So, you’ve worked with an amazing client for a small project and got a 5-star review from them, what’s next?
Many freelancers are always in search for more client in order to get more work and fail to realize that their existing client base can help them generate a decent recurring revenue stream EVERY MONTH! I’ll be explaining from the services I have been providing, i.e. graphic design, content writing, and web design & development.
What is upselling?
Upselling is a sales technique aimed at persuading customers to purchase a more expensive, upgraded or premium version of the chosen item or other add-ons for the purpose of making a larger sale.
Why is Upselling so important?
Upselling not only helps you generate additional income but also helps you build a deeper connection with clients. It is relatively easier to offer additional services to your existing customers and get the business rather than pitching to new potential clients.
Best Practices for Upselling
You can use your upselling tactics during these three steps: (I’ll explain in reference to digital services)
Before Consulting: Wait. How can I upsell BEFORE consulting the client? Let me explain; When a visitor lands on your website (or any social media platforms) make sure all of your services are listed, same goes with your profile on any marketplace. If you are a designer, make sure you list down all the design you can make for anyone, list those down even if you don’t have any portfolio for it to show.
During Consulting / Service Providing: if you have a website, make sure when someone selects any of your services, they see top 2 or 3 series linked to the selected service. For example, if someone chooses logo design service, they should also be able to see your business card design & letterhead design services as an optional add-on. If you are consulting the client, discussing the project with them, make them aware of the additional services that you provide which will help the client in near-future.
After Finishing Up Project: So, the project is finished and handed over to the client. It’s time to say bye-bye? Not necessarily 🙂 Continue reading…
For Graphic Designers;
The advantage of being a graphic designer is that you can offer a lot with just a couple of tools! It all depends on your creativity. Starting from logo design, business card design, letterhead design, postcard design, envelopes design, holiday card design, gift card design, calendar design, custom mug design, shopping bag designs…. And the list goes on! Now, how do you upsell these services? Every business needs marketing material on regular basis. You need to understand the market’s need. Here is a break-down with some business’s needs:
Real Estate Business:
- Business Cards
- Flyers
- Facebook Posts
- Holiday Postcards
- Email Newsletter
- Custom T-shirt Design
- Animated Videos
- Newsletter Design
- Email Newsletter
- Custom Pen Design
- Car Wrap Design
Insurance Business:
- Website Banners
- Landing Pages for Website
- Business Cards
- Flyers
- Facebook Posts
- Holiday Postcards
- Email Newsletter
- Custom T-shirt Design
- Animated Videos
- Presentation Design
- Custom Pen Design
- Presentation Folders
Retail – Clothing, Footwear & Accessories:
- In-store Graphics
- Window Banners
- Flyers
- Gift Coupons / Gift Cards
- Posters
- Shopping Bags
- Facebook Posts
- Website Banners
- Name Card Design
- Signage Design
- Billboard Design
- Sales Report Presentation
- POS Holder Design
Hotel / Restaurant Business:
- Website Banners
- Landing Pages for Website
- Business Cards
- Flyers
- Facebook Posts
- Holiday Postcards
- Email Newsletter
- Video Editing
- Menu Design
- Signage Design
- Gift Coupons / Gift Cards
E-Commerce Business:
- Photo-editing Services
- Website Banner Design
- Email Newsletter Design
- Facebook Posts Design
These are some examples from the business sector I’ve catered. There are some special occasions when EVERY business needs customized design services. I have mentioned those dates at the end of this article. Do check that out.
For Content Writers;
Let’s get a fact straight! EVERY business that exists, needs services of a content writer! Whether it be a start-up or 3 generation old business. From website content, to press releases, marketing collateral, blog posts writing, social media posts, product descriptions, email newsletters, white papers, case studies, e-book writing, business presentations, etc.
How can a writer upsell their service? Let’s suppose a client wants you to write a blog article on a specific niche, you accepted the proposal and finished the project BUT during the process, you noticed that the content on client’s website is not up to the mark. You make a small presentation pointing out the mistakes and propose to do those changes for a small fee. Another upsell here could be that YOUR content will be keyword rich and will help with website’s SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Adding the right keywords & meta-tags to the website can give that a boost as well.
Business owners need to plan their activities ahead of time in order to get all the things done at the right time. You need to do the same. Make up a list of your clients and mark what services you can offer in every quarter of the year! ALWAYS plan ahead. Either you are reaching out to your clients via email, newsletter or phone. Make sure you give them enough time to execute in a proper manner.
Upsell for Content Writers:
- Keyword Research
- SEO Optimized Content
- Website Keyword & Meta-tags Write-up
- Product Description Writing
- Social Media Copy-writing
- Tweet Composing
- Social Media Ad Copy-writing
- Google Ad-words Copy-writing
- Landing Page Content Optimization
- E-Book Writing
- Ghost Writing
- Blog Post Writing
- Review Post Writing
- Flyer / Brochure Content
- Proofreading / Content Optimization
Web Design & Development
Being a web developer is a tough job, it can keep you up for longer hours (Been there, done that!). For designers, it’s an on-going project to update the site every now and then to keep the content fresh for visitors but for a developer, this might be a one-time job if they don’t know how to upsell! The most important element of web services is BACK-UPS! A website without back-up is a recipe for disaster.
As all the CMS are evolving – backing-up a website and restoring it is becoming a simple job. Offering it to your clients at a nominal monthly fee can help you make up a decent recurring income.
Bonus Material
Here is a occasions calendar from November 2018 to December 2019 so you can get in touch with your existing clients and try to upsell them your services. Timings are the key here! Make sure you pitch them right and make the most out of it.
November 2018
Veterans Day – Sunday, November 11, 2018 (Veterans Day Holiday Monday 12 November)
Thanksgiving Day – Thursday, November 22, 2018
December 2018
Christmas Day – Tuesday, December 25, 2018
New Year’s Eve – Monday, December 31, 2018
January 2019
New Year’s Day – Tuesday, January 1, 2019
Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. – Monday, January 21, 2019
February 2019
St. Valentine’s Day – Thursday, 14 February 2019
Presidents Day/Washington’s Birthday – Monday, February 18, 2019
March 2019
St Patrick’s Day – Saturday, March 17, 2019
April 2019
Easter
Good Friday, April 20, 2019
Easter Sunday, April 21, 2019
Easter Monday, April 22, 2019
May 2019
Mother’s Day – Sunday, May 12, 2019
Memorial Day – Monday, May 27, 2019
June 2019
Father’s Day – Sunday, June 16, 2019
July 2019
Independence Day – Thursday, July 4, 2019
September 2019
Labor Day – Monday, September 2, 2019
October 2019
Columbus Day – Monday, October 14, 2019
Halloween – Thursday, October 31, 2019
November 2019
Veterans Day – Monday, 11 November 2019
Thanksgiving Day – Thursday, November 28, 2019
December 2019
Christmas Day – Wednesday, December 25, 2019
New Year’s Eve – Tuesday, December 31, 2019
*This schedule is useful for US-based clients.
