Upgrades and add-ons grow your business.

Find products or services that complement and add value to your main product or service. What products and services can accompany your main sales items? You can add on to anything: a donut with your coffee; website maintenance contract with the development of a new website, office productivity software with a new computer; photos and frames; tax returns and accounting counsel; shirts and ties; cameras and batteries. Analyze the items you sell, and focus on areas in which you could increase sales.

How can you upgrade sales or offer packages of items or services you could sell? The customer inquiring about a new computer system might be interested in a higher priced version with more features like a mobile IPad application to enter sales information. How will you find out? Ask questions instead of just explaining the features and functions of the product or service. Be prepared with answers that articulate the differences between your basic product or service and the upgrade or add-on before you step into your sales role.

Create a sales script. Once you have identified add-ons or upgrades, write a simple sales script for each. Your script should justify the added expense of the add-on or upgrade by explaining the value. Identify the features, functions, and benefits of your add-on or upgrade. Understand your product and service thoroughly and practice delivering the presentation. Have the sales staff role play different sales scenarios so that they are comfortable delivering the message in different situations. When you practice the delivery of that information, make sure your sales presentation sounds natural and not rehearsed.

Ask questions. Some add-ons and upgrades are easier to sell than others, but you still need to ask. “Can I suggest a dessert for you?” “This camera takes AA batteries; would you like to purchase them today?” Other add-ons and upgrades will require more knowledge of your customer’s desires and needs to provide the best match. Learning about a prospect’s needs before recommending a solution may help the salesperson suggest additional add-ons that can improve the customer’s experience with the main purchase. Ask open-ended questions to learn more about why the prospect is attracted to a specific product or service. How will the product be used? What features are needed? What benefits are valuable? Who will use the product? Help your customer meet their requirements. Offer the best solution for their needs. Explain not only the value the product provides, but why one product might be a better fit than another. Describe the added value that an upgrade might bring and how it will best fit the customer’s needs. The consultative sales approach positions the sales person as a knowledgeable professional helping the customer make the best possible buying decision.

With prior planning, product or service packaging, and sales training, you could soon add much more revenue.

Berger Business Advisors helps you find and implement add-ons and upgrades. For a free consultation, contact us.