How to Implement Upselling and Cross-Selling Strategies

1 simple strategy increased my client’s revenue by 15.08% in just 3 months. There was this client i worked with in 2022. Few months back he again reached out His store was generating good revenue but he was looking for more So we had a meeting and discussed what we could do to increase his revenue And we ultimately find our solution - Upselling Upselling increased his Average Order Value (AOV) from $176.40 to $203.00, creating a better shopping experience for our customers. Here’s how we did it and how you can, too! 1️⃣ Pre-purchase upsells: We introduced related products right in the shopping cart. For instance, customers buying a blue T-shirt could see an offer for matching blue shoes with a 11% discount if added immediately, and 14% off if they added two products. Tool I am using: Upcart 2️⃣ Post-purchase upsells: After the initial purchase, we offered similar items with an even greater discount. This approach keeps the customer engaged even after the checkout process and increases the likelihood of additional sales. Tool I am using: Aftersell 3️⃣ Thank you page upsells: Our order confirmation page wasn’t just a dead end. We turned it into another sales opportunity by presenting time-sensitive offers on related products, significantly increasing the chances of further purchases. This is how you can implement upsells in your store ◾ Identify related products: Understand your customers' buying habits to offer complementary products. ◾ Use the right tools: Employ apps that facilitate smooth 1-click upsells and offer customizable tiered discounts. ◾ Monitor and optimize: You can always track the performance of your upsell strategies and tweak them based on customer feedback and analytics. If your store runs smoothly, upselling can turbocharge your sales numbers and enhance customer satisfaction through relevant offers. P.S. Drop your upselling experience in the comment box!

I said this in a webinar recently: The name of the game in DTC is  “whoever can afford the highest CAC will survive.” But to do that, you need a high AOV, a sticky subscription program, or a lot of cash in the bank. We went with focusing on increasing order value. Here are 4 of my favorite ways we’ve found to ⬆️AOV so far… 1. Upsell "more of the same" - Instead of upselling something new, we offer more of the same product the customer with a volume discount. This approach has increased our take rate SIGNIFICANTLY without hurting conversion. Why it works: The customer is already invested in the product - they’ve learned about it through ads, LPs, etc. So we just tap into their existing commitment, making the offer more enticing. 2. Urgency & Scarcity During the purchase flow, we highlight messages like "This product sells out fast" or "For best results, use for 8–12 weeks.” You can also try things like countdown timers and “low inventory” messaging to really drive this home. Why it works: Customers at the bottom of the funnel can be motivated by FOMO —they don’t want to miss out on getting the deal you’re offering, especially one they perceive as beneficial. If a product might sell out soon or if buying more now means they won’t run out later, they’re more likely to purchase right away or more of it. 3. Sequential Offers After someone buys from us, our post-purchase funnel begins immediately with our volume discount upsell. If they skip that, Obvi presents them our cross-sell and down-sell offers in a sequential funnel: First → Volume/bulk discount upsell Second → Complementary product offer Third → Smaller accessory or branded gear Why it works: This structured approach helps avoid overwhelming the customer with too many offers at once. Each step is designed to maximize potential revenue (highest-performing upsell shown first) while maintaining a logical flow. 4. Maximize the Thank You Page This is a simple one that a lot of brands miss.  Your thank you page has a bunch of valuable real estate that every one of your buyers look at it. At Obvi, we maximize this with post-purchase surveys and network offers. Network offers are a complete no-brainer for us. Big brands like Nike and Hulu pay to present offers to our customers on our Thank You page. If a customer opts in, we get some $. Why it works: It’s a win-win-win. The customer gets a good deal, the big brand gets another subscriber, and the seller gets incremental profit. For Obvi, it has resulted in about +$0.45 more per transaction so far. Post-purchase surveys won’t directly add $ to your bottom line, but they give you valuable insights about customer behavior and perceptions. Not to mention marketing attribution. That’s it, you know our ⬆️AOV secrets. BTW, AfterSell by Rokt is the tool we’ve used to test and execute these tactics. If you’re a Shopify brand looking to grow your AOV without hurting your conversion rate, they can help you get there. 

