Up-Selling Your Way to Greater Earnings

Have you ever walked into a grocery store to buy one specific item? Take cake mix, for example. You’re standing in the aisle picking out your favorite flavor of cake mix when your eyes shift and suddenly land on the jar of frosting, and then you see the bottle of colorful sprinkles and realize that what this cake really needs are both the frosting and the sprinkles.

You’ve added these goodies to your shopping cart and are near the checkout counter when you see a display of designer baking tools that the store recently introduced. Before you know it, your shopping cart is full of items you had not intended to purchase – the result of a sales strategy employed by retail stores known as “Up-Selling.”

At Beauty stores, Up-Selling often takes the form of in-store promotions such as “purchase this perfume and get this bag for only $10,” or merchandising techniques like placing makeup brushes next to foundation and blush products. These techniques encourage Customers to purchase additional products and increase the store’s sales revenues.

I’m excited to have the opportunity to tell you how you can easily use Up-Selling to grow your Avon business and reach your personal sales goals.   For example, if you have a Customer who currently only buys Lipstick from you - encourage her to buy matching Nail Polish and Eye Shadow, or suggest Avon skin care, bath, and jewelry products to use in combination with her makeup order. That’s Up-Selling!   What would have been an $8 order can easily turn into $30, and you may turn a one-time purchaser into a loyal Customer who trusts your product recommendations!

To make Up-Selling really work for you, you need to capitalize on three things –

First, you need to have a good understanding of your Customer, including her preferences and daily needs. Ask questions about what types of products she uses, what shades she likes, what types of perfume she wears. The point is to ask anything that can help you suggest a great Avon product that she’s not currently buying, as this will increase her order size and ultimately your earnings. The Beauty of Knowledge offers several courses, tools, and resources that will help you develop your ability to better understand your Customer – so be sure to take advantage of them!

Second, you need to be able to link together products you sell from the Avon Brochure - so that you can recommend related products to your Customers. For example, if your Customer goes to the gym regularly and currently orders Curves products, suggest Solutions Completely Clean Cleansing Cloths, Wash-Off Waterproof Mascara, and Roll-On Anti-Perspirant Deodorants as great products to carry in her gym bag.

Finally, be sure to stay up to date on current trends influencing the beauty and fashion industry and take advantage of this knowledge to recommend the latest on-trend product or style. mark products are a great way to do this. You have all of Avon’s products at your fingertips to help your Customers create their own personal fashion statements as well as open them up to new brands and products that may become staples in their lives.

Let’s take a closer look at the three main Up-Selling techniques you can use to effectively sell more Avon products to your Customers: Add-On Selling, Link Selling, and Cross-Category Selling.

Add-On Selling occurs when you recommend a product of the same color, brand, or fragrance as one the Customer is already buying. For example, you can suggest a Nailwear Nail Enamel to match or complement a lipstick shade that your Customer is purchasing, or an Imari Seduction Shower Gel to match an Imari Seduction Eau de Parfum Spray.

Anew products offer great add-on selling opportunities since the brand extends from Skincare to Makeup. If your Customer is concerned with reversing the signs of aging and really loves the Anew Ultimate Age-Repair Elixir, you could recommend that she also purchase the Anew Age-Transforming Foundation or use the Anew SkinCare Consultation Card available through yourAvon.com to identify other Anew products to recommend. Add-On Selling is a great way to help you develop a brand-loyal Customer.

The second Up-Selling technique is Link-Selling. When you recommend a product that ties in with one that your Customer is already ordering from you it’s called Link-Selling. For example, if a Customer orders an Ultra Color Rich Lipstick, you could recommend that she also purchase Beyond Color Plumping Lip Conditioner SPF with Double the Retinol to prep her lips for smooth, even application. And makeup tools are a great way to maximize your makeup sales! Recommend the Ergonomic Rounded Eye Shadow Brush to a Customer who is ordering a True Color Eye Shadow Single. The idea is to suggest related products to what your Customer is already buying.

The third Up-Selling technique is Cross-Category Selling, which is all about introducing Customers to new products, or products they haven’t purchased from Avon before. With Cross-Category Selling, you suggest a product that isn’t necessarily related to the products that your Customer is already buying, but instead is a product that you think she’ll like based on her needs and preferences. This is where it is important to really get to know your Customer and it is your opportunity as an Avon Representative to really grow your business. You may be able to turn a Jewelry Customer into a Skincare or Fragrance Customer and see your earnings skyrocket! Be sure to check out the “Try the Trend” section of the Brochure, which shows you how to put together Clothing, Accessories, Jewelry, Makeup and Fragrance to re-create each season’s hottest looks.

