So you’ve already got your client and you’re starting to serve them well. But does your current strategy leave money on the table? Not sure? Listen up – I’ll show you how to pick up that money off the table and put it in your pocket with cross-sells and upsells to your current clients!
First, a little story to illustrate what I’m talking about. I was working for a client who was coming to me with a quarterly design project, and I was really excited to get the recurring work. Here’s how the scenario would go: I would complete the design, they’d ask me to send it to the printer so they could then have it printed and we would part ways until the next quarterly edition needed to be designed.
Now, I had relationships with printers, but it took a while before it occurred to me to ask my client if they wanted printing.
When I finally did ask, this opened up an entirely new world for me! The client not only was interested in getting my print bid, but they were also excited because it gave them one less vendor to deal with.
The printing was a great cross sell for the client and was an entirely new stream of revenue for my business.
Cross-sells and upsells can be strategic and powerful tools you can use with existing freelance clients, who already know, like, and trust you.
Cross-Selling or upselling is simply getting your client to buy additional services from you that may be related to the services you’re already providing, such as printing with graphic design services.
When you cross-sell and upsell, you give yourself the ability to really examine your entire suite of services and products, to find a natural fit with your client. In this situation, I was able to bundle the design services I had with the printing services I could provide.
Logo/brand designers could cross sell some collateral designs like business cards, letterhead, etc. Or maybe even designing for merchandise! After all, you know the brand better than anyone.
Web designers who want recurring revenue (and who doesn’t?) could offer web hosting services and could upsell their clients on a web hosting package.
Again, each time you cross-sell, you’re eliminating a vendor that your client has to deal with. You will be dealing with that for them!
Cross-sells and Upsells Make you A More Valuable and Versatile Partner
A secondary benefit of cross-sells and upsells is that it makes you a more valuable and versatile partner for your customer. Not only are they asking you for your regular project, but you’re now expanding the trust level. With more trust comes more responsibility, and with more responsibility, you’re going to have more revenue-generating opportunities.
This is the sweet spot if you are looking to grow but don’t want to chase a bunch of brand new clients. I’ll say it again, it’s so much easier to sell to an existing client than it is to go out and find a new one.
Another benefit for the client is this creates greater convenience and less stress. As freelancers, we don’t want the feast or famine cycle, but from the client’s point of view, they don’t want to take time out of their day to manage multiple vendors or sources if they don’t have to!
Creating Opportunities to Cross-Sell and Upsell
First, don’t assume that your client knows what all your skills are. They will only ask for what they know you can provide. It’s up to you to make your abilities known to your client.
At the core, the simplest and most effective ways to get these cross-sells and upsells is to ask the question. If you have a complementary service and the opportunity to present it to your client, all you have to say is, “Would you like for me to add a bid for [this product] or [that service] as well?”
Pro Tip: If the client allows you to provide them a quote for a complementary project, try to work in a discount or bonus, because you’re bundling these services. This will be a great incentive for them.
By implementing these practices, you can earn a lot of additional income from your best clients, strengthen the trusted relationship you have with them, and save you both a lot of time chasing new clients/freelancers!
If you found this information to be valuable and you’d like to learn more, I want to invite you to my free Facebook group where you can get access to special training and networking events that I host as well as access to my IGNITE freelance business coaching membership. It’s a special membership that I have with a select number of people who volunteer, who sign up and, and we work on a monthly basis to go deep into their businesses and help them get results. A
I’d be glad to meet you and chat with you and help you along your freelance journey.