By Jeffrey Hedquist
“Would you like fries with that?” “Can I super-size that for you?” “Here’s a shirt and tie that would really go well with that suit.” “For only $2.50 more, you can get the hot wax.” Spend $25 on your order from Amazon and get free shipping.
Sound familiar? We hear them every day. They’re called upsells and cross sells, and they work. It’s a simple way to increase sales. And yet, many of our clients either don’t use them, or don’t use them often enough.
We’re used to doing this for our clients when we bundle texting, internet, newsletter mentions, web site banners, remotes, promotions, merchandising, etc. but we can really help our clients by encouraging them to do this for their customers.
Upselling: When your client helps a customer decide to buy a little extra or “up-grade” slightly their purchase.
A chiropractor might suggest purchasing 5 treatments to get a 6th one at no charge. An electronics retailer could demonstrate that for a small cost, the customer could upgrade to a cell phone with more features. A pet store can show that buying the larger package for a few dollars more saves quite a bit per serving.
Cross selling: When your client influences a customer to add an affiliated item, service or accessory to the purchase.
A garden center can suggest adding companion plants to help repel pests or enrich the soil for vegetables the gardener has chosen. A luggage retailer might suggest a matching piece to compliment a suitcase. A computer dealer could suggest additional software applications or extended warrantee options.
These additional purchases (it’s recommended that they don’t exceed 25% of the cost of the main purchase) can be extremely profitable for the client as well as a benefit for the purchaser.
Examine each of your clients’ business transactions and think of ways they can bundle, package, super-size or add on to the sale at the point of purchase.
Becoming the source of building your clients’ profitability will increase your value to them, and in some cases, help them stay in business so they can continue advertising.
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