No matter what products and/or services your organization sells and provides to customers or members, you are dealing with money as an emotional issue.  A survey by the American Psychology Association noted that 8 of 10 Americans are stressed because of money concerns. 

With that kind of stress, who can you find that is willing to spend money or pay for your products/services?

The key is to start with your current database and engage those customers/members who have already plunked down their money for your products/services. However, cross-selling to someone who is stressed requires these key things:

• Establishing an environment of trust
• Creating sharing with nonverbal and verbal communication
• Understanding gender differences to cross-sell to men versus women
• Leading cross-sell tips to make the most of the time-challenged consumer

Looking at just the first item of building an environment of trust, consider these steps that help your front line establish one:

• Credibility – A look in the eye, and a straight answer
• Intimacy – A knowing nod, a sense of empathy, and recognition of the personal concerns
• Reliability – Success stories, processes that ensure a quality service encounter

Why is it important to acknowledge that we need to build an environment of trust, creating a comfortable situation for the customer/member to do business with us? Because we are all somewhat stressed today and that can ruin opportunities to deepen a relationship, make it a more profitable and beneficial one. 

Stress is crackling in most every environment because we are all also consumers feeling the same concerns and lack of confidence in the economy. Consider that the management team has goals to achieve and is stressed, which is downloaded to the front line staff who is being encouraged to sell more.  The front line staff is already working hard to meet the needs of customers/members and now feels more stress to find ways to sell something. The customers/members doing business with your front line whether physically, by phone, or online, have their own stress about spending money in this difficult economy. 

The ability to create the environment of trust eases both your staff and the customers/members because it is a calming influence. 

Interested in building a cross-selling environment that works well within this stressed economy? Contact us at LemmonTree.