Australian SMEs are leaving money on the table if they aren’t proactively addressing upsell objections. The good news is, the core principles of persuasive communication remain constant, but the *way* we apply them needs to evolve. We’re seeing a shift towards customers valuing personalised experiences and demonstrable value – simply pushing a ‘bigger’ package won’t cut it. Here are the objection handling techniques we expect will close more upsell opportunities.
Firstly, **anticipate objections before they’re voiced**. This isn’t about being negative; it’s about proactive value communication. For example, if you’re upselling a premium support package, preemptively address concerns about cost by highlighting the potential savings from reduced downtime or faster issue resolution. Frame it as an investment, not an expense. We call this ‘value stacking’ – layering benefits until the perceived value exceeds the price.
Secondly, **master the ‘feel, felt, found’ technique**. This is a classic for a reason. When a customer objects (“This seems expensive”), acknowledge their feeling (“I understand how it can seem that way”), relate to their experience (“Many of our customers initially felt the same”), and then share a positive outcome (“But they found the added features saved them significant time and money”). It builds empathy and demonstrates social proof.
Thirdly, **utilise tiered value propositions**. Don’t just present ‘this or nothing’. Offer a clear progression of options, each building on the last. This allows the customer to feel in control and choose the level of benefit that suits their needs. We’re seeing this work particularly well with subscription models, where customers can easily upgrade or downgrade based on their evolving requirements. This is crucial as customer lifetime value becomes even more important in 2026 and 2027.
Finally, **focus on outcomes, not features**. Customers don’t buy what something *is*, they buy what it *does* for them. Instead of saying “This package includes advanced analytics”, say “This package will give you the insights you need to increase your sales by 15%”. This shifts the conversation from cost to return on investment.
To maximise your upsell success, we recommend auditing your current sales scripts and training your team on these techniques. A small investment in objection handling can yield a significant return by converting more prospects into satisfied, higher-value customers.
