Up Sell or Over Sell?

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This question has been on my mind over the last few days.  I recently signed up for a tanning service in preparation for my wedding.

I did my due diligence, called around and received what I thought to be the best price. I also wanted a location close to my office so that I would be able to walk over when convenient.

On my first visit, I was told the monthly unlimited plan was $99.00. When I mentioned that I really only needed a plan for a week, I was told that would be outrageously expensive and the PLAN was the only way to go.  I told the representative that I wanted to “think about it”, he then went into full blown saleperson mode and told me that this plan would no way, no how be available after I left that day.  Regardless, I am never a “one-call” close, so I left.

I went in two days later and met with a second representative.  I again told her my tanning goals and she suggested the $79.99 monthly unlimited plan!  I guess salesperson #1 was right by saying the $99 plan was no longer available….it had dropped by $20.00!!  I reluctantly joined the $79.99 plan….I feel that this is a ridiculous amount of money for a tan, but hey, it’s for my wedding photos and I pulled out the credit card.

After I paid for the service, the salesperson told me that I need to cancel my service on February 6 in order to not be charged for a second month…..really? I will be on my honeymoon at that time.
I convinced her to let me cancel that day and avoided another $79.99 charge.

Here comes the UP-SELL, aka….do you want fries with that? Aka…..the assumptive sale….aka….HIGH PRESSURE.  Let me stop right here and say, that I LOVE UPSELLING, it can make your business grow financially in leaps and bounds….it just needs to be presented in such a way that 1-It is good for the customer and 2-It is done with professionalism and polish.
OK, back to the UP SELL….as I still had my credit card in my hand, representative #2 had a cute little package of products out on the counter….she went over the purpose and value of each cute little tube letting me know that my $79.99 was about to go right down the tubes if I did not purchase right now! (scare tactic)

How much is this little package….promising to give me an Elle McPherson bronze on my legs, a Charlize Theron sheen on my face, a Jennifer Anniston aura everywhere??  $59.99!! REALLY?? BUT….it is only available today!  Next comes the protective eyeware….positioned right next to my credit card.  Thanks! I say, ready to leap in and get my very first tan and on my way to being a bronzed goddess for my wedding photos.

Well, the protective eyeware is REQUIRED BY LAW and we don’t provide them to you free of charge due to liability concerns. That will be $4.00 plus tax or you can’t tan.  My next question…why wouldn’t you just make your package inclusive of the eyeware if you can’t tan without them?  Well, ma’am, policy is policy!

OK, now I am ready to tan with my $79.99 package, my $4.00 eyeware and my $6.00 sample size of lotion…ready to rock!

Next day…. I arrive at the tan salon, grateful to get warm for 15 minutes….I scan my finger on the high tech, (very expensive) POS system and it is discovered….I didn’t buy the PRODUCTS!!!  The salesperson takes a HUGE bottle of tanning product puts it down in front of me an announces that this product has been SELECTED JUST FOR ME!! To protect me and give me the most for my $79.99.

Awesome….thanks for being so concerned with my tan….how much is it?? For TODAY ONLY….it is $68.95, with my discount, it is ONLY $64.99….WHAT A DEAL!!!
Let’s face it folks, in todays environment, you need to maximize your selling opportunity, perhaps you have less leads than in previous years and you need to go after wallet share of every client.  I just beg of you….please be dignified about it, there really is a right way and wrong way to do this.

About ActionCOACH

Brad Sugars founded the brand Action International in 1993 when he realized there was a disconnect between business advice and implementation. The answer was Action! Brad Sugars created a business coaching company so that business owners throughout the world can realize their goals in business. Today the company is known as ActionCOACH. To learn more about business, visit Brad Sugars Review blog!