The Art of the Upsell is Upselling without Disengaging your Customers

Do you know the story of the marketing bod who told a shampoo company they could double their sales with just one word - REPEAT? Whilst this was a stroke of genius at the time (circa the 1950s), it’s not sound advice for someone with dry hair.

The art of the upsell is really about understanding what your customer wants and putting it in front of them. The art of the upsell is upselling without disengaging your customers. Easy to say, but a fine line to tread.

Most customers will know what they need. The upsell is all about what they want and they may not know what they want, just yet at least. If you upsell well and ensure that the buyer is not left feeling fleeced with that sinking feeling of buyer's remorse (we’ve all been there) - you’ll see the benefit of customer loyalty and increased word-of-mouth marketing - they see the real value in your upsell.

Always think of the longer-term customer relationship - it will pay off over time.

Be valuable 

Whilst any form of upselling is valuable to your income, you need to remove this from your thought process and be more customer-centric. Think about value to the customer, what else might they need. For example, if someone has asked you to create content for a blog, an infographic for example. Once completed they may want help with outreach or perhaps researching other ideas for future content. If these are services you can offer then you are being helpful to your customer by thinking about their next steps.

Be relevant

Of course, you’re going to be relevant, but when you see those pound signs the inner salesperson comes out and you start offering everything and anything - you can’t control yourself! Calm yourself, count to ten and regroup! Only ever upsell something that your specific customer needs or wants. If a customer comes to you for a voiceover for their fab new product video and you think you could create a better logo for it, don’t go there! If however, you want to offer future script writing for further videos this works. 

Be transparent

Customers can easily be confused - you as the seller need to provide crystal clarity. The upsell is about being helpful, but you're not a charity, help comes at a price, be clear about the price from the get-go. The client may not realize there is an associated cost - clearly awkward! Make things easy for yourself - be 100% transparent, 100% of the time.

Be patient

A new buyer is putting their trust in you as a graphic designer offering some initial logo work, and trying to get your customer thinking about stationery and brochures all at the beginning can be overwhelming. The buyer may want to see how you work before committing to more. Make them aware then step back, do a cracking job, a gentle reminder towards the end of the project and you’ll have a better chance of hooking them. 

Be respectful

You’ve been valuable, relevant, transparent, and patient, but your customer still isn’t biting - let it go! The fact that you have been all those things, will resonate with your customer and still work in your favour - if you start to get pushy, or make the client feel stupid for not taking up your extras you will undo all your good work. Negative feedback then follows and you’ve got a hill to climb. We implore your carpe diem outlook, but please know when to rein it in!

See, it’s not rocket science and there is no magic formula, it’s about being intuitive to your customer's needs and wants and servicing them well. The upsell is all about enhancing the customer experience. Every time you upsell in your heart you need to know that you went over and above for that customer - yes you were paid for it, but your ability to identify what would really enhance their services was something a little more, that took them or their business to the next level - money aside that’s something to be proud of.

How do I upsell on my website?

Armed with the knowledge in this blog, you’ll need to be able to offer extras and add-ons to your services - if you do not already have this unlocked you’ll need to upgrade your account. Customers will see your extras and add-ons from the outset, but you can always, in your communication with the customer, during the project propose additional services or add on’s to enhance their order.

Happy upselling!

Do need help implementing upselling on your website? you can contact me for further guidance.