The Story of the Jewellers' Sales Training Program - William P. Colbert

The objective of The Jewelers Sales Training Program is to develop outstanding retail jewelry
sales personnel. The program was produced as the result of extensive research that involved
some of the most outstanding retail jewelry store- owners, managers, executives and retail
sales professionals in the country.
The research that began in 1975 is still ongoing and the discoveries it produces are constantly
used to update the program by its chief author Dr. William Colbert, a learning specialist and
former jewelry store-owner for many years. Three-areas of emphasis are identified by Dr.
Colbert and his associates. These include (1) Positive customer interaction, (2) Understanding
the selling process, and (3) Using product knowledge in the sales transaction.
The electronic coaching feature included with the program makes certain the manager or
designated store trainer using the program has help using the program on a 24/7 basis via
e-mail, telephone or many of the other technologies available today.
The coaching feature keeps the program developers and the retailers in constant touch. This
close association provides the basis for the constant improvement of the program—through
the identification of new training needs and new exciting sales promotion ideas.
The format of the program provides for the diagnosis of the needs of the sales group, active
participation of the sales group, problem-solving opportunities based on their store, and
many opportunities for turning training sessions into new sales promotions.