How to Grow Your Business with Cross-Selling, Upselling, and Down-Selling Techniques

Do you want to learn the key differences between cross-selling, upselling, and down-selling, and how to leverage them effectively in your business?

This blog post is your guide.

Finding the right sales techniques for your products isn't just about instinct; it requires a clear understanding of these crucial concepts.

Cross-selling, upselling, and down-selling are more than just buzzwords – they are pivotal techniques that can enhance your conversion rates and drive your revenue.

If you're finding it challenging to distinguish between these marketing strategies and apply them effectively, don't worry.

We've put together an insightful guide that breaks down the differences between cross-selling, upselling, and down-selling.

You'll learn what sets each strategy apart, how to implement them in your sales process, and how they can be optimized to boost customer loyalty (and satisfaction) and business growth

Here’s Why You Need to Cross-Sell, Upsell and Down-Sell

Your goal should be to get the most value out of each customer interaction.

To do this, you’ll need to implement cross-selling, upselling, and downselling. While these strategies are considered “optional”, they play a key role in helping many businesses maximize their revenue.

However, these strategies can be hard to understand or differentiate – especially if you’re new to running a business.

But, if you want to double, triple, or 10x your revenue, it’s time to get clear on these sales strategies. They may seem like small product suggestions or tactics, but they can turn an average order value of $150 to $250 - $300.

You don’t have to be a big business with a robust sales team to make it happen. You just need to know how these sales strategies work – and we’re here to help make that happen.

What is Upselling?

Upselling involves encouraging a new or existing customer to purchase a higher-end product than the one they’re currently considering.

Picture a customer looking to buy a standard coffee maker. If you suggest they consider a model with a built-in grinder for fresher coffee, that’s upselling. You're not just selling them something extra; you're offering an upgrade to their original product choice.

The goal is to provide your customers with an option that delivers more value, which could result in a better experience for them and, of course, a higher sale for your business. 

It's a way to make customers aware of better features or additional items they might not have initially considered but could find beneficial.

Upselling Strategies for Online Businesses

There are a few tried-and-tested ways to get your customers to purchase upsell products. Some of them include:

Tiered Pricing Displays

Clearly display different product tiers, emphasizing the benefits and value of higher-priced options.

That way, your customers can see the value of each offer, and why it may be better to purchase a higher-priced tier.

Checkout Page Prompts

Offer upgrades at checkout, like a premium version of a cheaper product at a special price, appealing to customers' desire for better value as they complete their purchase.

Present special discounts on related items that can be easily added to the cart, such as accessories for a primary product.

Alternatively you can include simple one-click options for common add-ons, ensuring convenience for customers and increasing the likelihood of additional sales.

Limited-Time Offers

Use time-sensitive offers or discounts on premium versions to create urgency. 

This strategy plays on the fear of missing out (FOMO) and can be especially effective if the offer is tied to special events or holidays – like Black Friday.

Countdown timers are also a great tool to use to get the most out of these campaigns.

If you really want to tap into the power of scarcity marketing, you should use Thrive Ultimatum – the ultimate FOMO plugin.

Pop-Ups or Banners

Implement pop-ups or banners that appear when a customer selects a product, suggesting an upgrade or premium option. 

These should be designed to catch the eye without being too intrusive, providing a nudge towards a better version of what they're already interested in.

You’ll need a reliable popup plugin like Thrive Leads or OptinMonster to create attention-grabbing popups that convince your customers to buy.

Comparison Charts

Use comparison charts to help customers understand the added benefits of higher-tier products. 

These charts should be simple, clear, and concise, laying out the differences between the basic and premium options in an easily digestible format. 

What is Cross-Selling?

Cross-selling involves presenting customers with a complementary product or service in addition to what they already bought.

Say you're picking out a new phone and just as you're about to check out, the salesperson points out a pair of headphones that would go perfectly with it. That's cross-selling.

It's about offering your customers a complementary good that is the cherry on top of your purchase – enhancing your overall satisfaction.

Cross-Selling vs Upselling

Don't confuse cross-selling with upselling; they're two sides of the same coin but play different games.

Upselling is when you're offered an upgrade to a premium phone instead of the standard one you're holding. 

Cross-selling, on the other hand, sticks with your choice and simply suggests accessories that make your initial purchase even better — ideally going above and beyond to meet your customer’s needs.

Cross-Selling Strategies for Online Businesses

Product Recommendations

Use a cross-sell plugin to recommend complementary products on product pages, in the shopping cart, or at the checkout page of your online store.

Alternatively, if you’re using an eCommerce plugin like WooCommerce, you can enable the  “Display Related Products” or “Frequently Bought Together” setting right from the plugin, or use a page builder like Thrive Architect to create custom product recommendation pages.

