Understanding Your Customer's Needs
How do you get a customer to buy something they don’t need, but want. That’s a question retailers have been asking since retail began. There are people who exist on the planet who like to sell things.
Makes Me Think Of i’m not one of them. The way I see it, but even in my work as a stand up comic i have to sell tickets, and when i teach comics to go to the next level in their careers, ‘selling’ is fairly one of the things we talk about. Sort of.
If you’re going to upsell a customer then you need to be intuitive. You have to read the customer fast and find what it is that speaks to them - or more specifically, motivates them. There is seemingly the practical customer - they’re buying an appliance and they want it to last longer.
They’ll buy the warranty, and if you tell them how much longer it will last for an extra $200, they can rationalise that purchase as being good use of money. More or less. Then there is reportedly the customer who needs reassurance about their choices - they are seeking validation from your expertise - what would you recommend. What do others buy.
This is the customer who likes being sold things because the buying decision is based on their relationship with you, rather than just your product. So, once they trust you, you could sell them anything. The way I see it, finally there is the impulse buyer - this person needs just enough information to make that spontaneous purchase sound like a good idea.
It could be that a certain offer makes sense now and might not later. It seems like this person is driven by excitement so if you can match their energy then upselling will work perfectly. It all comes down to asking questions about what they want, identifying their needs and then matching those needs with what you offer.
The instinctual seller has a sense of fun and excitement; they are motivated by making other people feel happy and comfortable with their purchase choices. Sort of.
Crafting Compelling Offers
Have you ever wondered why some people seem to attract the best deals, while others are constantly shelling out full price. The secret is that they know how to create a compelling offer. Sort of. I Expect anyone can slap together an offer and expect it to sell like hotcakes, but the most successful sellers know how to make their offers irresistible to customers.
Crafting a compelling offer is all about understanding your target customer and what they want. What are their pain points, desires, and needs. Once you know this, you can start putting together an offer that speaks directly to them. For example, if you're selling a premium skincare product, you might want to highlight the fact that it's made with all-natural ingredients and will help them achieve radiant skin.
You could also throw in a free sample of another product in your range or offer a discount for first-time buyers. When crafting your offer, it's important to be clear and concise. Don't try to overwhelm your customers with too much information or too many options.
Stick to the essentials and make it easy for them to say yes. There are many different ways to craft compelling offers. Some popular techniques include: offering discounts or coupons, bundling products or services together, giving away free gifts with purchase, hosting contests or giveaways, offering limited-time promotions.
No matter which technique you choose, make sure your offer is valuable and relevant to your target customers. A well-crafted offer can help you increase sales, attract new customers, build brand loyalty and stand out from competitors. And isn't that what we're all after - success for our businesses.
Timing Your Upsell Appropriately
Ever found yourself in a shop, purse in hand, being offered an “exclusive upgrade” while you’re still deciding whether to buy anything at all. That’s the art of the upsell gone a bit awry. Timing, as they say, is kind of everything - especially when you’re suggesting someone spends more than they intended. Looks Like Here’s a little secret: I’ve been approached with an upsell midway through browsing, and it didn’t sit well.
There’s something about being asked to trade up before you’ve made a basic commitment that creates resistance. People like to feel they’re making their own decisions rather than being pushed into something. If you lead with your best offer and suggest an upgrade too soon, buyers might assume that what they started with isn’t good enough or is lacking in some way. That’s a tough thought for most people.
Upsells should generally come after the main purchase is completed - whether in person or online. One thing I find rather interesting is how many brands offer upgrades during checkout. It seems to work because by then, most people are already committed to making a purchase and see an add-on as improving their original pick instead of replacing it.
I think asking someone to spend more money works best after they’ve decided to spend some already - instead of offering extra deals at every turn and possibly overwhelming them. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach here. More or less - in my experience,.
Some customers might want all the information upfront so they can make an informed decision on how much they want to spend right away, while others might prefer buying something small now and feeling satisfied with their choice before spending more next time they shop with you. More or less. The key is knowing your customer base well enough to know when most people would be open to hearing about an upgrade without feeling pressured or annoyed by your offer.
