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How to increase sales with easy add-ons
By Barbara Crowhurst
Increasing sales through add-ons is an important
strategy for the continued growth of your retail business. Have a look
at this example. If your average sale is $30, and you want to increase
sales by 15 percent, show each customer one more product at $4.50. Do
your own math to come up with your own ideas as to what to show. You
make your money on the second item you sell to a customer—the item you
add-on.
Your staff must be trained to contribute to your sales
goals by taking ownership of add-on sales. Go over generally why you are
asking them to buy into this idea, then tell them how to bridge the
conversation with the customer from the item they are buying to the
add-on sale item.
For example, they could say, “Have you seen this?” or
“This goes perfectly with ... .” You may have to put this down in
writing for your staff. You can write the script, or it can be a written
collaboration of ideas and words on which you and your staff agree.
Role-play; if you have never done this with your staff, it may seem
awkward at first, but soon, all will feel comfortable and realize what a
great tool it is for training.
Finally, your add-on sale program should be implemented
in a minimum of two places: on the sales floor and at the cash counter.
Other ideas that will help increase sales:
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Share
daily sales targets with your staff.
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Give
staff sufficient information about events and promos.
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Share
average sales numbers with staff so they can take ownership of the
sales process and contribute to your business’s sales goals
consistently.
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Ask
for feedback, and check in with your staff to see how they are
doing.
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Count
traffic. Keep track of how many sales you make each day. If you are
not selling to everyone who comes into your store, there is your
next challenge. Turn walk-ins into buyers.
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Give
sales staff a bonus for reaching a weekly or monthly add-on sales
goal (either dollars or units), or pay them a small bonus (25 cents,
50 cents, $1) for each add-on sold (bonus based on price of add-on).
Barbara
Crowhurst is an author, business coach and founder of RetailMakeover™,
a retail consulting business based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Her CD
and downloadable e-book, Retailers ... Ask the Pro, addresses
retailers’ top challenges and concerns. Learn more at
www.barbaracrowhurst.com.
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