When you’re a freelancer or contractor, you have a much closer relationship with your clients, as you’ll be dealing with them directly for the entire duration of your time working solo. This relationship allows you to spot opportunities where clients could benefit from new opportunities you can offer, or you may need to increase your pricing to match what you’re currently offering them. Either way, upselling is an art form – but we’ve got some tips for you below. Good luck!
Build a Good Rapport
Having a good relationship with your clients is paramount when it comes to any part of your business. When it comes to upselling, however, the relationship is representative of the trust and loyalty between you and a client. Offering them a new or additional service is made much easier when they would rather go to you than a competitor, so be sure to communicate with your clients regularly, and keep tabs on how happy they are with your service.
Make Sure it’s Worth it to Them
Don’t attempt to upsell a client with a service, product or offer that just isn’t for them. If you know it’s not going to work or have any benefit, it’s being dishonest, and you’ll find the trust you’ve built with said client to be damaged beyond repair in no time at all. Keep track of their goals and pair any such upsells with helping them to achieve those goals. This way, even if it doesn’t go completely to plan, they will acknowledge that you were supporting them in their endeavours and were in tune with where they want to take their business.
Go in With a Strong Proposal
Avoid attempting to upsell with a brief conversation and then taking that as confirmation as it’ll come as a nasty shock to your clients when they receive an invoice and work they barely remember signing off. Instead, broach the subject (see below for how to get that going) and then agree to have a proposal (brief or in-depth, depending on what the client asks for) to them for a certain date. By clearly pointing out how your client can benefit, the argument in favour of your upsell is far more concrete.
Offer it as ‘Something to Consider’
Above all else, don’t just barge in (or email or call) off the cuff with something so bland and pointed as ‘I want to upsell you on something’ or ‘do you want this new service?’ – go for a friendly, subtle approach, perhaps using the line ‘perhaps you’d like to consider…’ or something similar.
Now that you’ve read all of this advice, go get ’em, Gorillas!
Freelancer or contractor looking for an accountant that gets you and your financial needs? Get in touch with Gorilla – freelance and contractor specialists – to find out how we can help!
