Upselling is simply the process of selling an additional or an upgraded product to a customer. In order to keep the money coming in, you always want to go for this little extra, whenever the opportunity presents itself. Here’s how to go about it:
- Include a discount for a related product in the body of your informational product. If they like what they have already bought, they are more likely to come back for more.
- Make the discount part of the payment process. Offer a combined discount if they order two or more products.
- Send a discount authorization number in the “thank you” email that acknowledges the placement of an order.
- Build a mailing list of “preferred” customers who get a fixed discount on all future purchases, as well as special advance pricing on new products.
- Add a button you’re your home page that takes readers right to the discounts.
- Suggest an additional product based on what the customer has already purchased.
- Explain why that additional product would make life so much easier for the customer.
- Point out what types of problems the additional product could help the customer avoid.
- Make the customer feel special, i.e. not everyone gets a discount like this.
- Suggest specific products to go with the purchased product, and explain why the two go together so well.
- Don’t leave the offer on the table too long – limited time only often works well for many situations.
- Combine different mediums. You can sell an ebook along with a video. Mixing and matching can create some appealing choices for customers.
- Rotate the combinations. This will give customers something to look forward to, and they’ll come back more often.
- Announce new products and pair them with an older product for a one-time special purchase.
- Do promotional campaigns that demonstrate how two products can work together to create superior results.
- Collect and use testimonials in your upselling. Hearing what a good deal this is from another customer sometimes will close the deal when you can’t.
- Keep it low pressure. When this happens, you become the friend rather than the adversary.
- Know your stuff. Nothing kills an upsell attempt like not being able to answer questions or overcome objections.
- If you honestly don’t know an answer, be honest, find out, and get back with the customer. It will be appreciated and will keep the rapport positive.
- Target your upselling attempts. Not every customer is ripe for this type of activity. Go for the ones who are ready today, and revisit the others at a later date.
- Keep it short. No one likes a long-winded salesperson.
- Keep it real. Don’t make promises you can’t keep.
- Keep it on topic. Don’t prevaricate, hoping to weaken the client. It backfires most of the time.
- Keep it honest. Stand by everything you tell the customer.
- Be enthusiastic about the products you upsell. If you aren’t, then the customer won’t be.
- Ask questions along the way. This helps you to clear up miscommunications before they can grow into something too big to overcome.
- Make it easy for the customer to say yes. This means they can always stop you to accept the deal.
- Make it hard for the customer to say no. Be prepared to respond to every objection with a benefit.
- Always affirm the thoughts of your client. Then turn them around to why they need the product you are recommending.
- Never argue with a client. It closes a door that will never open again.
- Don’t say no to a client. If they want something you can’t deliver, tell then what you can do instead.
- Make it clear you have the best interests of the customer at heart. If it is obvious you just want to make a sale, you’ll lose them in a short period of time.
- Always appreciate the past business from the customer. Make it a point to mention it. They’ll feel special because you remembered.
- Say the client’s name now and then. One’s own name is the sweetest sound many people ever hear.
- Even in email correspondence, always address the customer by name from time to time.
- Ask the client for ideas on what they could do with the additional product.
- Follow up on those ideas by exploring them a little further; it helps the client build a stronger affinity with the product.
- Ask how the customer would handle those same situations without the product.
- Point out how solutions would be so much easier with the product than without.
- Ask clarifying questions to make sure you understand what the customer is saying. It lets them know you are listening and want to get it right.
- Keep the purchase options simple. Too many options could lead to confusion, then to frustration for the customer.
- Walk the customer through the process of purchasing if necessary. A little handholding to complete a sale is a good thing.
- Close the sale whenever you get the idea that the client is ready to make a decision. A second later may be too late.
- Confirm the terms of the order. You want to make sure everything is exactly as it should be.
- Thank the customer for the order now, even if another form of thanks will take place letter (such as in a confirmation email). It is not overkill to do it twice.
- Always ask for referrals. They can lead to additional opportunities for new sales and subsequent upsells.
- Follow through and make sure the order is fulfilled according to terms. If there is any type of delay, make sure the client knows about it in advance.
- Confirm the delivery of the order.
- Schedule a follow up contact with the client to get feedback. This can be done with a phone call or an email.
- Always schedule that follow up for a few days after the customer receives his or her order. It is not only a chance to get feedback on the latest purchase, but also a chance to secure permission to contact the client about future offers.