I want to talk about upselling, and when it actually works against you.
Most smart companies have a core product and a menu of add-ons. The really smart ones know not to throw every extra at a customer the minute they say yes. You listen first. You find out what they need. Then you decide which add-ons make sense.
The other day, I stopped at Hardee’s and ordered a hamburger. No cheese. What followed felt like an interrogation.
Did I want a combo? A drink? A pastry? Was it a number one? A number seven? Meanwhile, I kept repeating the same thing: “I just want a hamburger.” By the end of the conversation, I wasn’t hungry. I was annoyed.
And that got me thinking. Are you doing the same thing to your customers? Are you so focused on selling the extras that you stop listening to what they actually came to buy?
Don’t get me wrong. Add-ons are a great way to increase revenue. But only when they’re relevant. Offering everything to everyone isn’t a sales strategy. It’s the business equivalent of that drive-thru speaker that won’t stop talking.
Before you pitch the upgrade, ask yourself a few questions.
And here’s one more thing to consider. Are customers asking for services or features you don’t currently offer? Sometimes the biggest opportunity isn’t another upsell. It’s paying attention to what people are trying to buy.
The goal isn’t to sell more stuff. The goal is to help customers get more value
