Playbook: B2B Cross-Selling
Employing the strategy of account cross-selling can lead to significant financial growth and foster more robust relationships with customers. Businesses can improve customer satisfaction and increase their profits by identifying chances to provide additional products or services to current customers. This playbook will examine the key elements of effectively implementing an account cross-selling strategy, starting from identifying prospects to acknowledging accomplishments with your team.
Free License:
This playbook is a FREE Industry template that can be tweaked or used as-is for your own organization or teams, in perpetuity. This contribution to the community was created after research on the current Industry best practices on the subject. However, this is only a guidance, and needs to be modified as required, to best fit your needs. This template does not provide any assurances or guarantees. It also needs you to modify Roles, Tasks and Durations to those that best fit your specific need.
The template provided for FREE DOWNLOAD covers the following sections:
Identification and Discovery:
Start by reviewing your account list and assessing the health score, utilization, touchpoints, and account notes. Gain a comprehensive understanding of each account by utilizing the customer list view and account 360 view. Additionally, explore the product console to familiarize yourself with their current offerings. Identify relevant stakeholders for each account and update the account plan to highlight the value that can be achieved through cross-selling. Schedule a meeting with these stakeholders to discuss their needs, pain points, and the potential value-add of your cross-sell offerings.
Internal Alignment: Before engaging with customers, ensure that your internal team is well-prepared. Hold a discussion to share account details, cross-sell opportunities, and gather input from colleagues. This collaboration will enhance your approach and increase the likelihood of success.
Preparation: Create a compelling cross-sell asset that clearly communicates the value-added benefits of your offerings to the customer. Identify any gaps or questions that need to be addressed during the discovery session with stakeholders. Prepare a set of thoughtful queries that will help you understand their pain points and desired outcomes better.
Discovery Session: Connect with stakeholders, either individually or as a group, to gather feedback and validate the pain points and desired outcomes you identified earlier. Actively listen, build rapport, and seek a deeper understanding of their needs. Take note of any additional insights that emerge during the discussion.
Follow-up and Value Proposition: Based on the discovery session, create a concise cross-sell plan that outlines key points and benefits for the customer. Share this plan with relevant stakeholders and include it in the account notes for future reference. Quantify the pain points and desired outcomes discussed during the discovery call using appropriate metrics. Articulate the value proposition of your proposed product or service, emphasizing how it complements their existing offerings, improves efficiency, or provides a higher return on investment.
Review and Refinement: Schedule a follow-up meeting with stakeholders to review the value proposition you have developed. Address any questions or concerns they may have and emphasize the unique benefits of your cross-sell offering. Seek their buy-in and ensure alignment between your proposal and their goals.
Finalize and Communicate: Review the cross-sell asset and proposed value with your Customer Success Lead (CSL) for their input and suggestions. Refine the asset to effectively communicate the value-add of your offerings and align it with the customer’s needs and goals. Present the cross-sell proposal to the customer, addressing their desired outcomes and highlighting how your offerings can help them achieve their goals. Seek their agreement and address any concerns or objections they may have.
Proposal and Contract: Create a formal cross-sell contract based on the discussions and agreements made with the customer. Ensure that the contract captures all the relevant details and outlines the terms, pricing, and timeline for the cross-sell process.
Payment and Onboarding: Clearly communicate the cross-sell process, timeline, add-on pricing, and terms to the customer through an email. If necessary, schedule a follow-up meeting to finalize contract negotiations and discussions. Keep the Finance Manager informed of all the details regarding the next steps and facilitate a smooth payment process. Also, share the cross-sell details with internal stakeholders to assist in successful customer onboarding and add them to the account notes for future reference.
Celebrate Success: Recognize and celebrate the successful cross-sell with your team to foster positive relationships and acknowledge their exceptional work. Take the time to appreciate everyone’s efforts at an appropriate juncture.12
Conclusion: Implementing an effective account cross-sell strategy requires careful planning, thorough preparation, and excellent communication skills. By following this proven playbook template, you can maximize revenue opportunities, deepen customer relationships, and achieve significant business growth through successful account cross-selling.
Sailing through stormy seas of process inconsistencies?
Anchor your success with our powerful Playbooks!
