TUCSON, AZ- February 25, 2008 – With detailed and specific recommendations backed by decades of experience and current research, Diane Warga-Arias of DWA Communications and C.R. “Cap” Beesley of American Gemological Laboratories (AGL) set forth several keys to selling gemstones to the wealthy at the AGTA Show in Tucson, Arizona.
Based on her extensive experience in training to sell diamonds and gemstones to the luxury buyer, Warga-Arias began the seminar session by presenting the basic premises for success in marketing to the affluent with specific updates in the current luxury market. Her topics included a list of ten most important categories for excellence in marketing to the affluent. She explored in some detail three of her top 25 strategies for success in selling to the wealthy and offered a website link to download all 25 of the strategies at www.aglgemlab.com.
With specific regard to gemstones, Beesley set forth perhaps the most important premise for successful selling of the wide array of colorful gemstones: sales associate knowledge of the gemstone. With specific detail and support materials, Beesley explained how there are two steps to maximizing gemstone sales with confidence in the gemstone: (1) the use of third party documents to provide the support material for the sales associate so that the associate can be confident in the information about the gemstone; and (2) the use of the sales associate’s confidence and the third party document to transfer and instill confidence in the consumer relating to the gemstone.
“With the specific steps provided by Diane to attract the customer and set the stage for successful selling,” explained Beesley, “coupled with the confidence building third party documents for both the sales associate and the consumer, the retailer has the maximum opportunity to close the sale and earn the respect and loyalty of the consumer.”
Recent research published by the Luxury Institute shows that the number one and most important attribute of the personal selling process is the knowledge of the product and service being offered. According to the research, product knowledge is a 9.13 on a scale of importance to the consumer with 10 at the highest level, followed by a trustworthy sales associate with a rating of 8.95 and a polite and courteous sales associate with a rating of 8.94.
“Third party documentation is perhaps the only method to support the sales associate and to provide confidence to the consumer positively affects both the product knowledge of the sales associate and the trustworthiness of the sales associate,” stated Beesley.
Following the presentation, materials were available that described the Fast Track services of Beesley and AGL that provides third party documentation on colored gemstones with fees as low as $25 per report. Each report is provided in a color matching, credit-card sized, attractive presentation with guaranteed gemstone identification and FTC compliant enhancement disclosure. Prestige services are also available from AGL that not only provide the basic information about a gemstone but also provide detailed information about color hue and tone, clarity and an important overall Total Quality Rating so that one gemstone can be easily compared to another.
Copies of the Warga-Arias presentation and the Beesley presentation are available by calling AGL at 212-704-0727, emailing schung@aglgemlab.com, or by downloading here:
About American Gemological Laboratories
Founded in 1977 by C.R. “Cap” Beesley, American Gemological Laboratories (AGL) has been a pioneer as the first gemological laboratory to offer colored stone grading reports and comprehensive gemological origin reports. AGL is also the Official Colored Gemstone Laboratory of the JA Winter and Summer Shows and the JCK Las Vegas show, as well as the official North American Laboratory of ICA and the 2007 Platinum Sponsor of the ICA (International Colored Gemstone Association) World Congress in Dubai.
About Collectors Universe
Collectors Universe, Inc. is a leading provider of value added services to the high-value collectibles, diamond and colored gemstone markets, with the Company’s common stock traded on the NASDAQ Global Market under the symbol CLCT. For the most recent fiscal year, CLCT authenticated and graded over 3 million items valued at just less than $2 billion.
Contacts:
C.R. “Cap” Beesley, President
American Gemological Laboratories, Inc.
agl@aglgemlab.com
TEL: 212-704-0727