Sunday, January 13, 2013 posted by Rebecca Daneault
You don’t have to be a marketing genius to know that placing
one product next to something else that it can be used with can mean a boost in
sales. It just makes sense – if a customer has already made the purchasing
decision for one product, why not entice them to buy something complementary at
the same time. But as much as the concept seems like a no-brainer, there is a
certain strategy that is needed if it is to be carried out successfully. Here
are a few tips to get you started.
Offer the second
product for a discount. If a customer knows that by purchasing one thing,
they can get a second similar product for a lower price, it could be just
enough to entice them over the edge. It can also help you avoid the “I’ll buy
this one now, and the other one later” dilemma by making it worthwhile for your
customers to buy everything in one shot.
Clearly communicate
the value of the second product. To really drive that second sale, you have
to clearly deliver the message that it’s valuable and a “must have”. Encourage
your sales staff to mention the add-on and tout its value in terms of the first
product. The more you push this message, the better results you’ll get.
Give the offer a
level of urgency. It’s probably the oldest tactic in the book, but it’s
highly effective. When you provide a sense of urgency with your complementary
offer (i.e. “Today Only: Buy A, Get B for 50% Off!”) you force your customers
to make an immediate buying decision. When they don’t have the option to go
home and think it over before pulling the trigger, they’re more apt to bite the
bullet and make the purchase just to take advantage of the deal.
Offer more than one
complementary product. If one add-on item is good, it only stands to reason
that two is better, right? If possible, offer two additional products to go
with your main sale to make it that much more of a bargain.
Keep it relevant.
As long as the complementary product you’re offering makes sense as an add-on,
even if your customer doesn’t purchase it, they’ll understand the reason behind
the push to sell it. If you try to push something irrelevant, on the other
hand, you risk ruining relationships with your customers altogether. Keep it
related and you’ll have a much better response.
Selling complementary products can be a great way to boost
sales, but it has to be done right for it to really be effective. Follow these
tips and you’ll have a good chance of capitalizing on this powerful marketing
strategy.
Labels: marketing, sales tips
posted by Rebecca Daneault @ 7:51 PM