4 Effective Ways to Cross-Sell Your Brand

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It’s a standard rule of business that whatever the customer is looking for, you should sell them something more. Whether it’s an upgrade to their service agreement or extra features on a new car, the more value you can get out of a single sale, the better. This is called cross selling. But it can’t be done in a pushy or obtrusive manner. It needs to be tactful. Here are four tips for cross selling effectively.

  1. cross selling
    Businessman talking on three phones at the same time clearly looking a bit agitated
    Source: istockphoto

    Deal with the initial purchase first. Before you get into extra features that are available, or different products they may also want, make sure you’ve met the need that the customer came in to meet. Once you’ve taken care of that, they’ll be more comfortable with exploring additional options.

  2. Offer something the customer can use. Once you know what the customer needs, use your expertise in the field to recommend products that they may also find useful. Don’t just try to dump a bunch of random junk on them because you’re overstocked. Relate the additional purchase to their situation and show them why they need it.
  3. Cross sell online. Cross selling isn’t limited to talking with a sales rep. Amazon does it with a simple recommendation feature. “Customers who purchased this item also bought…” or “Based on your recent browsing history…” It’s a good way to appeal to a customer’s interests and get them excited about an additional product.
  4. Offer discounts. If a customer likes the additional product but is uncertain of whether they want to buy it, this is a good way to tip the decision in your favor. Tell them that, when bought alongside their initial purchase, the additional product will be discounted, or that shipping is free on orders over a certain amount. That way, they can get what they want AND save money. It’s a no-brainer.
  5. Follow-up. Continue to contact the customer using a pre-determined follow-up schedule after the sale to ensure you are top of mind when they do return to the market and need your services again.

Everyone’s had an experience where they go to the store for one thing and end up with something else as well. What are some of the more effective cross selling offers that you’ve succumbed to? Let us at Halo Programs know!