“Let’s practice selling” is a large assignment for a short morning meeting. It can turn into a rushed performance in which an associate tries to greet, discover needs, present a piece, answer every question, and close before anyone has decided what the practice is meant to improve.
A narrower exercise is easier to coach. Choose one moment in the conversation and one behavior the observer can hear. In William’s AI-customer demonstration, around 7:11–7:21, he discusses focusing on welcoming and needs discovery before returning to other parts of the sale. The video shows an earlier beta demonstration; the exercise here is an original routine that also works with two teammates and a timer.
Minutes one and two: choose the situation
Write a short fictional customer brief. For example: a gift buyer knows the recipient prefers understated jewelry, has a date in mind, and is unsure which category to choose. Give the person playing the customer that context. Do not script every response, and do not use a real customer’s personal details as practice material.
Choose one skill for the associate: ask an open question, clarify a vague preference, or summarize what they learned before showing a piece. State it before the role-play starts. “Ask what understated means to this customer” is observable. “Be more confident” is too broad to guide the next attempt.
Minutes three through five: let the conversation happen
The customer gives believable answers and the associate practices the chosen moment. The observer listens without rescuing every pause. If the exercise is needs discovery, it can end before a product presentation. A short practice does not need to force a complete sale into the available time.
Listen for whether the associate uses the answer they receive. A second question should build on the customer’s words, not simply move through a memorized list. If the customer says the recipient wears small pieces every day, the associate might clarify what feels comfortable and what they already enjoy wearing.
Minutes six and seven: give evidence, then one change
Begin with something specific that worked. Describe the question or summary you heard and why it helped the conversation. Then choose one change for the next attempt. For example: “You asked about the occasion. Next time, pause after the answer and ask what the recipient usually wears before choosing a category.”
Keep feedback about the action, not the person. Avoid turning one awkward sentence into a judgment about whether someone is a good salesperson. Ask the associate what they were trying to understand. That often exposes a useful gap between their intention and the question the customer heard.
Minutes eight and nine: repeat the same moment
Run the opening again with the same customer brief and the one agreed change. Keeping the situation stable makes it easier to hear what changed. The observer checks for the selected behavior rather than adding a new list of criticisms. Give the associate room to use natural language instead of repeating the coach word for word.
A second attempt is the point of the exercise. Without it, the team has discussed a skill but has not practiced applying the feedback. Finish the attempt when the specific moment has been handled; there is no need to add an artificial deadline for closing the customer.
Minute ten: decide what to carry onto the floor
Ask the associate to name the behavior they will use today and when it would help. Write a short coaching note: the situation, the behavior practiced, and the next practice date. At the following huddle, ask what felt different in real conversations without sharing private customer details.
Rotate the situations over time: a first visit, an unclear gift preference, a question about a piece, or a service update. Keep each session focused enough that the team can recognize progress. A useful ten minutes ends with one skill attempted twice and one clear thing to try next.
Continue the team conversation
Explore the related video below and choose one exercise to try at your next huddle. You can also explore the JewelLink System guided tours.