Today’s blog was written by Erin Verbeck, a partner at The Joy of Marketing, marketing and branding strategist, MBA. She is also co-author of Worth Every Penny which is currently moving up on the NY Times Bestsellers List (we are thrilled)!
You don’t want to miss an opportunity to sell whenever you can. Selling more is even better. The trick is spotting the opportunities. Here are three tips for upselling in your small business.
Style: ABC | Soundtrack: JD Dohnal – That Thing You Said
1. The client is an infrequent visitor to your business.
Maybe it’s because she is a new client who just discovered you or maybe she only budgeted to purchase from your business a few times a year (or even every few years). Recognize that when she does come to see you, she visits because she is ready to invest.
This is great news: she has already cleared that hurdle at this point. You don’t need to convince her to invest. You just need to help her decide WHAT to invest in. Offer her additional products and services she may not even realize your business carries. Just remember not to overwhelm her with too many options. No more than three upsell options should be given at a time.
2. You sell a luxury item or service.
Or really selling anything beyond the basics we need to survive.
Your client is already in an emotional state when they come to you. Your products and services are appealing to more than a basic necessity (food, water, shelter). Your products appeal to the need to feel successful and look successful and the need to impress. Offer your clients more than they think they want, and they’ll likely take you up on your offer.
3. You have a new product or service.
No matter how many people you’ve told about your new offering, how many marketing channels you’ve used to promote it or how much free publicity you’ve benefitted from, don’t assume clients know you have it now. Use this opportunity to educate clients (use an Animoto video) on what you have that is new and how it will benefit them!
Finally, don’t confuse upselling with discounting. You don’t need to offer the upsell at a discount to get clients to take advantage. Just simply by asking, you’ll be surprised at how many yes’s you get!
