There’s major opportunity to add even more value to each deal and maximize sales by incorporating suggestive selling. This technique isn’t pushy or aggressive; it can contribute to a positive customer experience.

Maximize sales with suggestive selling

So, what is suggestive selling? “Suggestive selling is the intentional practice of cross-​selling or upselling,” explains Donny Kelwig for Zendesk Blog. “If someone decides to buy your product, they’re likely to be interested in purchasing complementary items at the same time.”

The suggested additional purchase should be less expensive than the primary purchase, and it should be intuitive and logical. Because it aligns with the main product or service, there’s no need to be pushy with the sale. The prospect will be excited to buy the add-​on because it will enhance their use of the primary purchase.

So, suggestive selling not only helps a rep maximize sales, but it also effectively boosts their satisfaction and helps build loyalty. As Kelwig points out, “Finding new businesses to buy from is stressful for clients, so if they can trust you, they’ll return. And the more your suggestions prove correct, the more you will foster customer loyalty. Loyal customers not only make additional purchases over time—they also recommend your products or services to their friends and colleagues.”

How to engage in suggestive selling

Kelwig shares seven suggestive selling techniques, noting that tailoring each to every individual prospect and situation is necessary. Following these steps and making sure you tailor the entire experience to each buyer can help you maximize sales each and every time.

The first step is vital: Get to know each and every prospect. This should actually be done regardless of engaging in suggestive selling. And you certainly can’t successfully upsell or cross-​sell without understanding the prospect and how this additional product or feature aligns with their goals and needs. To gain this understanding, engage in thoughtful questioning, covering everything from pain points to their own customers.

Ensure your recommendation is complementary

When suggestive selling, don’t just toss out random add-​ons. This will devalue your recommendation and make it appear you only care about making more money rather than helping the prospect. The key to using this technique to maximize sales is to emphasize value. Use the knowledge you’ve gained about the prospect and their business to make thoughtful suggestions that are helpful and add even more value to their purchase. As I wrote previously, “Today’s buyers want authenticity, trust, credibility, and transparency from sellers. If you try selling them something that they truly don't need, chances are you lose all of their business.”

Demonstrate product knowledge

Sellers can’t convince buyers that their offerings are useful or relevant unless they have thorough knowledge of what they are selling. “Having excellent sales skills is great, but they can only be fully utilized with extensive knowledge of your offerings,” he writes. “At the end of the day, a sales rep can discover a potential customer’s interests and desires, but it won’t matter if they can’t figure out which products fit those needs.”

This advice corresponds with SalesFuel’s own findings about what drives purchase decisions. The Voice of the Buyer study revealed that the top attribute the seek in a salesperson is knowing “their products and how to use them to solve my business problem or achieve my goal.”

To maximize sales, stay educated on your offerings and all the ways that they can be applied. This way, when you make a suggestion for an upsell or cross-​sell, you will be able to clearly demonstrate how this additional offering benefits the buyer. 

For tips on how to effectively implement the add-​on sales, and “change their world,” check out this advice.

Adding even more value to each sale

These techniques, along with Kelwig’s others, help sellers maximize sales by incorporating suggestive selling. Smartly recommending offerings for an upsell or cross-​sell adds to your revenue while also benefiting the prospect. And it can build even more trust and encourage loyalty. As he explains, “It’s a balancing act to promote your products or services while also creating a customer experience that isn’t uncomfortable or overwhelming. This is where suggestive selling techniques shine.”

Photo by LinkedIn Sales Solutions