Now that you’ve learned about the three different types of Up-Selling, let’s discuss some useful phrases that will help you talk with your Customers to increase their order size. Some key phrases to keep in mind are:

• By the way, since you’re purchasing this product, you may want to try this product

• If you like this product, then you’ll love this product

• Another way you can pamper yourself is with this product

• As it gets colder outside, I like to stock up on these products

• One of the products I sell the most of is this product

How might these phrases fit into the normal course of conversation?

• “If you like OUTSPOKEN BY FERGIE Eau de Parfum Spray, then you’ll love the OUTSPOKEN BY FERGIE Body Lotion too.”

• “By the way, I noticed you ordered Ultra Color Rich Lipstick in Cherry Jubilee. Deep reds are very much in style these days - would you like to try Nailwear Nail Enamel in Cherry Jubilee too?”

To help encourage your Customers to try these new products, consider offering a special deal on the first purchase. “What’s New” is a wonderful resource for great deals that allow you to offer your Customers great products at affordable prices.

For example, you could take advantage of a Skincare Advance Order Pack that would work perfectly with an Anew Makeup Representative offer. This is a great way to take advantage of great deals and then offer them to your Customers in packs you put together yourself.

We hope you’ve learned a lot about Up-Selling and are ready to use these techniques to help your Customers buy more and grow your business to reach your personal sales goals.

TIPS for Craft Fairs & Shows, Garage Sales, Yard Sales and more!

Holiday craft fairs, shows, festivals, yard sales, flea markets are great places to prospect for new customers and team members.   For those of you who are new to this concept, here’s some recommendations:

·         Set up a table with a simple plain solid color tablecloth.  Bring just enough products for a small product display. Remember, you can take orders - so a few nice display items and some inexpensive things like lip balm, deodorants, outlet book items at a great price will sell).  You don’t want to have to return a ton of products.

·         Have plenty of brochures, at least 100 or more depending on the event and be sure to include a Start Your Own Business Flyer.  Even if you are not in the leadership program you still get the referral reward of $20.  (I've seen people become instant unit leaders from a one day event)

·         Have a basket of prizes available and do a drawing- every person who comes by your table should fill out a drawing card with their name, address, phone & email. This is how you generate new leads for customers or recruits - you can get a brochure to each and every one of them.

·         Have plenty of various samples on hand. Surprisingly, every time I do one of these, you’ll get tons of requests for men's items, too.  "would you like a couple of free Avon samples? "  If they say no - No big deal.  Hand them brochure and thank them for stopping by your table.  Samples that I recommend are lipsticks, fragrance for men and women, skin care, Bath & Body.

·         Stand in front corner of your table to meet & greet every person that walks by your table.  Ever walked by someone’s table and they are sitting behind it and they don’t even acknowledge you as you look at their products on their table.  Or worse yet, they’re reading a book!  Let people know you are happy to share information with them. 

·         When it is slow, walk around and give a business card, brochure and a sample to every person there!  Smile and introduce yourself.  They are prospective customers too!

·         Follow-up with everyone who gave you an order and/or entered your drawing within 48 hours.  Send them an eCard from your Avon web office thanking them for stopping by your table at the event.  Make sure to give everyone a new campaign book – even if they don’t place an order.

You now have new customers & potential new customers!

DUCKS QUACK, EAGLES SOAR

No one can make you serve customers well.....that's because great service is a choice.
Harvey Mackay tells a wonderful story about a cab driver that proved this point.

He was waiting in line for a ride at the airport. When a cab pulled up, the first thing Harvey noticed was that the taxi was polished to a bright shine. Smartly dressed in a white shirt, black tie, and freshly pressed black slacks, the cab driver jumped out and rounded the car to open the back passenger door for Harvey .

He handed my friend a laminated card and said: 'I'm Wally, your driver. While I'm loading your bags in the trunk I'd like you to read my mission statement.'

Taken aback, Harvey read the card... It said: Wally's Mission Statement: To get my customers to their destination in the quickest, safest and cheapest way possible in a friendly environment...

This blew Harvey away. Especially when he noticed that the inside of the cab matched the outside. Spotlessly clean!

As he slid behind the wheel, Wally said, 'Would you like a cup of coffee? I have a thermos of regular and one of decaf.' My friend said jokingly, 'No, I'd prefer a soft drink.' Wally smiled and said, 'No problem. I have a cooler up front with regular and Diet Coke, water and orange juice...' Almost stuttering, Harvey said, 'I'll take a Diet Coke.'

Handing him his drink, Wally said, 'If you'd like something to read, I have The Wall Street Journal, Time, Sports Illustrated and USA Today.'

As they were pulling away, Wally handed my friend another laminated card, 'These are the stations I get and the music they play, if you'd like to listen to the radio.'

