Sales Strategy
Jimmy DeGroot: How a Routine Cleaning Became a $19,000 Sale | November 12, 2025 (0 comments)
Appleton, WI--Occasionally, we get stories from our clients that just delight us. Here’s the latest.
Tammy’s staff was reaching out to clients the past few weeks, inviting them in for checkups, cleanings and wish lists. On Tuesday afternoon, in walks Marvin holding a bag of his wife Kate’s jewelry. “I guess I’m supposed to have you clean and check all this stuff?” he said gruffly, holding up a one-gallon zip lock bag. Tina welcomes Marvin in the store and proceeds to pull the tangled mess out of the bag and onto a counter tray. Marvin grabbed a cup of coffee and came over and sat down with Tina. “I don’t even know why she had me do this! She never wears the stuff! I’ll bet she hasn’t worn a thing in there in 30 years!”
Well after some pleasant conversation and learning a little more about Marvin and Kate, Tina mentioned, “You know Marvin, we DO BUY jewelry and gold IS at an all-time high right now.”
Marvin asked, “What can I for it?” Tina weighed and sorted it. Remember, this was a that was pretty full gallon bag. “Nine thousand, seven hundred and eighty-five dollars” Tina told him.
Then Marvin pulled a beautiful move, and this is pretty classy for a man of 70 years old whose wife was past her jewelry buying years. “Wow! That’s pretty good! Well, (insert 10 seconds of quiet as Marvin mulls a thought) I don’t want the money. How about we put it into something she’ll really love and wear all the time?”
Long story short, Marvin’s visit ended up in a $19,000 sale of a natural oval diamond solitaire ring with a channel set diamond band. This beautiful exchange came from a simple phone call to invite customers in for a cleaning and checkup. What kind of conversations are your team starting with your existing customers today?
Now that’s how it’s supposed to work!
James (Jimmy) DeGroot is a professional jewelry sales and operations trainer from the jeweler’s side of the counter. Having been in management and the jewelry business for over 20 years, Jimmy offers weekly training to jewelers nationwide via the Train Retail website. Jimmy and his partner Kyle Bullock help jewelry stores grow their profits and their people to fulfill their greater purpose! We do it through one-on-one business coaching, sales training, and leadership development. Contact Jimmy at jimmy@trainretail.com or call 920-492-1191.