Many professional organizers supplement their earnings by offering organizing products from companies like Clever Container at home parties. But selling products requires a very different skillset than selling services, so I asked Deb Bixler, the leading authority for home party plan business training, to share a few tips.

The upsell is a necessary part of sales, and one of the best ways to create extra revenue for your party plan sales business. But many customers dread the upsell and become completely turned off when it starts.

Are there ways to make the upsell easier and more productive?

Is it possible to upsell without losing clients?

The upsell is often viewed as a negative term, but it has positive benefits for both the seller and buyer.

The seller will make additional revenue from a customer while the buyer may end up with a better product.

How do you get customers to purchase additional items without alienating them? Here are eight ways to make the upsell work without losing customers.

1. Know your product line. The more you know your products, the better you can convey how much value additional products can add.
2. Chat with your customers. This is very basic advice, but also very important. Don’t just sell, start a conversation and ask a lot of questions. By having a friendly conversation, you will not only connect with them, you will also learn more about their likes, wants and needs.
3. Notice what products catch a customer’s eye. If you have a display of products, watch to see who picks up what product. This is valuable information to use later when you are chatting with a customer.
4. Price may be no object. Don’t assume that the customer has a price ceiling. Even though a customer may make it sound as if they cannot afford expensive items, don’t ignore the possibility that they may have more money to spend. Show the customer your entire product line and let them decide what they can afford.
5. Accessorize. Many products go well together. If you sell kitchen knives to someone, they may also need a knife holder for their kitchen counter. If you sell books, customers may need a book light or a bookmark. Try to include products at your parties that go with your product lines.
6. Allow the customers to touch, hold and use the products. The more they touch and hold, the more they usually buy. Touching, holding and trying out products at party plan sales events are a great way to sell your products.
7. Be specific. When a customer buys something, be specific when asking for an additional sale. “Can I get you something else?” That is not specific. If you are selling knives, you need to specifically ask them if they need a knife holder for their counter.
8. Always close the deal. As a sales representative, you already know how to close the deal. However, you should be thinking of closing as many deals as possible. Closing one deal is good; closing several deals with one person is much better.

Putting these eight methods to use in your party plan sales business will help you make more sales. The upsell is not only about having a customer upgrade to a more expensive product, it is also about having a customer buy additional products.

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