And as if that weren't enough, Wally told Harvey that he had the air conditioning on and asked if the temperature was comfortable for him. Then he advised Harvey of the best route to his destination for that time of day. He also let him know that he'd be happy to chat and tell him about some of the sights or, if Harvey preferred, to leave him with his own thoughts.

'Tell me, Wally,' my amazed friend asked the driver, 'have you always served customers like this?'

Wally smiled into the rear view mirror. 'No, not always.. In fact, it's only been in the last two years.. My first five years driving, I spent most of my time complaining like all the rest of the cabbies do. Then I heard the personal growth guru, Wayne Dyer, on the radio one day.

He had just written a book called You'll See It When You Believe It. Dyer said that if you get up in the morning expecting to have a bad day, you'll rarely disappoint yourself. He said, 'Stop complaining! Differentiate yourself from your competition. Don't be a duck. Be an eagle. Ducks quack and complain. Eagles soar above the crowd.’

'That hit me right between the eyes,' said Wally. 'Dyer was really talking about me. I was always quacking and complaining, so I decided to change my attitude and become an eagle. I looked around at the other cabs and their drivers. The cabs were dirty, the drivers were unfriendly, and the customers were unhappy. So I decided to make some changes. I put in a few at a time. When my customers responded well, I did more.'

'I take it that has paid off for you,' Harvey said.

'It sure has,' Wally replied. 'My first year as an eagle, I doubled my income from the previous year. This year I'll probably quadruple it. You were lucky to get me today. I don't sit at cabstands anymore. My customers call me for appointments on my cell phone or leave a message on my answering machine. If I can't pick them up myself, I get a reliable cabbie friend to do it and I take a piece of the action.'

Wally was phenomenal. He was running a limo service out of a Yellow Cab. I've probably told that story to more than fifty cab drivers over the years, and only two took the idea and ran with it. Whenever I go to their cities, I give them a call. The rest of the drivers quacked like ducks and told me all the reasons they couldn't do any of what I was suggesting...

Wally the Cab Driver made a different choice. He decided to stop quacking like ducks and start soaring like eagles.

How about us? Smile and the whole world smiles with you... The ball is in our hands!
A man reaps what he sows. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up... let us do good to all people.

Ducks Quack, Eagles Soar.

Power Boost Your Goals

Jenny, director AWHW http://www.AWHW.org

We've all got goals we're working towards, whether they're business goals or goals within our personal life. However, often these can feel as if they're millstones around our necks. Rather than feeling excited, inspired and fired up about achieving them, we can feel as if a goal is something we should be working towards, rather than really wanting to.

By POWER boosting your goals, you can reignite the passion you once had and move from really de-motivated to fully focused!
P: Positive. State your goal in positive terms; something you're working towards. Often we language our goals negatively, which creates a sense of something we're running away from, rather than running towards. For example:
"I'm scared of getting things wrong in my product launch" is negative language. You're looking back at something you're trying to get away from. Straight away your whole mindset and attitude won't be what you need it to be, in order to propel you forward.
Instead, try:
"I want to ensure my launch is as successful as it can be". This is forward-looking, positive and puts you into a much better frame of mind for going out there and achieving it!
O: Own It! How much do you really want and "own" this goal? One simple question can help you determine whether it's the right goal for you. Ask yourself: "On a scale of 1 - 10, how much do I really want to do this?" If you scored 9 or 10, great! If you scored less than 8, this goal is not for you. It's simply not grabbing you in the guts, in the heart - or anywhere else! Change the goal to something that really fires you up, that you're passionate about and will give you the sense of purpose to take action.
W: What Will It..... look like, sound like, feel like, when you achieve this goal? The more senses you can use to create what the end result will look like, the more you'll "feel it in your muscle" and you'll start to look for ways for bringing it to reality. So, what will you be doing when you achieve this? What will others be doing? What will you be saying and feeling when you achieve this? What will you hear others saying and how will they be feeling? Really build your picture of success with as much detail as you can.
E: Ecology. This looks at the wider implications of you achieving this goal. Are there any downsides to you achieving it? If so, what are they? How likely are they to happen? What can you do to overcome/minimize these? One person I was coaching recently really in another context was a woman who was seeking a directorship within the next 12 months. She wanted it, she was capable of it and she was ready for it. However, she was traveling a lot with work already and the promotion would definitely mean more.

She had to work through this to decide whether the goal was still compelling enough for her to go for it, given the "downsides" she'd identified. Being aware of these and preparing for them can help to make sure your goal and resolve is really tested for strength.
R: Route/Resources. So, what's the very first step you're going to take to move towards this goal? And the next? Plan out your steps as you would with anything else you're completely committed to and put dates next to them. But equally, don't plan your life away - what step can you take TODAY? What resources do you need to help you along the way? Information; training; mentoring; coaching; mindset - identify all the things that will help build your momentum, focus and skill.

POWER up and off you go!