Cross-selling, I’m defining as a situation where you offer them an alternative product or service. As distinct from upselling or switch selling.
The most likely reason this could happen is because you’re out of stock on the product they came in for.
This therefore requires product knowledge on your part. So make sure that you always know what to offer them as an alternative for just about every product or service that you can supply where appropriate.
A few things then that will help;
- Listen out for details about the application, i.e. how they intend using the product
- Ask questions to understand their situation
- LEARN YOUR PRODUCTS. So that you can uncover opportunities
- Reassure them by talking benefits of the alternative product that you’re offering
- Talk about best-sellers. People like things more when they’re popular!
In a recent training session in Coventry, the group I worked with came up with the following suggestions, which I’ve turned into generic points. Their list was far more product-specific.
- Offer an alternative product that does the same thing
- Alternative specification (size, model, colour) may do it
- With low-cost consumables, try an alternative sell, steer them towards your own-label product where you can
- Alternative brands on branded products “we haven’t got the xx, but we have got this yy.”
- Sell other products to complement the item they’re after.
- Always aim to KEEP THE CUSTOMER and we also agreed that you should….
- STICK TO WHAT YOU KNOW
In other words, don’t be happy to offer them some old bull, don’t try to sell them just anything as they’re less likely to come back are they? Instead use your knowledge to offer them advice and guidance. Adding value to the relationship is the way of building a great long-term trading relationship.
For all types of sales training, To Market covers benefit selling, objection handling, work on written communication, as well as the more general topics covering questioning skills and listening skills. To find out more about this, contact us info@tomarket.co.uk
To Market carries out in-house training for companies across the Midlands : Birmingham, Leicester, Northampton, Kettering, Wellingborough, Corby, Coventry, Rugby, Warwick, Milton Keynes, as well as wider parts of Leicestershire and Northamptonshire.