What is Cross Selling, Exactly?
So yes, cross selling can be extremely successful, but only when it is done effectively. There are a few ways to get started.
Cross Selling Past Customers
The most effective method to cross sell customers is through a re-engagement campaign. Below are three of the top re-engagement campaigns that you can use to build new business:
- Recent client re-engagement
- Former client re-engagement
- Personal re-engagement
The messaging itself is fairly simple in structure. You first want to identify where you know them from. This can be as simple as, “Hey, we’ve done business before in the past and we want to see what you are doing now.”
This also has the benefit of increasing your customer service. We’ve found that many past customers are thankful to companies who simply touch base every now and then.
Finally, your messaging needs a call to action. After all, you want your prospects to raise their hand, so to speak. This can simply be a request for a phone call or an email response. You want to be personally invested in your customer. Do not send them to a form to fill out or a landing page. You want to engage them on their own terms. A happy customer is a good customer!
Cross Selling Existing Customers
Of course, emailing is just one channel of communication. You can also use direct mail or try to incorporate calling in the process if you want to create a personal connection with your customers. Plus, there are always other mediums such as LinkedIn that can do the trick. LinkedIn is an especially valuable resource when reaching out to a previous contact who has moved to a new company.
Cross selling isn’t a hard sell. You want to establish rapport, create a personal touch, and really let your personality shine. You want your clients to like you, not tolerate you. For example, you might say, “Hey Bill, how’ve you been? I’m always looking to make your day better, and since you’re in the data space, I thought you might be interested in…”
The first email’s goal should be to convey your central message clearly, concisely, and without all those frilly, messy, listless, and superfluous adjectives that make up sentences like this one.
When you’re cross selling, it’s always better to give examples of other companies that have used your products or services so it seems more like you are sharing a customer’s success story rather than just trying to sell them something. Always add value—you can’t ask a customer to pay attention to you without giving them something in return; they need a reason to care.
Why You Should Cross Sell
Cross selling can increase the profitability of services or products your company provides that may typically go unnoticed by your current clients. Additionally, re-engagement campaigns are an excellent way to boost your cross selling efforts and are one of the most effective methods to build new business and turn past customers into current clients.