The result will depend on your theme design, but you’ll want to have a section that recommends existing or new products like this:

Email Marketing

Send targeted emails to previous customers that recommend products that complement their prior purchases.

Bundles and Deals

Offer product bundles on your website, like a camera with a tripod and carrying case at a discounted bundle price.

Or a bundle of online courses that complement each other and help customers achieve their goals faster.

What is Down-Selling?

Downselling is a strategy where you offer a more cost-effective or simpler alternative to a customer who is hesitant about a higher-priced item or service. This product is always at a lower price point than the original item.

It's essentially a plan B; if the customer decides the original product is too much for their needs or budget, you pivot and propose something more affordable.

For example, if someone's eyeing the latest smartphone but gets sticker shock at the price, you might show them last year's model instead. It's still an upgrade from what they have, but it doesn't hit their wallet as hard.

The idea behind downselling is not to lose the sale entirely but to adjust to the new customer's comfort zone with a lower-priced option that still meets their needs. This way, you maintain customer satisfaction and retain their business, even if it's at a lower profit margin.

Down-Selling Strategies for Online Businesses

After Cart Abandonment Follow Up

If a customer abandons their cart, particularly with high-value items, send a follow-up email offering a more affordable alternative. 

This email could highlight the value of the lower-priced item, showing how it still meets many of the same needs as the more expensive product.

Offer Lower Tiered Options

Alongside premium products on your website, display more affordable options. This allows customers to compare prices and features within the same product category easily. 

It's a subtle way of saying, "Looking for something more in your budget? Here's an option that still offers great value.

Exit-Intent Offers

When a customer is about to leave your site, present a downsell offer with a more affordable product. 

This can be done through an exit-intent pop-up that triggers as they move to close the tab or navigate away.

How to Cross-Sell, Upsell, and Down-Sell: Best Practices 

• Find the Perfect Match for Promotions: Some of your products or services just naturally go well together. Take advantage of this and turn it into a promotion that’ll make potential customers go, “Oh, that makes sense. Let me get that instead.”

• Keeping an Eye on What Customers Love: Pay attention to your customers’ purchasing behavior. Spotting patterns in their purchases can give you clues on what to offer them next.

• Price Your Product Appropriately to Increase Sales: It’s all about finding the balance – make sure your prices don't overwhelm your customers, but also don’t sell yourself short. Think of it as setting the right price tag that screams 'value for money'.

• Don’t Go Overboard with the Bundles: Keep your bundles simple. Overloading them will overwhelm your customers and discourage them from buying.

• Demonstrate a Use Case for the Product You’re Pitching: Show customers how the upsell or cross-sell item works in tandem with their original purchase. For instance, if selling a smartphone, demonstrate how a specific type of protective case enhances its durability.
  
  

• Include Social Proof: Use customer testimonials, reviews, or user-generated content to show the popularity and satisfaction associated with the upsell or cross-sell items. Social proof can significantly influence customers’ purchase decisions by building trust.

Next Steps: Design Your Next Sales Funnel

Your upsell, cross-sell, and downsell strategies are only as effective as your overall sales funnel.

So, use this time to review your current funnels and identify the areas that need improvement.

Here are four free resources to help you get started:

• How to Build Your First Sales Page on WordPress

• Short Form vs Long Form Sales Pages (Everything You Need to Know)

• The 10 Biggest Conversion Killers (and How to Fix Them)

• How to Build a Complete Sales Funnel

And if you need better tools to design high-converting sales funnels, then you should consider Thrive Suite, the best WordPress plugin bundle in the game.

When you purchase Thrive Suite, you get access to 10 premium plugins to enhance your funnels and generate more sales for your business.

Use these plugins to:

• Offer timely upsell and downsell popups with advanced targeting and high-quality templates

• Easily create attention-grabbing sales pages with our drag-and-drop page builder and library of customizable templates

• Drive up audience engagement (and refine your segmentation) with engaging quizzes

• Get the most out of limited-time offers with eye-catching countdown timers and clever targeting

• …and so much more

Cross-Selling, Upselling, Downselling: Final Words

As we mentioned earlier, these sales strategies may seem “small” but they can lead to massive gains for your business.

Cross-selling is all about subtlety – find additional products that complement their initial purchase. Think of it as a gentle nudge towards items that genuinely add value to their primary purchase — enhancing the customer journey.

Upselling, while similar, requires a delicate balance. It's the art of showing your customers the benefits of a premium product in a way that feels like an upgrade, not a hard sell.

And downselling is your safety net or backup plan. It’s the best way not to lose a sale when a customer hesitates. You’re proactively preventing them from dropping off your site but offering a more accessible alternative.

Integrating these strategies into your existing sales and marketing processes may seem daunting, but it's about starting small and testing what works for your audience.