You either love upsells or you hate them.
If you have a business, you love upselling because you’ll make more money. Or, you hate them because you just closed the sale and you are afraid of trying to push the limit with an upsell.
If you’re a customer, you might hate an upsell because it’s another thing to buy or you love the upsell because you are getting something else (that you need!) and it’s just a little bit more.
We’ve all been there where we’ve were asked — after the sale — that you need a “special cable” with your new big screen TV or an extended warranty that you’ll never use. We might hate upselling as a salesperson because we’ve personally gotten burned when we were buying.
So, to us — someone who is selling and learning the art of the closing of the sale — we want to know how to upsell without being pushy, right?
If you just upsell the right way, where there’s a benefit to you AND benefitting the client, you and your customers will start liking upsells!
Your Upsells Will Benefit Your Happy Customer
At an expensive restaurant, I was with my family and it was time to order. Everything was ala carte, which makes everything even more expensive.
However, the server explained after I ordered just the entree, “With an extra 12 dollars, you can get a salad, the same entree and you’ll get an amazing dessert and beverage!” How could I say “no”?
They got their $12 upsell and I got a better meal. A win for everyone!
So, How to Upsell Without Being Pushy and Like it at the Same Time?
In any business, learning to upsell is an important skill. Really, you need to do this or you’ll lose out on a better sale and your customer will lose out on a great benefit.
When you learn how to upsell without being pushy, and when you are getting better at it, you’ll also feel a lot better when you sell with an upsell at the end.
Timing is a Key Ingredient
Right After a Sale
The best time to upsell is just after your customer just bought something. The other day I bought a Fedora hat. Now, if you love hats you also want them to stay in shape, remain clean (or an ability to clean it), maybe a way to store it and more.
Just after I put the hat in the shopping cart on their site, they “suggested” some products, such as felt hat cleaner, a rain repellant spray for hats, some cleaning sponges (better a brush, in my opinion), hat feathers and such.
Okay, so I bought them — even the feathers. But, I love hats and I wanted to have the supplies they suggested as an upsell.
Did it feel as if they “sold” them to me? Not at all! Instead, I thought, “Okay, that’ll make everything easier instead of searching all over the place (on this site or another one) for all of these items. Also, I wouldn’t even think of those feathers, and…”
Get it? The upsell made my life easier and the buying experience better. They win, and I won. (Ta-da!)
(By the way, the felt hat cleaner saved a hat for me, one I thought I’d have to throw it away. So, because they suggested the felt hat cleaner for an extra $9.00 — I saved a hat worth about $200.00!)
When Your Customer Just Received a Benefit From Your Company
A while ago, I bought some insurance from the water company. It was just $17 a month, and after asking around I just got it.
Then, when something happened, I was able to get the benefit of the extra insurance. Afterward, when the company called me to see if everything is fine, they suggested (an upsell!) an extra $5.99 policy for internal plumbing. And (because “why not?”), I gladly bought it.
Yes, it was an upsell, but to me, it was an “added benefit” to me and my home — and a perfect example of how to upsell without being pushy. There was no “pushy” anything.
Rewarding a Customer
We’ve all had the email sent to us when we reached a certain point as a customer. Perhaps, it’s being a customer for certain years, or you’ve reached a number of points or widgets from them. They can reward you even more if you buy an upsell.
I think American Express does this when you’re a “valuable customer” and you can get their “special” card that will give you a bazillion bonuses! For a higher fee, of course, but, if you can benefit, then it’s a good upsell.
Can You See How You and Your Customer Can Benefit When You Upsell?
Learning how to upsell without being pushy can be a piece a cake. It’s easier than you think and you aren’t one of those “pushy salespersons” you avoided this far.
Start doing an upsell when you finish your presentation and after closing the sale and you’re make more money for your business and your customer will be a happier person, too!