Many Australian SMEs leave revenue on the table by not strategically incorporating upsells into their customer journeys. It’s not about aggressive sales tactics; it’s about offering genuine value that enhances the customer’s experience. We see businesses consistently improve their average order value and customer lifetime value by identifying key moments to suggest complementary products or premium services. The key is timing – presenting the right offer at the right stage.

So, how do you create these ‘upsell triggers’? It starts with deeply understanding your customer’s behaviour and needs. We recommend mapping out your typical customer journey, from initial awareness through to repeat purchase. Then, pinpoint opportunities where an upsell feels natural and helpful, not pushy.

• Post-Purchase: Immediately after a purchase is a prime time. Offer related accessories, extended warranties, or a premium version of the product they just bought. For example, if someone buys a camera, suggest a spare battery, memory card, or a photography course.
• Milestone Reached: If a customer achieves a specific milestone with your product or service, trigger an upsell. Think about software users hitting a storage limit – offer an upgrade to a larger plan. Or, for a fitness app, suggest a personalised coaching package after they’ve completed their first month.
• Loyalty & Engagement: Reward loyal customers with exclusive upsell opportunities. This could be early access to new products, bundled deals, or a premium service upgrade. Segmenting your customer base allows for highly targeted offers.
• Abandoned Cart Recovery: Don’t just focus on recovering the sale! When sending an abandoned cart email, subtly suggest a complementary item or a faster delivery option as an incentive to complete the purchase.

Crucially, personalisation is paramount. Generic upsells are often ignored. Leverage customer data – purchase history, browsing behaviour, demographics – to tailor offers to individual preferences. We’re seeing a trend towards using AI-powered recommendation engines to automate this process, and this will only become more sophisticated in the coming years. Remember to A/B test different upsell offers and timings to optimise your results.

Implementing these strategies doesn’t require a massive overhaul. Start small, focus on one or two key touchpoints in your customer journey, and measure the impact. The outcome? Increased revenue, stronger customer relationships, and a more sustainable growth trajectory for your business.