Cross selling can raise your takings dramatically so why don’t more retail outlets do it? It’s obvious and above all it’s easy.
The result to your business? Well it reaps valuable monetary rewards and positive affirmations about your customer service.
Imagine and picture this scenario, you have just returned from a shopping trip. You are now the proud owner of a brand new piece of entertainment equipment and you can’t wait to put it to use! You unpack it, follow (or ignore as many of us do) the assembly and connection instructions and then spend time frantically searching for that missing piece of kit! A timely call to the shop enlightens you to the fact that you should have purchased a certain gizmo, but you didn’t purchase it because you didn't know that you needed it. So another trip back to the shop, this time not one full of anticipation and excitement at the thought of making a new purchase but anger and frustration which of course will no doubt be directed at the shop when you arrive.
The outcome for the shop, well you will no doubt raise the story and the inefficiency of the store for not telling you about the gizmo at every conversational opportunity until you tire of it.
All of this frustration directed at the store, tales of poor customer service and lower revenue can all be avoided and turned into:
• A delighted customer
• Tales of excellent service
• More revenue through the till.
Here are some tips on how to do it:
1) Know your product and identify what additional items will:
• Make it work – e.g. batteries
• Enhance its use/performance – e.g. improved cables and leads
• Build on its uses – e.g. Accessories for an electric drill
• Protect the product – e.g. camera case
• Be required for its operation – e.g. printing inks and paper
Some of these will be obvious e.g. a battery for an item to make it operate but others may need a little more thought. It is imperative that the item is relevant to the purchase otherwise the customer will be confused and the level of trust between you could be eroded.
2) Introduce the additional items into your sale at appropriate times.
e.g. ‘You will need batteries to make it work shall I add that into the sale for you’?
Cross over sales can be gained by introducing additional items that will
enhance the products performance. Introduce them into the sale at the earliest opportunity especially as a response to buying signals.
e.g. ‘You seem to have a keen interest in the sound quality. How would you like to improve your experience with some amazing speakers that will add to the TV’s performance’?
3) Show you are being helpful by introducing cross over sales.
Explain that the purchase today will save them the time and money needed for a return journey or simply show you are thinking about them
e.g. ‘The memory card supplied with the camera is not very large and I’d hate for you to miss capturing some special moments because the card is full. This is a much larger memory card; would you like to take it now to save you a return trip back the store’?
4) Presuppositions are great ways to encourage cross over sales today. A presupposition is simply a statement that presumes they will need the item
e.g. You’ll need some paper with your printer how many packs would you like to take with you today?
If the cross over sale is going to be a repeat purchase e.g. printer cartridges do all you can to supply their first purchase, there is a greater chance of them returning for their additional supplies.
Enjoy the additional revenue cross over sales will bring to your store. Equally benefit from the improved customer service, you have delivered well and they will remember you positively for that.
Good luck
___________________________________________
More information on Beyond The Box and their range of services can be found at www.beyondthebox.co.uk or call 0845 270 6520.
