I love Brian Tracy’s quote – ‘Approach each customer with the idea of helping him or her to solve a problem or achieve a goal, not of selling a product or service’.
The only way you can know how to solve a customer’s problem or achieve a goal is if you have knowledge of the product or service you are offering. When you have good product knowledge it becomes easier and even natural to upsell because you are now selling from a point of understanding and problem solving. The truth is, at the core of up-selling is product knowledge.
I see companies pushing their staff to up-sell and cross sell, but sometimes they fail to do the one thing that will help their teams do this effectively. They fail to invest in ensuring their teams have excellent product knowledge first. In-depth product knowledge is key to selling any product, without it, your team will struggle to sell successfully. Take the time to train your staff, not once but continuously and test their knowledge regularly to ensure they have it at their fingertips. Training is not just for large companies with the budget for it. Small and medium sized companies need to invest in it too.
However, it takes two to tango so just as it is important for a company to invest in their teams, I would like to encourage staff to also invest in learning for themselves. Be interested in what you are offering the client. What are the benefits? Why should a client choose your product or service and not another? What solution does your service or product offer the client? How are you helping the client? You do not have to wait for the company to train you, you can educate yourself. When you do this, you naturally become better at your job and at up-selling.
Upselling is a skill that comes with having product knowledge, there is simply no way around it!
