Guns for Hire…
Listen, if you’re going to take the trouble to search the Internet to learn about diamonds…and then get in your car and drive from place to place to find the “best deal,” be sure to let the salespeople in those jewelry store’s know what you’re about. They work for you…they’re your hired guns.
Just say it…
When you go into a recommended jewelry store knowing exactly what you want…just say it already. Too many men cloak themselves in a shroud of machismo and actually prolong the buying process. Good business…great relationships…and authentic living are the result of effective communication. Be an effective communicator with your hired guns and they’ll treat you like the god that you are.
Footnote: Don’t be a hard-ass know-it-all when you present your case. While you may be well-versed as a result of your Internet travels, you will never know what a diamond professional knows. (Why would you want to exactly? Oh that’s right…you don’t want to get “ripped off.”*)
I was a member of an industry think-tank once upon a time…and our leader…a giant in the jewelry biz said, “I make it my business to know my business. Outside of that…I hire people to do what I am not an expert in.” That’s not only true…it’s bad-ass.
Tip:
Find someone to be your hired gun when you’re in the diamond market. Treat them as an employee of yours…because that’s really what they are. They work for YOU…and get paid to “do what you are not an expert in.” (Be a good boss though. No one likes to work for a jerk.)
What if you’re not the guy I just talked about?
Maybe you’re a little less sure of yourself. You think you know what you want…but you have some doubts and need a little more hand-holding. There is nothing wrong with that. Actually you are in for a much smoother ride in my opinion because you don’t need to spend a lot of time defending your position.
The beauty is you have hired guns as well…and they want to make sure you walk away feeling every bit the man you know you are. Why? Because they want to be your go-too diamond and jewelry expert for the rest of your life. The good ones live for it actually…it’s what they do.
Water the Horses. Feed the Men. Tonight we ride!
Quit looking at jewelry salespeople as your adversaries and make them part of your posse. How will you know if they are worthy of your requirements? I’ll spend more time on this subject in a future post…but off the top of my head I would do the following:
- Ask your buddies where they buy their jewelry. They’ll tell you far more than any company brochure or flash intro.
- Trust your gut. It is always your best guide. (In life and at the diamond counter.)
- Use local Google, Yahoo, and Bing searches. Many of them will have ratings on jewelers along with customer comments. Click here to see what this looks like. (It’s for my store.)
- Tell your potential employees that you want to make sure they’re the right fit for you…and then ask what you want to know in a matter-of-fact way. If they’re offended or put out by this…well…there’s your answer.
Having a hired gun in the diamond business will pay off in ways you can’t imagine. It will save you time (which = money) and energy…and it’s pretty cool to have a diamond guy/girl in your back pocket. That way you can focus on more important things like getting rock hard abs and training for the Backwoods Barbecue and Beer Chugoff.
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All great advice. Also, it can be helpful to write down all the information about the ring or rings you are interested in and then compare that to some online prices. Even if you don’t want to buy your ring online, you can possibly use the internet pricing to leverage a better deal.
I don’t know. I tend to disagree with that advice. I know it’s a popular sentiment to “get a better deal,” but it ignores the fact that bricks and mortar stores have an incredible amount of overhead that isn’t just window dressing. You know those people on the other side of the counter that jump through hoops for you? Yeah…that’s how they make their living. The good ones invest time and money to learn about the things they sell…so you (the customer) don’t have to.
The store owner invests money in training the people…and $100’s of thousands of dollars in physical inventory so you(the customer) can see and touch and try on before you buy. That’s just 2 variables…but to me it sucks when someone takes notes…then compares it to online outlets who provide NOTHING but a picture and pages of copy that you have to sift through for information that may or may not be clear.
No…that’s why people should start looking at professional jewelry sales people as hired guns…and pay them. Nobody has “people” for free. (If you do…well…you get exactly what you pay for.)
Thanks for the comment.
RIGHT ON, RIGHT ON, RIGHT ON!
90% of all women wearing diamonds don’t realize that a $20K flawless, ideal cut, 2ct. diamond solitaire after wearing for six months can look like a pawnshop ’super deal’ from 47th street unless she has found a jeweler that will service that ring. A bricks and mortar jeweler adds immeasurable value through the service they provide during the LIFETIME of that customer.
Yeah…it’s amazing how buying a ring is different from buying a TV. Independent’s DO offer so much more than just the physical product. There is REAL value to the thing they/we do. Thankfully there are people who realize it. Isn’t it interesting how thankful they are when it comes time to have things checked…fixed…resized…all that and it doesn’t cost them anything?
Thanks for the comment, Michael. (BTW: Michael owns The Wedding Ring Shop and they are an incredible example of what it means to run a good…valuable business. I recommend them all the way.)
Thanks Andy-
Keep up the awesome work on your site!
Mike
Very well put, thank you!
My pleasure, Naleli. Wow…what a beautiful name you have! I write this stuff because I’m know you’ll come back in the future…so…THANK YOU!