Restaurants have perfected the art of upselling, making you happy you ordered more than you ever planned—a little appetizer, a special salad, the to-die-for dessert. And it doesn’t work just because liquor is involved! People want all that and they’re in an environment that pre-disposes them to ordering it. Many times customers don’t at all feel as if they’re being pressured or oversold if, and only if, what you’ve presented to them as an option is something they really want, need or didn’t know existed.

As an affiliate you have created the environment where people learn about a subject, and buy related products, often based upon your recommendation or evaluation. You are invaluable to your merchant partners because you try their products, and pre-sell them by writing product reviews, comparisons and articles. You also can play a valuable role in helping to upgrade sales and in selling add-ons and accessories. By this I don’t mean pushing things people don’t want or need – no hard selling.

You’re in a position to know the unmet needs of your target group. You hear about their frustrations and the things that work well for them. You probably have verbatim quotes from other visitors who’ve solved a problem that others are now facing. You can be a part of a solution sell, having just the right thing available when people are predisposed to buying it. For instance, several states are instituting hands-free cell phone laws. If you do articles and reviews you will be able to direct cell phone users, (even those in the states that do not mandate hands-free), to buy an earbud and microphone, based upon safety concerns. By upselling, you’ve both made an sale and provided a valuable service.

Karen Kari’s articles and more information on the affiliate business can be found at:
http://www.affiliatebandit.com
http://www.advertisingcellar.com
http://www.billionfreeads.com

Karen Kari