Leveraging Social Proof
Ever wondered why some trends suddenly explode, especially online. Why the same bag, shoes, or serum shows up again and again - not just on the brand's own page but in your feed, stories, DMs from friends and perhaps even the dog’s Instagram. That's social proof in action. It’s when you spot something everyone around you is raving about and feel a little tug inside that makes you think maybe you need it too.
Social proof can be a powerful tool when it comes to building trust in your brand and increasing conversions. People are reportedly far more likely to part with their money when they can see that others already have. And while that sounds a bit shallow, our brains are wired to think of it as reassurance.
We love premium products because they make us feel special but we want to know that they're worth the higher cost. Seeing testimonials from real people like themselves can create a personal connection for customers. When happy customers post reviews on your platform or engage with your brand online, new customers are more likely to trust that they’re making a good decision.
It’s easy enough for a business to talk about all the ways their product is unique and share all its benefits but people tend to take things with a pinch of salt unless it comes from someone outside the company. Or who isn’t paid by them. User-generated content is essentially social proof from customers sharing their opinions on your product or service and is generally considered authentic because it doesn't come from someone who benefits directly by posting about your brand.
Whether you use influencer marketing, customer testimonials, user-generated content (UGC), celebrity endorsements or social media likes - there are more or less plenty of ways to build trust in your product with potential customers and influence their buying decision.
Utilizing Bundling Strategies
Ever wondered how adding a couple of seemingly random things together and selling them as a bundle works so well. It’s because people love being able to buy more for less, even when it isn’t exactly true. The art of bundling lies in bringing together products that can be sold as a set, so that you’re able to upsell without really seeming like you are. Now, that said, there’s certainly a bit more to it than just putting two things together and calling it a day.
You have to make sure the products work well together, or at least make sense when bought as a set. These days, with so many options available for just about anything, people tend to know exactly what they’re looking for.
Some even arrive at your store or website with the product codes. This means there is an implicit expectation that you’d have done your homework and would’ve put together sets of items that are relevant. I think it’s important that you pay attention to the message you’re communicating as part of this. You want to give your customers more value without losing out yourself.
The way I see it, the goal is always to encourage shoppers to spend more than they might have otherwise, but leave feeling like they got a great deal out of it. This is the reason why bundling works so well; it allows you to put together different items and offer a discount on the total package. Every shopper responds differently, but most appreciate getting more than they asked for.
I’ve found bundling especially useful when launching new collections or introducing new categories in your store - more often than not, if someone comes in looking for one thing but sees it being sold alongside another interesting product, there’s a good chance they’ll end up picking up both. Sort of.
Measuring Success and Adjusting Tactics
Do you sometimes wonder whether your work is actually making a difference or are you running on autopilot. As a sales associate, it might feel like you’re simply checking tasks off your list – clocking in, offering the customer their preferred product, and then upselling. You get told what to do and how to do it. But have you ever asked why.
What if there was a way for you to check if the time and effort you put into upselling and promoting premium products was worth it, or even better – what if there was a way for you to maximise the effect of your efforts. This is where measuring your success and pivoting accordingly comes in. We’ve previously talked about this before, but I can’t emphasise enough how important it is for employees at all levels to take charge of their own progress.
In this context, that means identifying relevant key performance indicators (KPIs), tracking conversion rates, and adapting based on collected data. This would start with defining what success looks like for you – is it higher average order values, an increased number of premium product purchases, or customer feedback that’s more positive. By regularly assessing progress against these KPIs, you can find out what’s working and what isn’t. More or less.
Based on the information that gets gathered over a certain period of time, sales teams can create new strategies or even improve existing ones. For example, let’s say one associate has had higher numbers of premium product sales compared to others. When their actions are analysed alongside those of the other team members, trends could emerge such as their practice of telling personal stories to connect with customers. The next step would be to apply these learnings across the board while keeping a close watch on results.
All in all, regular assessment allows brands to be agile and responsive rather than static – giving them an edge that can help them win.