Building Back End Sales

What are back end sales?

Back end sales are those sales that are in addition to what a regular customer already usually buys. They can be hugely important to building additional streams of revenue. And because back end sales target your existing customer base, each sale is much less expensive to generate than it is to win a new customer.

Finding Your Own Back End Sale Possibilities

The possibilities for back end sales are endless. All it takes to come up with a winning plan is a little imagination and maybe some networking. Consider who your customers are and what they regularly purchase. Is there a higher scale version that might suit their needs better? Is there an additional product or service that would complement their normal purchases? Could a package deal be a better deal for them?

Approach this exercise from the vantage point of your customers. Think about what they believe their best interests are and see if you can come up with a plan to meet those needs. Approach everything from the idea of benefiting your customer, rather than yourself, and you are more likely to increase sales.

Example of Back End Sales

If you offer a service, for instance a landscaping service, you could call each one-time customer a couple of days after the service is completed. Take some time to find out how the customer liked what you did. Then offer a package deal. For a discount on your regular rate, your customer can sign up for a monthly plan that brings you to their house on a regular basis to do regular upkeep. By doing this you generate a consistent stream of revenue that you can count on each month. You also make your customer feel special and increase the likelihood of getting his or her referrals.

If you sell office supplies, you might consider networking with a local print shop. Offer to refer all your customers to them for a flat fee for each new customer they gain or for a percentage on each new sale. This type of plan requires some mutual trust between you and the printer, but entails very little risk, can benefit the printer through new customers, and benefit you through a new stream of revenue.

Consider, whenever you roll out a new product or service, giving your existing customers preferential treatment. Give them a call or send them a personalized letter offering them a special limited-time offer. They will be more likely to buy because they will feel you