Giving Them What They Want
How can you increase your sales and customer satisfaction without increasing your costs? One simple way is through cross-selling and upselling. Train your telephone-based salespersons to give customers what they want-even when they don't ask for it! The strongest sales professionals excel at this and most will admit that it is a learned skill, not an innate ability. Here are some tips for training yourself or your sales team to cross-sell/upsell your product line.
Voice control -- varying pitch, volume, inflection, and tone to keep your voice sounding alive and interested. Selling on the phone places more emphasis on your voice, since body language is no longer a part of the communication. Successful telesales professionals don't sound like they're reading a script or making the 200th call of the day. Enthusiasm and personal experience fuel their conversations.
Product knowledge-- thorough knowledge of your entire product line is essential in order to successfully upsell or cross-sell. Based on what the customer has already agreed to buy, the sales professional must be able to suggest the next logical step: "Mr. Auto Dealer, would you like to be able to accept up to four checks for that down payment and have 30 days to deposit them? Would that ability help you to close a sale when the consumer is short on cash?" Successful cross-sellers know how to translate product features into customer benefits, tailoring those benefits to a specific customer's needs. Creating a grid of your products, features, and benefits will help put this information at your fingertips.
Power vocabulary -- using words that build rapport and enthusiasm will help to sell the customer on the next step. Words such as exclusive, customized, guaranteed, and risk-free capture the customer's attention and create interest.
Listen -- listening skills, paraphrasing and acknowledgment, are important in upselling. By learning more about your customer and his business, you will be led to which products and services can best be introduced to this customer as service solutions.
Closing-- once a need is established, closing is a natural part of the sale. Have a variety of closes available and close often. "We can program your terminal while you're on the phone. Would you like to begin guaranteeing your checks this afternoon?"
An ISO skilled at upselling and cross-selling can rapidly increase his or her residual income, without increasing the number of sales calls made.
Good Selling!SM
Paul H. Green
