Kentucky Center for Agriculture and Rural Development

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Would You Like Fries with That?

Would you like fries with that? Do you want chicken on your Caesar Salad?  These are examples of how some of the most popular restaurants encourage you to buy more – whether it is with up-selling (adding chicken) or cross-selling (adding fries). If you are not offering your customers extra products or upgrading a specific item, you are missing a great revenue opportunity. Below are three techniques to help your customers discover additional items that go along with their purchase.

  1. Offer up-sells and cross-sells that make sense. Do you ever get bombarded by a customer service rep on the phone who offers you a million “opportunities” before actually helping you with your question? You can understand how your customers can feel you did the same to them. Your suggestions have to fit the customer’s needs at that very moment he or she is talking with you. Actively listening to their needs and desires can help you better determine which of your products could help them, then offer them an up-sell or cross-sell.

  2. Demonstrate value. Once you figure out what up-sell or cross-sell makes sense for them, your work isn’t done. You need to show your customer the value the additional product would add. Whether that is covering another piece of the meal, giving them an additional gift idea, or even making prep a little easier, showing the value is key. Share thoughts from other customers, personal experience, or display testimonials to show how customers have used the product

  3. Offering pricing incentives for buying more. You’ve seen the various “packaged deal” options – how many times have you bought more because it was a better option? Apply the same thought to your business. Bundling is both cross-selling and up-selling, but if you package related items together and show the value, you can definitely increase your sales of all the items in the bundle.

Up-selling and cross-selling doesn’t have to be complicated or a daunting task. It is a way to increase not only your bottom line but also the value you offer to your customer. To learn how KCARD can help you figure out how techniques like these fit into your sales and promotion strategy, give us a call at 859-550-3972 or email us at kcard@kcard.info.