When I think of imitation, I think about Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan. They’re both incredibly talented martial artists, and they are both very successful, but in different ways. Bruce Lee was a gifted martial artist, and very intense and focused on his craft. Jackie Chan was also extremely talented, but even he admitted that Lee was a better fighter. Instead of trying to beat Lee at his own game, Chan discovered that he was better than Lee at something else – making people laugh.
He incorporated that humor into his work, and suddenly, there was a clear path to success ahead of him. When Jackie Chan did what he was best at, he didn’t even need to compete with Bruce Lee. Instead, filmmakers saw how Chan’s humor connected with people, and started to write funny roles just for him.
People – especially customers looking to buy jewelry – want a real connection, and you can’t make a real connection by imitating someone else. Customers respect artists and creative people who have their own style, and I don’t mean out of ego! Your creativity and authenticity are proof that you are passionate, well-informed, and love what you do. And that makes selling much, much easier!
Learning to Be Yourself
Early in my career, I’ll admit that I was greatly influenced by another company. They were pushing large “pendant slides” or remounts, and they were seeing a lot of success! Of course, that was what I wanted, too. So for a while, I followed their example.
But as some of you already know, I am a creative designer at heart. One day, I came up with a concept nobody else was doing, which meant there was no one to imitate. So I got my first mechanical copyright, made TV commercials with different voice models, and before I knew it, I did not need to imitate anyone else’s success – I had found my own.
Part of that success was the design, but a bigger part of it was my attitude. I really got excited (and still do!) when creating something out of necessity, rather than trying to make another widget a little better or at a cheaper price. For me, making something original was so energy-building and positive that I could have done it in my sleep. The bottom line is that I didn’t just make something great, I felt great making it. That made my piece unique, and it had a passion and a story behind it that made it easy for stores to sell.
Once I realized that my creativity was my unique, authentic skill, I leaned in on it. I could come up with ideas all day (although I’ve made some whoppers of bad designs in my day, too!) I got a lot of joy and energy out of making sketches, figuring out what price a piece needed to land at, and figuring out how the mechanics might work. But I also knew that creativity was just one piece of the puzzle. So I also spent time making connections with people who could help me keep the administrative work on track, and others who would help me understand if a piece could actually work. It led me to meet some fantastic bench jewelers in stores that are amazing!
In sales, you can use the same skills to help find your authentic way of connecting with customers. Think about the things you do first in a day, because they come naturally to you. Maybe you love calling on customers, because it’s easy to chat with them. If so, you may be a “people person” who should spend more time in the front of the store, meeting new customers! Or maybe you’re always looking forward to the next shipment of new pieces, so you can start learning all about them. Salespeople like this are “experts” who always know the details and story of a piece, making it easier for them to sell.
When you find your unique way of connecting, you will not need to imitate anyone else’s methods. Leaning in on what makes you successful helps your sales in every way. Customers respond better to authenticity, and it is easier to stay consistent when you are not forcing yourself to follow someone else’s rules.
Dealing With Imitation
When you find your authentic way of doing business, it is inevitable that someone will try to copy it. I’ve been in this situation as a designer. I remember seeing ads for pieces that looked exactly like mine – but at a lower quality, and lower price point. I’ll admit that I lost some sales to those imitations, but I can also tell you that I watched those imitators close down in the end. You see, because I was working in my passion, I could weather a few bad designs. I always knew that even if one idea was not a success, I had plenty more! But imitators do not have that kind of confidence. If the ideas they are “inspired” by stop working, they need new sources of “inspiration” right away.
In sales, imitation like this is easy to see. You run an ad, and the store down the street runs an identical one the next week. You pick up a new line, and your competitors suddenly carry something similar. It can be a really frustrating experience! “Why,” you might ask yourself, “am I doing all this work, just for someone else to copy it?”
I could say all the old clichés here: “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery,” or “if they are copying you, you must be doing something right!” But you’ve already heard that before. What I’ll tell you instead is this.
If your success is coming from your ability to authentically connect with customers, it cannot be imitated, at least not for long. Your competitors can run the same ads, carry the same products, and use AI to copy your ‘voice’ in social media posts whenever they like. If someone walks into your store, makes a real connection, and then visits your competitor, it will be really clear to them who is the “real deal” and who is not.
Being Authentic in Sales
When another business is successful, you might be tempted, or even pressured, to imitate what makes them great. And, of course, you can learn from someone, or be inspired by them, without being an imitator. The difference is, when someone else inspires you, you will put a “twist” on their idea that comes from your skills and strengths – making the end result authentic to you. Once you learn how to use your unique skills, you’ll see why imitation can only take a great salesperson so far. Eventually, we all find that we need to use our own voices.
I still think about the advice a mentor gave me: “When you’re looking over your shoulder at what other people are doing, turn around. You’ll succeed when you look ahead and think about what you can do next.” For me, that means focusing on creating my next great design. For you, that might be getting to know new customers, learning about new product lines, or cultivating return visits. The list is endless, but it is likely what drew you to the business in the first place.
So take some time today to think about what makes you “tick” as a salesperson! The more familiar you are with your strengths, like creativity, the easier it will be to use them to connect with customers in your unique, authentic way – and that is a way of making sales that is impossible to copy!
