3 Ways to Upsell Without Being Sleazy
The other day, Shelby notified me that we received a Facebook message on the LEAD page. Since that's my thing, I logged in to answer.
It was a woman asking if Littleton's Gathering of the Jack O'Lanterns event was taking place this year. I referred her to their Facebook event.
She said thank you, and in my response, I referred her to our Festival of Trees event.
Shelby saw the entire exchange.
“I just saw your plug for the trees! Go Meg!”
“Marketing. 😏”
But I was wrong. What I did was actually sales, not marketing.
Marketing and sales are interwoven, but they're two very different parts of the same process. (We dive into this deeper in module 1 of Self-Employed School.)
The type of sales I did in that Facebook message is called upselling, which is something I learned while working at Polly's Pancake Parlor.
Upselling is basically encouraging your customer- who's already purchasing something- to purchase something in addition to, upgrade their current package, getting an add-on, etc. to generate you more revenue.
Does that sound sleazy? It doesn't have to be!
Below are three ways to upsell without being sleazy.
1. Let customers know of an offer similar to the one they're committing to.
This is what I did in that Facebook message. The woman wanted to know about the Gathering of the Jack O'Lanterns, which led me to believe she was interested in community events, so I referred her to our community event. She was grateful I did!
Oftentimes our customers want to work with us even more or want to know their other options are. Not letting them know can be truly considered a disservice. (I can't even tell you how many times clients have said to me, “I wish I knew about you before I had x design my website!”)
2. Offer an upgrade they may not know about.
This is what I learned from Polly's. Their main attraction is pancakes, and the majority of their pancake meals do not come with sides. Many people enjoy having meat with their breakfasts, so the waitstaff, after taking a customer's pancake order, would ask, “Would you like any sausage, bacon, or ham with your pancakes?” More often than not, the customer said yes!
We're bombarded with external stimuli and constant decision making all day, that most of the time we don't fully look into what we're getting. If you've ever been to Polly's, you know it can be daunting to pick out your three pancake options from over five different batters and four fillings (over 120 combinations if I did my permutation correctly!). After that decision fatigue, you may forget that your pancakes don't come with bacon, and be disappointed when you're delivered a baconless plate.
It's not sleazy to gently ask if your customer would like something they may have overlooked. Except if you're that salesman from the “I Love Lucy” episode who sells her a Handy Dandy Vacuum Cleaner with “the works” but the “the works” does not include the essential power cord or accessories kit she thought she was getting. Basically, as long as you outline exactly what your offers include (unlike the “I Love Lucy” salesman), they won't expect the upgrade to be part of “the works.” They'll understand- and respect- that it's extra.
3. Inform them of any packages.
When I worked for the Franconia Notch Chamber of Commerce, I helped our local inns promote their Christmas packages on our e-newsletter. The inns partnered with The Rocks Estate Christmas tree farm to offer a package: get a tree with your stay. Genius!
They knew most people visiting the area in November/December would be heading to The Rocks for a tree, so by including a free tree in their stay, the inn provided even more incentive for the guest to choose them over another lodging option.
People LOVE packages. (Who doesn't love a deal?) Packages are also convenient, especially when it removes planning from the equation (i.e. a package of a hotel stay with theme park tickets saves you from having to take the extra step of buying the tickets).
My social media mini courses (Facebook Facelift, Instagram Insight, and Create With Canva) are available on their own, or as part of Self-Employed School, my signature online course
I mention Self-Employed School on each of the mini course pages by informing viewers that the mini course is a free bonus for Self-Employed School. (It also sweetens the deal for this signature offer!)
To summarize, upselling doesn't have to be sleazy if you're coming from a caring place. Our goal in business is to help people, and we're helping people more by directing them to other offers, providing a full scope of what they need/want, or helping them save time/money.
How can you upsell in your business?
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Just getting started in business and looking for a roadmap? Check out my free Begin Your Business online course. We’ll cover everything from pricing to forming an LLC, assembling your team to getting your first clients, and everything in between.
Been around the business block and looking to grow? My Self-Employed School online course provides a deep dive on topics including website SEO and design, e-newsletters, social media, public relations, and more. It all culminates in creating an easy and effective marketing strategy for your business.
