Just tell them what you do!
One of the best and easiest ways sell more is to sell more to your existing customers. Many customers only know about the products they have bought from you. Simply telling your customers about all the products in your range can bring in more business.
Never assume your customers know your products as well as you do. Most people are focused on one thing when they make a purchase. Has a customer ever said to you ‘I didn’t know you did that’? Customers are often unaware of everything that a business can provide.
Cross-selling and up-selling is all about relevance. Look at what your customers have bought before and offer them other relevant goods and services that might be useful. They will see this as good customer care, rather than an intrusive sales pitch.
Make it at the right time
Timing is everything. Where possible, focus on cross-selling and up-selling at the point of sale when customers are ready to buy. Offering upgrades, special deals and free gifts (such as three for two) is a great way to convince customers to spend a little more. (think about a very famous food chain who always ask if you want to make it ‘large’, that’s the best up-selling that you can get!)
Don’t underestimate the importance of your existing satisfied customers. Not only is it more cost effective to sell them than to market your business to new clients, they are also loyal, they can become a great source of referrals, and compared to new customers they are generally less price sensitive.
How to tell them
Selling to existing customers is quite different to approaching new prospects. You don’t need to establish your reputation, skills or the quality of your products. The customer is already convinced. The fact that you’re telling them about other useful products or services shows that you understand their needs and care giving them a good level of service. So you don’t always have to tell them in person about your product and service range.
You can send newsletters and emails telling them about new products and special offers. After a sale, a courtesy call is a good opportunity to offer other goods and services. You can send reminders when services or check-ups are due. When shipping a product to a customer, include a flyer highlighting other items which they might be interested in.
It really is true, look after your existing clients, and they’ll bring more to you!