Picture this: you head to your local sports store to grab a new pair of sneakers. One of the assistants comes over and asks if you need help. You accept. While showing you the shoes, they point out their range of high-performance socks, insoles, and foam rollers.
You walk out of the shop with the shoes you originally came for…and a three-pack of new socks too.
You probably didn’t realise it at the time, but you were just the subject of up-selling and cross-selling in person - and the online world is no different, and it’s just as applicable to the world of B2B as it was in that B2C, in-store interaction.
If you’re not grabbing your cross-sell opportunities with both hands, your business’ bottom line could be missing out. So, to help you on your way, we’ve created three proven cross-sell templates for you to tweak and use.
Hannah Wesson
Opportunity 1: right after a sale
Your very first cross-sell opportunity comes right after a new customer makes a purchase. It's good practice to send thank you emails anyway, so, while you’re still fresh in the customer’s mind, use this as a platform to offer them some complementary products.
For example, if you’re an office supply company and someone’s just bought 500 pens, why not highlight your range of notepads and other stationary? If they don’t already have them, odds are they’ll need them very soon…
Sticking with the paint example, here’s some sample copy:
Hi [insert name],
Thanks for choosing us to supply your pens.
Your order’s been sent to the warehouse and should be with you in the next 2-3 business days.
If you need some more for your office needs, check out our range of [notepads and other stationary].
If there’s anything else we can help you with get in touch with our customer service team on [insert number].
Thanks again,
[Company X] team
Opportunity 2: requesting a review
You should be checking in with customers down the line to ask for a review, especially when it comes to B2B. Companies are more likely to trust you if they can see you’ve done a good job for another. They want the same success that you’ve provided to others, especially if it’s to similar businesses or even competitors.
So, if you’re already doing this, take the opportunity to kill two birds with one stone and steer them towards some more of your offerings. Here’s how you could do it:
Hi [insert name],
Thanks for choosing our services recently.
Here at [company name] we take what you think to heart and we’re always looking for ways to build on what we’ve got. So, if you've got a minute to spare, we’d love to hear what you thought about your recent purchase.
>LEAVE A REVIEW<
And if you liked what you got, these might be just up your street too:
[Reel of relevant product names and images]
We look forward to hopefully seeing what you think soon.
Thanks,
[Company X] team
Opportunity 3: promotional pitch
Your cross-sell efforts don’t always have to piggyback onto another of your email activities. You can send them whenever you want (like to promote a sale, new product or discount), just make sure you don’t bombard your database with emails — and be sure to keep the products or service offers relevant.
Here’s an example to steal some inspiration from:
Hi [insert name],
So, you’ve taken out our [insert service name] service, but have you ever considered our [insert service name] offering too?
If the answer’s yes then now’s the time to make your move because we’re exclusively offering 15% off to existing customers!
By taking out our [insert service name] service you’ll benefit from:
- Benefit #1
- Benefit #2
- Benefit #3
- Benefit #4
To claim your discount today, just use the code SUMMER2021 at checkout.
Thanks,
[Company X] team
Need some more help with B2B email marketing? We're here to help!
For some other templates to up your email marketing game, check out our guide to welcome emails here.
Struggling with just getting your audience to open the emails? Maybe your subject lines need work, and we've got that covered here.
