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Aggressive Small Business Marketing & Advertising
Big thoughts, ideas and how-tos for aggressive, fast-growth businesses and the entrepreneurs who fuel them.
Possibly The Dumbest Sales Strategy I’ve Heard: No Cross-Sells, No Up-Sells
Posted by Michael Cage on Sunday, April 04, 2004As reported in Internet Retailer's article "New retailer's directive for customer relations: No cross-sell or up-sell."
"As it expands from wholesaling into retailing, Inventive Solutions wants to gain more control of managing relationships with customers. And to build an image as a helpful retailer, it has directed its customer-service team to avoid up-selling and cross-selling." John Gibney, the company's president and CEO says, "I don't want any of my customers to ever call Inventive Solutions with the fear of getting cross-sold."
Bottom line:
- If you have a good solution that does what you say it does, you do a diservice to your customers by NOT offering them additional ways to benefit from your company.
- There are many ways to offer cross-sells and up-sells without offending or turning off a customer. Why not train the reps in the right way to cross-sell and up-sell instead of telling them not to do it and killing profitability?
- Here's is an interesting test: Are your offended or afraid when Amazon offers you related material to what you are buying... or do you find it helpful?
- This strategy stinks.
We should all be Night People
Posted by Michael Cage on Sunday, April 04, 2004This article talks about How to rise and shine when you're nocturnal by nature.
As a loud-and-proud night person (it has always been a part of my inherent unemployability) I think the world should adapt to those of us who like to rise at noon; not the other way around. I'm fortunate to be part of a fantastic group of fellow entrepreneurs who talk, strategize, mastermind, and enjoy life with. As a group and one-on-one, some of our best and most productive time is after midnight. Now I'm wondering if this is an entrepreneurial bias... or just a people-I-like-bias. 
Do you have what it takes to be an Entrepreneur?
Posted by Michael Cage on Saturday, April 03, 2004Interesting quiz: Do you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur?
There are 1 comments, add your own!Yes, Entrepreneur’s Are Always Selling
Posted by Michael Cage on Saturday, April 03, 2004BusinessPundit put up a great and instructive post about Always Selling. Well worth a read.
My observation is that you can't not sell. In every communication someone is selling and someone is buying. It doesn't have to be products and services. Belief systems, criteria for making decisions, and validation are all sold regularly in day-to-day communication.
Shifting to an apologetic-mode at the close is a perfect example, where a belief system and set of criteria are effectively sold and/or validated... if not installed!
The entrepreneur's challenge is to recognize we are always selling, and place intention and effectiveness into each communication.
There are 0 comments, add your own!Quote: Donald Trump On Deals
Posted by Michael Cage on Friday, April 02, 2004"Deals are my art form. Other people paint beautifully on canvas or write wonderful poetry. I like making deals, preferably big deals. That's how I get my kicks." - Donald TrumpThere are 4 comments, add your own!