Benchmark Business Group

Design Your Business To Cross Sell

September 5, 2023

Everyone knows the benefits of cross-selling. It increases revenue. It creates customers that are less likely to leave. It protects clients. Your employees might even see it as a way to earn additional commission.

Yet, many agencies still struggle to get their team on board with cross-selling. In fact, we even coined the term, “Service Through Selling,” because so many agencies have the wrong mindset about cross-selling. We are passionate about seeing cross-selling as something that isn’t “extra.” Instead, it should be something that your team sees as part of providing exceptional service to your clients.

We like to say that your agency is perfectly designed to achieve the results that you are achieving right now. If you don’t like the results that you are achieving when it comes to cross-selling, then you need to redesign how you approach cross-selling.

Here are some tips to get you started:

  • Create a Vision. Really think about cross-selling. Why is it important to you? To your agency? To your clients? It’s our belief that every agency has a duty, yes, a duty to cross-sell to clients. We believe that as the expert, your agency will always see more risks and opportunities than your clients will ever understand. It’s your responsibility to speak up when you see a risk or opportunity on the horizon. This is why we call it Service Through Selling. It’s a part of your service.

Your challenge is to create your vision for cross-selling, then work with your team to implement that vision. Feel free to borrow our term, “Service Through Selling,” but make sure it’s your own beliefs that you’re sharing with your team.

  • Create the Structure. It’s great to have a vision, but your team needs structures and tools in order to take your vision from an idea to implementation. Consider creating the following:
    • Scripts with language including questions to ask
    • List of common objections and language for your team to overcome them
    • Use an agenda to help ensure that cross-selling doesn’t get missed in a meeting
    • Create marketing materials such as:
      • Signage in your agency to create awareness
      • Email templates
      • Brochures and other hand-outs

Your challenge is to set your team up for success. If they have the structures in place, they will be more likely to implement the idea of cross-selling. This will create confidence. It will help your team stay focused. And it will create results.

  • Engage Your Team. Don’t forget to invest in your team. Start by getting their feedback on the structures you create, or even better, ask them to help you create the structures. Then create time and space for all members of your team to practice. You don’t want your team to only practice with your clients. Clients will sense if they are stumbling or lack confidence. In addition, it’s hard to correct bad habits in front of a client. When you create time to practice, you ensure that cross-selling is done according to your vision. You also ensure that your team feels your support and has the confidence needed.

Your challenge is to ensure that you don’t ask your team to run without stretching! Instead, intentionally set aside time for the whole time to practice.

Remember, cross-selling rarely happens by accident. Sure, you might accidently bump into a sale here and there, but if you want your agency to create consistent results, then you need to design an agency that consistently cross-sells.

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