  There is something to appeal to this store's sense of uniqueness or you wouldn't be there in the first place.  As the buyer compliments different pieces, set them aside.  If you have necklaces or earrings that match those bracelets, this is the time to show them.  If s/he likes your diamond cut sterling, show the range of styles in that line.  At the end of the presentation, your buyer should have easy access to their favorite pieces.  You can suggest they start by carrying those few selections.

Along the way, you are probably going to get asked some hard questions:
1) How long have you been in business?  No-one is going to be thrilled to hear you've been beading for three weeks now <vbg>.  Ideally, you are in another store which is at least 5 miles down the road.  Of course, there's a first for everyone.  Be honest, but cushion that honesty.  'I've been selling jewelry for three years now and have just decided to expand into storefronts.  I would be glad to give you a shop exclusive for this mall (in a 2 mile radius, etc). 
2)  Do you also sell your jewelry at the retail level?  If you do, be sure to mention that the shop will be able to double their money if they sell at your retail price.  It is important that the store knows you're not underselling them.  Let them know if you don't have any customers in their geographic range and will not be seeking any.  If you want to shift from retail sales to wholesale only, tell them this will not be an overnight transition, but you will be glad to send them some of your existing customers.  In any case, let the buyer know that while you are aware you will make less per piece wholesaling, you are glad to get out of marketing and have more time to make jewelry.
3) Do you offer volume discounts?  If you do, bring this up yourself.  It not, spin it positively - all of my customers are important to me and I want to help them all get started with competitive pricing.   
4) Do you buy back non selling items?  Be very careful here. If you say yes, the buyer may end up trying to return scratched up goods.
5) Do you do consignment?  In a consignment shop, you leave the jewelry at the store without being paid for it.  You still own the jewelry and are paid a percentage of the sales price (I wouldn't go higher than 30% of the selling price).  We plan a marketing article on consignment sales for September. 
6) What is your production time - you can see how this would be important if you were offering to make beaded necklaces for a wedding party.  In any case, the buyer needs to know how far ahead to re-order.
7) Do you do this full time or what were your gross sales last year?  With both of these questions, the buyer is trying to determine if you're going to be around this time next year.  Answer the unspoken question with as much determination as you feel.  'I have been beading for the last ten years and put in at least 3 hours a night.  I can't imagine not making jewelry'.  'I have been concentrating on  home sales the last few years.  While I am still small, my income from those sales doubled last year and I'm ready to take the next step'.  You know how committed you are - it will be an easy task to let the buyer sense this determination. 
 

Let's assume all the questions have been asked and answered.  Your buyer is sitting there with favorite pieces in eye sight.  Ask if there are any more questions.  When the answer is finally no, tell them you'd really like to do business with them and ask if they have any concerns.  If they say yes, ask for the concerns and try to address them.  If they say no, ask for the sale.  If they want to think about it, offer to let them keep the jewelry they like while they think about it.  'What if I leave these pieces with you for a few days while you consider.  I can stop by Friday at 3:00 if you're available then'.  If they agree to hold onto the pieces while they consider it, your chances of making the sale just went up.  Don't forget to write up an order for any merchandise left behind - whether the buyer bought it or just kept it to show to their partner.  Of course, you can answer all questions in a satisfactory manner, have great merchandise and still get a no.  If it's a temporary no (I like your line but this is our slow season) find out when things will change and stay in touch with that buyer until (back to school sales, Christmas sales) a better time.  If it's a definite no, never, ask if they know anyone who may be interested.  Chances are they'll say no, but it's always worth a try.  And remember things change over time.  It may be worth checking back with a quick phone call in 3 to 6 months. 

Regardless of how the sales call ends, thank the buyer for their time and leave the store proud of yourself.  Even if you didn't make a sale, you've learned a lot from these first few sales meetings.  Next time you will be even more polished in your demo.  All sales are a numbers game.  The best salesperson in the world hears more nos than yeses and you've just gotten one no out of the way!  The bottom line is that you really have come a very long way from when you first picked up the phone and made a sales call.  You're on your way and you deserve to treat yourself.

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