The Art of the Upsell

You’ve filled your funnel and you’re starting to see a steady stream of new clients in your business. Congrats! That’s a great start to building a rock-solid business you love. However, the work doesn’t end with that first sale. In fact, it’s just beginning.

Your next job is to continue to make offers (and sales) to your loyal customers. Remember, it’s much easier to sell to a current customer than to earn a new one, so don’t ignore those who have already expressed trust in you.

Step-by-Step Offers

For each of your products or services, there must be a “next logical step” for those who buy. If you’re a consultant and the point of entry into your customer’s list was an eBook, then perhaps the next step is a video guide. If she’s already purchased your video guide, a multi-week workshop might be next on the agenda. And if that multi-week workshop was a hit, a private 1:1 session is going to be her next need.

By thoughtfully including “next step” recommendations in your follow-up emails and even in your products themselves, you can easily move your clients further into your funnel with timely upsells.

Automate Your Follow-Ups

Of course, it can be tricky to manage all your products and services, so savvy business owners are careful to create an autoresponder series to follow every product or service purchase. You’ll want to include emails that encourage your buyer to consume the products she’s already purchased, plus tips to help her progress even further.

As she buys your next offer, make sure you make use of the automation tools available in your email software to remove her from the “sales” list and add her to the “buyers” list for that next product. When you manage this well, your clients will progress easily from one offer to the next.  My favorite tool for doing this is ConvertKit.

Segment Your Lists

One thing to be cautious of is trying to force buyers to make too big of a leap. The woman who bought your $47 eBook is not likely to sign on for a $1997 training program—at least not yet.

By segmenting your mailing lists, you can avoid making overly-aggressive offers, and instead send your buyers exactly what they need, when they need it.

Upselling your buyers is the key to higher income with less work. Don’t be afraid to make offers, and remember, a happy buyer is primed to make another purchase. She’s counting on you to show her what’s next, so don’t make the mistake of thinking you’re bothering or annoying her by making offers. Do it thoughtfully, and she’ll actually thank you for it.