Would You Like Fries With That?
While you may not have recognized it, the last time you
ordered from a fast food restaurant or went to the post
office, there is a good chance you experienced some form
of cross-selling or up selling. Cross-selling and up selling
are well-established and highly effective marketing practices
utilized by a wide variety of industries.
What is cross-selling? It is a proactive, ongoing sales process
designed to provide your customers with a full spectrum of your
company’s products and services. The good news is, cross-selling
is one of the most profitable and least risky endeavors a sales
rep can undertake.
My first exposure to cross selling was as a teenager in high school
working part-time at McDonalds during summer vacation. Looking back
on my brief tenure selling hamburgers, I can still hear my manager’s
daily refrain; be polite, keep the counter clean and always, always
ask if they would like fries with their meal.
A couple of years later while attending college, I took a part-time
job selling shoes at the mall. I was paid an hourly wage to sell the
shoes but I received a commission whenever I cross sold any accessory
items such as shoe polish, socks or purses. This was my first taste
of commission and as a starving college student, I took to cross-
selling and up selling like a duck to water.
Some shortsighted salespeople might suggest that customers are
irritated by cross selling and perceive it as an aggressive sales
technique. Interestingly enough, consumer research indicates that the
reverse is true. The majority of consumers surveyed actually preferred
a full range of products and services and appreciate the convenience
that is provided through a comprehensive cross-selling approach. Top
producing salespeople understand the power of cross-selling and
recognize it as a critical component for promoting both customer
retention and revenue growth.
Not surprisingly, two of the key elements that make cross-selling and
up selling work are trust and convenience. Your customers already
possess a degree of trust in your company and this can be converted
into additional sales that are not directly related to their existing
products.
The best place to introduce your customer to the concept of
cross-selling is during your initial needs analysis meeting.
Unfortunately, many salespeople fail to take the time to conduct a
thorough needs analysis and as a result, do not uncover potential
products and services that would be of benefit to their customer. Ask
questions and take good notes. Effective cross-selling is all about
guided self-discovery. Through a series of thought provoking,
open-ended questions, successful salespeople assist their customers to
uncover potential needs. During the needs analysis interview, I highly
recommend the use of a checklist that incorporates all of your
company’s products and services. Relying on your memory alone is a
poor business decision; so take the time to jot down key information.
Developing a systematic approach to cross-selling and up selling
brings in additional revenue with relatively low expense and effort.
As you prepare for your next client appointment, I challenge you to
look for cross-selling and up selling opportunities that you can
incorporate into your presentation. Sales reps who fail to implement
an effective cross-selling program actually do a disservice to their
customers and leave the back door open to their competitors!
———
John Boe presents a wide variety of motivational and
sales-oriented keynotes and seminar programs for sales
meetings and conventions. John is a nationally recognized
sales trainer and business motivational speaker with an
impeccable track record in the meeting industry. To have
John speak at your next event, visit www.johnboe.com or
call 877 725-3750. Free Newsletter available on website.
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