What techniques do you use to upsell customers from a single item to a combination of products?

The best way for us at Curious Sofa to upsell is to get our customer to explain their home to us. When we can visualize their surroundings, we can suit their needs better. If they come in for a little something for the mantel, by asking the color of the mantel (and walls, trim and floor) and what other accessories they already have, we can “see” that they may need many items to complete the look, not just one. (It also helps us to make the right choice for them). I train my staff not to settle for the “I just need” comment, but to complete the customer service transaction by getting personal and determining the customer's style.

When someone wants a gift, I have been known to ask many questions about the recipient from their career to hobbies to the size of earrings they wear. Suggesting a necklace with earrings or layering the soap with the lotion is always easy when you stay within the customer's budget. I like to keep it logical and not go for the hard sell by suggesting decorative matches with candles, cards with gifts, chains with pendants; an obvious suggestion can go a long way even if it is only a 10 percent increase in that transaction — it all adds up.

I encourage my staff to learn what we sell and why we sell it. It's important to have emotion about what you're selling and bring that into conversation. I am always amazed at how much more you can sell just by talking about it. The challenge is to teach staff to do it. When I see one of my college kids doing it I always praise them and let them know what a great job they did. Also, find out what the customer's looking for; from there you can get your foot in the door to find out what they need. Maybe they say their favorite color is pink and you have something fabulous in pink, or they're wandering through the Christmas shop and they say they collect snowmen… . If they are just killing half an hour, we tell them something unique about what we sell. But if they're looking for a special occasion dress we show them a handbag, or if they are looking at an Aebleskiver pan, show them the rest of our Aebleskiver mix. We get in their head, but not in a pushy way. That doesn't work in my store and I doubt it works many places. People want to know you're there to help but they don't want to feel pushed down a path where they don't want to go. Of course it is different for each customer, which makes it exciting.

The first and most obvious way is to ask, “Will that be all”? If the customer tells us they are buying a gift, we ask if they need a card. We sell Polish stoneware so we put together a five piece placesetting and added that if you purchase two sets, you receive free bread-and-butter dishes. The perceived value of the bread and butter dish is a lot higher than the actual cost and it encourages the customer to purchase at least the two place settings. We also show a platter with a small dish that is transformed into a chip and dip serving tray. We add small serving forks to plates and dishes. If we sell a vase, we recommend some silk flowers to complete the look. When showing jewelry, we suggest matching pieces (earrings, bracelets or pendants). We recently had a couple that was purchasing some Christmas gifts. (They have a large family, so they try to split up the cost throughout the year). As I was ringing up their purchases I said, “With all the beautiful pieces you are purchasing, I hope something is for you.” The wife said no, and her husband told her to go and pick out something for them. She chose two items which bumped up the sale another $85. Not bad for asking a simple question!