THE DIAMOND DEBATE: WHAT IT TEACHES US ABOUT EFFECTIVE SALES

There's been a lot of noise around lab-grown diamonds versus mined diamonds. The conversation is loud and repetitive. People keep insisting that lab diamonds are real diamonds, with the same grading and quality as mined ones.

Now, I’m no diamond expert, but I can see a parallel here with sales strategies. Just repeating your message over and over again isn’t going to cut it. 

You can’t just shout that your product is the best and expect people to buy it.  

Instead, take your customers on an educational journey, empathise with them, share examples, and use storytelling to convey your message effectively. 

Let me share a quick story.  

When I was looking at wedding bands, I was given the option between a lab-grown diamond and a mined diamond. I didn't know much about lab diamonds except that they were cheaper, so I chose a mined diamond because that is what I have bought before, it’s familiar and felt comfortable with knowing what I’m purchasing.  

I took what I knew and made a decision (an informed decision on the information I had gathered over the time of wanting and owning diamonds – lucky me hey!) 

Whether you’re selling diamonds, tech, or any other product, this holds true; if people don’t understand what you’re selling, or if it’s new to the market, they’ll have questions and doubts. 

So, how do you do this?  

First, understand why people buy what they do. Why do they prefer mined diamonds? It’s commonly about value, tradition, and emotional attachment.  

The same goes for any product; needing to understand the feelings and motivations behind your customers' choices. 

Next, educate them on the alternatives.  

Instead of "lab diamonds are cheaper"  

Explain the benefits relating back to them—more environmentally friendly, potentially larger sizes for the same price, and so on. 

In tech sales, for example, you might be trying to replace a current technology with something new. 

 You can’t just say yours is better.  

Understand what they need, how they’re going to chose their new solution and link the proposal back to this.  

Ask questions like, "What are you looking for? What problems are you facing? What are you trying to achieve" Then, guide them through the process. 

Remember, people don’t buy in a state of confusion. They need clear, straightforward information to make informed decisions.  

Additionally, people don’t buy because you told them to. 

As a salesperson, your job is to provide that information and help them see why your product is the best choice for them. 

The diamond debate highlights that education is key.  

Understand your customers, address their misconceptions, and guide them through their decision-making process. 

Whether you’re selling diamonds, tech, or anything else, this approach will help you succeed. 

I hope you found this article helpful and can apply these insights to your own sales strategies. If you want to chat more about this or need more tips, connect with me over on LinkedIn by clicking HERE.