Recently while navigating an online bookstore I came across the James
Frey book popularized by Oprahs book club: A Million Little Pieces.
As I read about this book I was informed that readers who bought A
Million Little Pieces also bought the books Lies My President Told Me
and Pinocchio. Folks, I was being cross-sold, yet I wasnt cross
about it.
The reality of business is that customers want to be sold. They love
to buy for their own reasons. Not manipulatively bombarded with sales
pitches or indiscriminately pressured with endless offerings, but
intelligently informed, guided and suggested with related, logical
and natural purchases that further their goals.
Up-selling and cross-selling are two sales techniques used by
professional sales and service staffs to increase sales. Are you
making the most of suggestive selling?
Up With Selling
Up-selling refers to situations where your customer buys a product or
service, and you encourage them to spend more for additional features
or packages. They are upping the amount they are spending, albeit for
more or better services or products.
Consider the customer seeking a point-of-sale solution for handling
credit cards, yet opts to purchase a deluxe POS model for more money
when learning of additional capabilities, security and flexibility.
You are shopping for a bare-bones SUV. The salesperson infoms you
that soccer moms tell him they love having the model with the DVD
player in the backseat for the kids. Thus you buy that model with a
fancy video system and then the extended warranty too.
Sales Crossing Ahead
Cross-selling refers to situations where a customer buys a product or
service, and is simultaneously sold related items that often
complement their purchase.
For example: A customer buys a computer
and is then sold training services or tutorial software to go with it
at additional cost.
Ditto when a man buys a suit and is then offered a color coordinated
silk tie and dress shirt to go with it.
While we think of these as advanced sales techniques, they are
actually rooted in the power of suggestion.
People, once theyve decided to buy, are naturally swayed by more and
better options, additional value and the excitement following their
initial purchase. Many customers dont know about additional items or
options, or how well they complement the initial item they bought. Up-
selling enhances their initial purchase, making them more powerful,
capable and effective. Cross-selling similarly enhances their
purchase, often maximizing its impact on their business.
Suggestive Selling Salient in Our Lives
Quite frankly, weve been up-sold and cross-sold every day. And its
not necessarily a manipulative process.
Consider the following examples:
- Would you like fries with that order?
- For just 49 cents we can super-size that for you.
- When you buy 2 today you get 1 Free!
- Would you like to purchase our extended warranty coverage on this?
Its only....
Ive worked with customer service staffs afraid to sell, others who
felt it was manipulative and smarmy to sell. Yet heres a secret:
Its really a form of service!
Service Through Sales
When you up-sell and cross-sell:
- You are making informed suggestions as a knowledgeable rep.
- You are apprising customers of options they may not be aware of.
- You are often anticipating future needs.
Its a way to further help your customerto be more powerful, to
enjoy more benefits, to maximize the usefulness of the products or
services theyre acquiring. Remember this, when you are the rep who
is selling and serving:
- You are in the business of solving problems, generating solutions
and making customers happy, or even happier.
- You are the subject matter expert when it comes to the products
and services you are representing.
To the extent you listen and understand the situation of your
clients, customers or constituents, you are ideally suited to provide
solutions, recommendations and remedies.
To withhold this from others would be selfish, poor service.
Any time you can fulfill more needs, address more issues or solve
more problems you are easing your clients/customers life. After
all, they already trust you, like you and are doing business with you.
So, how does one up---sell or cross-sell? Its easy.
Lets Play Bridge
After youve completed the initial transaction or gotten the initial
indication your customer wants to buy, you can then bridge to the Up-
or Crosssell:
Mr. Randle, while I have you on the linewere you aware you can work
in multiple advanced speech manuals at the same time?
Oh, by the way Ms. Kennison, did you knowthat the book you bought
for new hires also has a companion CD for just $9 more?
Mr. Younger, Id like to take a moment toinform you of a new
nationwide program just for businesses such as yours
Incidentally were you aware that you are 2/3s of the way toward
qualifying for a discount on shipping of your office supplies?
Using BRIDGE statements allows you to transition from your initial
sale to up-sells and cross-sells.
Look anew at the offerings youre selling. For each, what is an up-
sell? What can you cross-sell with it? Make sure your salespeople
know the migration paths so they can suggestively up- and cross-sell
with ease.
In closing, Id like to thank you for your engagement with this
material. Before concluding, could I interest any of you in a related
article on up-selling and cross-selling? Perhaps youd prefer a
training course on suggestive selling? Shall I customize that for
you? Consider yourself super-sized!
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