How About a Donut?

NOW THIS really didn’t happen, but I wish it would have. Our savvy hot dog marketer still has room for improvement.

Also available at his hot dog stand were delicious looking hot donuts. But he never asked us if we would like one to go with our hot dogs.

Now, you may say, he probably assumed that if we wanted a pretzel, we would have asked for one. Or you may think he would have been pushy suggesting more products.

Folks, if you have such thoughts, please listen carefully, because those thoughts are costing you thousands of dollars in lost sales.

The only way you can know if a person wants something you have is by making an offer. Then they will have to make a decision — yes, or no. You are not being pushy by offering your customers something else that you know they will enjoy or benefit by. Customers want you to suggest.

Your customers are not always thinking of your products. They have a million other things on their minds.

For instance, once I had ordered our hot dogs, I had to think about what we wanted on our hot dogs; what we wanted to drink and how I was going to hold everything and pay him at the same time. Plus, I had to think about a place for Widya and me to sit down to enjoy our meal. I wasn’t thinking about his donuts at that time.

But, I can guarantee you, that if he had said to me, ‘I can give you a special price on donuts today — if you buy two, I can give you another one free! How does that sound to you?’ I would have said, Cool mate, go for it!’

Wid and I would have been happy, and he would have been happy.

But he didn’t offer, so I didn’t buy. Oh well, nobody’s perfect. There’s always room for improvement.

There is no better time to sell your customers something more, than when they are already in a buying mood. Give your customers a special offer on another related product or service that will benefit them, when they are already in the process of buying something from you.

You may wonder, ‘Why should I give them a discount on this second product or service? Shouldn’t I make them pay full price?’

You can test it and see. But, more often than not, by giving your customers a ‘special’ deal for the moment, you will get many more accepting your offer. Keep in mind, that the profit on this additional sale is profit that you wouldn’t have had.

If you want to talk over ways to increase your sales and get more customers, give me a call 0414 955 743 – advice is totally free of charge.

Cheers,

John