Many vendors sell a variety of products at their booths, some of which are related. From vintage boots and moisture-wicking socks, to necklaces and earrings, from e-cigarettes and flavored vapors to electronic toys and batteries, there are thousands of products that present perfect opportunities to cross-sell and thus earn vendors more cash. Some of these product relationships are obvious, but you don’t have to sell either apples or oranges if there are ways to sell both at once. Here are some ideas for improving on opportunities to cross-sell and up-sell.
Merchandise Creatively
With products that are more obviously related, merchandise your booth so that those two products appear to be sold as one unit. Put them on the same table, or arrange them in such a way as to make customers feel compelled to purchase one along with the other. It may or may not be necessary to verbally suggest the corresponding item to customers once it’s in plain sight.
Point Fingers at the Experts
This works especially well with functional items such as kitchen gadgets, body care items and athletic equipment. Do your knives work better when used with a particular cutting board according to a magazine review? Does an athlete prefer your baseball bats and gloves to other makes? A little background research can help tighten the ties between your products and make a stronger case for the cross-sale. Experts want their findings to be heard, after all.
Stick to the Subject at Hand
Trying to hard-sell an item that doesn’t appear related diminishes vendors’ credibility and makes it less likely for a customer to buy anything at all, including the item he or she may want. Refrain from selling lamps with socks, no matter how much it helps to have an extra light when searching for a matching pair in the drawer.
Offer a Range of Prices and Bundle Accordingly
Think in threes in terms of prices and groups of items. You may be able to sell a toy with more features for more profit if a customer sees it as a superior choice. Similarly, if you can bundle the higher priced toy with batteries and a related accessory you’ll have more room for negotiating, and be likely to come out on top.