Why should subagents sell new products? It comes down to the most basic of principles. Why do agents do what they do? Why would anyone take a job that was 100 percent commission that involves a lot of legwork? The answer, of course, is the chance to make money. So why be satisfied with selling the base products alone? A few days of training will increase a subagent’s portfolio. After completing the initial sale, the well-trained subagent will recognize that new opportunities for profit exist at the next level. So not only are they selling SIP phones and high-speed Internet access, they also are selling routers to tie them all together.
Established customers can serve as the perfect proving ground for new products and services. For starters, who’s easier to reach – the new customer who may be shopping dozens of agents or the ones with which you already have cultivated a trusting relationship? It should be the latter. Just because you locked a customer into a contract doesn’t mean you can’t sell to them anymore. Right now, they may need your help more than you think. In fact, it is the creative and well-trained subagent who will see that the customer is ready to move into the next phase, one marked by further growth. There’s huge value in being able to reach out and offer new products to those customers. You’ll be surprised how often they will listen.
Some call this process “farming the base,” and it’s a great way to stop client relationships from stagnating. Maybe they won’t be immediate buyers, but at the very least they’ll know you are ready to work with them. They’ll know that you have a vested interest in helping them build their business, and they’ll appreciate that. When the time comes for upgrades or questions, they’ll go to you first, instead of shopping other agents. Aside from helping your clients, upselling keeps you several steps ahead of the competition.
