Cross selling, up selling, diagonal selling…it doesn’t matter what’s its called, many of us need to be better at it to make the most of every customer engagement. So let’s learn from the masters…Tescos plc.
Now Tescos are elitist at selling and will soon be advancing headlong into banking. Trust me, they’ll get it right. However, last Saturday, I was at my favourite part of their store, the Cider aisle. Living in Gloucestershire for the last 15 years has given me the taste for our county drink and I was perusing the aisle staring at the gorgeous bottles, flagons and boxes of scrumpy. Until I noticed something in the corner of my eye. Have a look at the photograph to see if you spot it too.
Boxes of Nurofen attached to the side clearly displayed. How clever. How problem sales focussed. For those of you who’ve consumed Gloucestershire scrumpy before, you’ll know one of the potential problems. A screaming headache the next morning. Nurofens solve the problem so why not sell the pills at the same time as the cider sale. Solves the problem.
And first class cross-selling too. I read at the weekend in the Economist that Amazon makes 30% of its revenue from its referral engine. The one that says “you might also like this” or “People like you also bought…”.
So long as the product or service solves a problem or pain the customer might have, just suggest they might like it or want it. And leave the rest up to your customer. Tescos did this by putting the item next to the cider. Simple. Do you as well?
I declined the offer of Nurofen as I always have plenty in stock at home. I guess that’s 15 years of consuming Gloucestershire Scrumpy. Interestingly Tescos didn’t have feelings so weren’t too affected by my rejection, nor is Amazon because it’s a computer not a human. Humans have to cope with rejection which is why, I feel, many of us don’t like asking.
