Upselling is everywhere

I stopped in my local Starbucks the other day to grab a latte. I like (and always order when I go) a grande latte. I don’t go often because I have a hard time paying so much for a cup of coffee. But I decided to treat myself.

The person taking my order immediately asked me if I’d like a venti (large) instead. I said no. She then asked if I wanted a flavor. No, I replied. Finally, she asked me if I’d like to add a pastry or muffin. No, just the coffee.

Upselling is everywhere these days. I’ve been noticing it more and more. There’s the perennial upseller, McDonald's, with their now famous phrase, would you like to supersize that? Annette told me she went into Yankee Candle, a retail store that sells scented candles and accessories, the other day and the clerk gave her several options for buying up.

If you pay close attention, you will see it. And, if it’s done well, you will hardly notice it. Pay attention to the upselling that’s going on all around you. Try to incorporate it into your own sales. Offering a few more options with any job is a great way to give your customer additional value and increase the price of the job. But remember you only want to give upsell options that your customer may want to purchase or would benefit from. Simply trying to get your customer to spend more money with you is no way to go about upselling. If you know your customer, you will know what options are most valuable.