Sales Strategy
Must Have Passion! Or, Why We Do What We Do | March 05, 2015 (1 comment)
Ft. Lauderdale, FL—The worst thing that can happen to your company is when stress goes up and passion goes down. That is when we must remember “why” we do what we do. I can’t speak for each of you but my “WHY” and the passion I have for our industry is watching romance and emotion right in front of my eyes.
I recently was sent a book from one of our suppliers, Sushil from Sandeep Corp. I don’t think anyone could tell or say it better on the topic of “why” we do what we do. Of course there is the factor of making money, making a living, and growing our businesses, but we could do that in any industry. Why ours?
Sushil put it this way: “In our daily bustle of spread sheets, brands, messaging, positioning, gross margins, averages, meetings, suppliers and demanding management, we need to remind ourselves that we are in a trade that brings joy to peoples lives.”
Simple! In our own little ways we all add and share in life’s special moments. Our trade still rests on relationships of the most personal kind. We are hands-on and personal when it comes to product, personal with the individual who makes the decision and, finally, personal with the customers’ dreams and emotions. There is warmth in our industry that we need to savor and preserve as we all evolve.
The question now is not “how can we get more?” but “how we can give more.” We are blessed to participate, even in the smallest way, when love prevails, vows are made, and rings are exchanged. It is now “us,” the independent jeweler, who has the opportunity to embrace our “guests” with trust and assurance. As the old saying goes, “If you don’t know jewelry, then know your jeweler!” When your community trusts in you as a jeweler, there is no stopping your success.
Andie Weinman, president and CEO of Preferred Jewelers International / Continental Buying Group Inc., was born with the “Jewelry Gene” working in the jewelry industry since she was only ten years old. Her first job was as a cashier in the opening of a catalog showroom doing a fantastic job even at that tender age. Andie holds a B.A. in musical theatre and a B.S. in marine biology from The University of Tampa. When she realized that seawater and marine biology were not good on her hair and she wasn’t quite good enough to make it on Broadway, the jewelry business beckoned. Andie has picked diamonds, sorted color stones, shot waxes and performed a multitude of jobs in the manufacturing of jewelry. Her negotiating experience and prowess has given her the reputation as being tough but fair in her dealings with vendors. In 2012 the Indian Diamond and Color Association awarded Andie the Prestigious Doyenne Award of the Year.