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Going Wide & Deep With Cross Selling & Up Selling

by Anita Sirianni    

What does it mean to cross sell and up sell?

Cross selling is simply the promotion and sale of all products and services your company represents. Up selling is introducing a larger or wider offering. An upgrade, if you will, to the product or service the Customer currently uses or is planning to buy. It is offering the 'bakers dozen' or value pack when small orders are regularly place. Up selling is not pushing the mombo size if the customer needs it or not! Cross selling, done with integrity, is selling what the customer needs.

Once you have written an order—cross selling for additional business may feel a bit uncomfortable-- until you consider the advantages. In fact, expanding an order to include the other products or services you represent has several benefits not only for you and your company, but for your customer, as well!

Good for Customers

Check out the benefits of Cross Selling from the Customers perspective. Let's assume the products you sell have a synergistic relationship. In other words, products used together offer additional advantages than using them individually. The total is greater than the sum of their parts. What are the natural relationships between your products and services? Cross-Selling is good for Customers because of these synergistic advantages of the items you represent.

In addition, products made to work together, perform better than those that aren't! Maybe other brands would work —but products made by the same company have a connection or reason they naturally work better. Your job, as the representative, is to figure out what those reasons are and sell them!

Maybe—the only advantage in buying multiple products from you is convenience. This means 'one stop shopping' for your accounts. Do your customers value convenience? Cross selling saves the customer time and money.

Good for You!

You will sell more with less effort by presenting your entire product line as compared to selling one product at a time. Time, studies and history have proven over and over, it takes ten times the time, effort and money to cultivate business from a new prospect than from an existing customer. Selling more with less effort is accomplished by cross selling and up selling. Think about it, isn't it easier to maintain and manage a smaller circle of good accounts than one that is scattered all over the place?

Good for Your Company

Cross selling is the right thing to do as a corporate citizen. It is more cost effective to do the same amount of business with a smaller number of customers than it is with a larger group.

One of the biggest reasons we shy away from cross selling is because it feels like pushing. And, NOBODY likes a pushy salesman! Are you uncomfortable cross selling and up selling because it looks like you are only after their money? Shift your attention to what's in buying for the customer! Focus on the benefits the Customer gets by enjoying more of what you have to offer. This will not only help you from feeling like you are pushing, it will give you confidence and enthusiasm to cross sell. If you sell products and services that work and you believe in—how can you prevent Customers from enjoying these benefits by not cross selling?

Sometimes reps delay cross selling until the next call. After all, what's the rush? Let's consider time and opportunity. How long will it be before you will meet face to face with this buyer again? Look at your track record. What has been your average Customer follow-up time? Four weeks? Four months? A year?

Now, let's look at opportunity. Is it possible, one or several of your competitors could call on this account in the time you'll be away? Is there a chance they could sell the product you decided to wait on? Are you willing to risk a competitor getting their hands on your customer by waiting to cross sell? And, what if the rep you compete against is good at introducing their other product options? Who knows what damage they can do!

Cross selling and up selling expands the scope of service you provide and the value you bring to Customers. It also is great insurance to lock out the competition! So, the next time you decide to wait until the next call, remember time is money—yours!

Finally, sometimes reps don't feel obligated to cross sell because they believe Customers will ask about the products they are interested in. When was the last time you asked about a new muffler you didn't know you needed? Remember, you are the professional! It is your responsibility to match your products and services with Customer needs. Think of cross selling and up selling as using your product expertise and extending your ability to help people.

Effective cross selling and up selling begins with your sales presentation and a good transition. First, let's look at a few not-so-effective ways to cross sell: In a bold cross selling attempt, have you ever asked: "Is there anything else?" or "Is there anything else I can help you with?" The problem with this approach is that it is too general. Anything, else, what? Give the Customer something to buy!

Another weak attempt at cross selling is an inappropriate use of the assumptive close. This might sound like: "And, your next order?" While I am a BIG supporter of assuming you have the business unless the prospect stops you—this is not the time to use this technique. You simply haven't given the customer a reason to buy! You need to lead the customer to solutions you have determined best suited for them.

The very best sales people, the reps who are consistently at the top of the sales charts, are individuals who operate as consultants and business advisors to their Customers. You are the product expert and must lead the way with good cross-selling transitions. The problem with the techniques I am about to share with you is that they take more work—they require that you be on your toes and fully focused on each account you call on. More work—more rewards!

Effective cross selling and up selling starts before you walk in the door. Review your account history and prepare a game plan. (This is why keeping track of account activity is so important to your sales success!)

What types of products has this account purchased in the past?

Is there a clear product preference or trend that your offer fits into?

Are there activities or changes in this customer's history that would increase their need for your offering?

is the practice growing or changing or shrinking?

How should/would this effect the use of your prospect

A Helpful Hierarchy to Cross Selling and Up Selling

Your first attempt to cross sell or up sell should be complementary products. These are the items you offer that work or go together with the product being purchased. Complementary products are the easiest to cross sell because of the immediate perceived benefit by the Customer. For example, have you ever been offered socks with the purchase of shoes or a rental car with an airline reservation? That is cross selling complementary products at its finest.

Complementary products should be your first cross selling priority because they naturally go well with the product being purchased. What product and service complement the products you represent? Where are the natural links between the products and services you provide?

Next, attempt to cross sell previously ordered products. Items Customers have ordered in the past are a good cross-selling target. This is where the benefits of doing your homework pay off. You have to know the customer's history in order to cross sell using this technique.

Try this transition:

"Doctor, I noticed you have used our product X in the past. How did you like it? You might be interested in knowing, that item is currently on sale." Cross selling using previously ordered products is popular because it is quick and easy to use.

Finally, Special Promotions are another excellent up selling tactic. Using a "Tag On" line is especially effective in mentioning products on special or promotion. Try cross-selling special promotions by adding one of these lines to the end of your next sales call:

"Oh, by the way, you might be interested in knowing...[insert special or promotion]"

OR

"One last thing before you go, we are having a great promotion on [insert promotion] and I thought you might be interested."

OR

"We are offering [insert promotion or special] to our customers, this month."

Cross selling and Up selling is an important part of your job. Keep your Customers out of enemy territory by using these success strategies.


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Anita Sirianni is a professional writer, speaker, and “sales coach” in high demand. She is the president of ANSIR International and can be reached at 800-471-2619. Her web-site is www.AnitaSirianni.com