I get this question a lot - "How can I increase revenue?" The answer is simple. As the "Sales Doctor" for over 1,400 portfolio companies at Right Side Capital, I have a unique vantage point in the sales strategies of early-stage companies. One of the most significant opportunities I see frequently overlooked is the art of upselling existing customers. There are two primary types of upsells to focus on: 1. Existing Customer, Existing Contact: This is a straightforward yet powerful opportunity. By deepening your relationship with current customers, you can enhance your product's footprint within their organization. Focus on understanding and solving their problems, demonstrating a strong return on investment (ROI), and progressively increasing your engagement. This approach not only boosts sales but also reinforces customer loyalty. 2. Existing Customer, New Contact: Leveraging your success with an existing customer to reach new contacts within the same organization can be incredibly effective. Although you can request introductions from your current contacts, a proactive approach is often more fruitful. Identify different divisions and build relationships with key contacts in each. Having a case study and reference from within the company gives you a warmer entry point, making your pitch more compelling. To capitalize on these opportunities, follow these simple steps: 1. Create a comprehensive case study of your success with the existing customer.  2. Identify potential new contacts across their global operations. 3. Craft a strategic outbound engine involving calls and an automated email sequence(I prefer the agoge sequence) to engage them. By doing so, you can systematically expand your pipeline and drive sustained growth. Focusing on upselling existing customers is not just about increasing sales; it's about building deeper, more resilient relationships that can weather market changes and foster long-term success.

Yesterday, I had an insightful conversation with a VP of Customer Success from a well-known SaaS company based in Bangalore. We were discussing strategies around upsell and cross-sell, and she shared a fantastic example of the power of subtle nudges. Her team noticed one of their long-standing customers was steadily increasing their use of automation features—a strong indicator that they might benefit from more advanced capabilities. But rather than pushing an upsell directly, her CSM decided to take a softer approach. During a regular check-in, the CSM casually shared a success story about a similar customer who had upgraded and saw a significant boost in productivity. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝. 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡, 𝐢𝐭 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐩. The CSM even highlighted a few specific premium features that would align with the customer's current growth phase, like advanced analytics and additional integrations. This was all done in a way that showed they understood the customer’s journey and were there to support it. The result? Within a quarter, the customer upgraded, excited by the potential impact on their operations. They even went on to explore cross-sell options in other areas. The VP and I both agreed: 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐭𝐥𝐞, 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐧𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐞 𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐞-𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬. Upselling and cross-selling don’t have to be about pushing products—it’s about helping customers realize the full potential of what’s available to them. We explored on how to make the above a playbook across all their 62 CSMs who are spread across 3 continents and what kind of nudges can be incorporated. #CustomerSuccess #Upsell #CrossSell #CustomerJourney #CustomerSuccessStories

One of the most impactful strategies I've learned is the art of upselling to increase revenue and customer value. Done right, upselling benefits both the business and the customer. It's not a pushy tactic - it's about recommending additional products/services that genuinely enhance the customer's experience and enable them to achieve their goals more fully. I always keep a few guiding principles in mind when implementing an upsell strategy: 🗺️ I map the entire customer journey to identify prime upsell windows when buyers are most receptive. Key moments include during live support chats, post-purchase follow-ups, and subscription renewals. 📊 I leverage customer data within my CRM to personalize upsell offers based on the individual's purchase history, interests, and needs. Generic, irrelevant upsells get ignored or spark frustration. 👂 I train my team to actively listen for buying signals and pain points that set up a natural, valuable upsell opportunity. Things like questions about additional features or positive feedback about the product/service. 💡 I craft clear value propositions that articulate exactly how the incremental investment creates a better, stickier experience for that customer's specific use case. At the end of the day, upselling should be a win-win that drives more revenue AND more customer satisfaction/loyalty. 💬 What's your experience with upselling as a business or a buyer? Do you have any tried-and-true upselling tips to add? Any horror stories of pushy, irrelevant upsell fails?