Are you leaving money on the table after you close the deal? If you are ignoring the possibility of up-selling to your customers, then you are leaving profits uncollected. Follow up emails are one of the most cost-effective small business marketing strategies.
A simple three-step plan can help you turn many one-time purchasers into repeat customers. Once established, a system to email your customers and up-sell additional products after the sale will continue to generate income with little or no maintenance.
Email Up-sell Step 1: Collect email addresses.
Try to collect email addresses at the point of sale from each customer. You could promise a discount coupon or mention a special offer that only email subscribers receive.
If customers are wary, you should reassure them. Make sure they know:
- You will never sell their email addresses to third-party advertisers.
- Every email will have a link they can use to un-subscribe from your email list.
Email Up-sell Step 2: Follow up with a compelling offer.
Once you have collected a customer’s email address, you still need to get permission to send emails. Otherwise, your emails might be considered spam.
The best way to get a customer’s permission is to offer something desirable. It should be something the customer wants enough to overlook any reluctance to receive emails from your business.
Of course, you can offer a discount coupon, but most successful email campaigns convince the customer to read every email even if they aren’t planning another purchase. Take the time to brainstorm information marketing ideas that fit with your product and make your emails irresistible.
If you sell a sewing machine, you could offer an eight week e-course that teaches the customer how to use all the features. If you sell a reservations for a trip, you could offer to send planning and packing tips.
Email Up-sell Step 3: Include a call to action in your emails.
There are many ways to present an up sell. You can write about the extra features a customer will be able to access with a premium accessory. You can write about problems a customer won’t face with a premium upgrade.
You might educate the customer about additional products that work well with the original sale. You can even promote a complimentary product from another vendor that earns you a commission.
With an up-sell campaign, part of your work is already done. You do not have to start all over as with a new customer. All you have to do is remind your customer of the value already received. Then you can use the trust you have built to go on and sell more. This is why email up-sell campaigns are valuable and relatively inexpensive small business marketing strategies.