Upselling 101

If you aren’t using upselling as a strategy to increase revenue, you’re missing out.  In fact, more than half of all companies are not actively implementing an upselling plan.  Upselling, or getting an existing customer to purchase additional products or services, is one of the most effective ways to bring in additional profit.

Below you’ll find out more about upselling strategies that work and how best to implement them straight from an internet marketing company.

Upselling Etiquette

Nobody wants to be upsold when it involves a pushy sales rep hocking products and services that the customer has no use for.  But people do want to be informed of other services and products that might be right for their company.  By simply focusing on your customer’s needs and how your offering can benefit them, you’ll dramatically increase the odds of successfully upselling to them.

Start by identifying what is most important to your customer.  Take the time to find out what they need from you and how you can help.  Ask about both short-term and long-term needs.  By understanding what your client values and what their goals are, you’ll be able to identify the specific services and products you are most likely to be able to sell them.  

Create an Action Plan

Using what you know about your customer’s goals and priorities, you can now develop an action plan that includes the services they need from you and when they will need them.  If their plan for reaching their goals is falling short in certain areas, or could simply be improved, you should be ready to offer them the services they need.

Make sure to do your research and have data to back up your recommendations.  For example, if you’re trying to sell social media services to a client, you’ll need to show them why their current social media practices aren’t working as well as they could and how your offerings can improve their situation.

Only Upsell When Needed

Rather than trying to upsell to all of your customers, identify who actually needs them.  Pushing services to someone who doesn’t need them will only make you seem like a sleazy salesperson.  If you aren’t able to show how a particular service will help them reach their goals, you should not try to upsell to them.  And even if the client decides to try a service that they don’t need, if it won’t truly benefit them you will look untrustworthy because you’ve now wasted their time and resources.

Deliver Immediate Value

Whenever you can provide value to a client that will have an immediate impact, you should.  Selling them a few small services that have an immediate impact will increase your trustworthiness and their sense of your expertise.  The more quickly you can do this, the better!

Be Clear About Pricing

There’s no reason to keep your prices a secret from your clients.  During an upselling process, give your client clear pricing information including exactly what each extra dollar will give them.  This will help your client feel comfortable with the idea of deepening your relationship.

Maximize the Timing

When it comes to upselling, timing is key.  The best time to get your client thinking about new products and services is after you complete a stellar project or reach a new goal.  At this point, ask the client what kinds of new ideas they have or projects they want to work on.  It’s okay if you recommend specific projects you’d like to work on with them, and the best time to do this is right after doing a project well. 

By keeping these tips in mind, you’ll be an upselling pro in no time while making your clients’ lives easier.  To learn more about effective upselling strategies, contact Blueprint Internet Marketing at 1.888.533.4886 or info@blueprintim.com.