When it comes to cross-selling, no one does it better than McDonald's. The fast-food giant is renowned for its ability to upsell customers, convincing them to purchase additional products to go along with their meal. McDonald's has mastered the art of cross-selling, offering customers items that complement each other. From shakes and fries to burgers and McNuggets, the company has perfected the art of pairing products for maximum sales. McDonald's also understands the importance of providing customers with great value for their money, which is why it frequently bundles products together at a discounted price. By studying McDonald's practices, other businesses can learn how to effectively use cross-selling to increase their own sales.

What is cross-selling?

Cross-selling is a sales technique in which a salesperson encourages a customer to purchase additional products that go along with their original purchase. This can be done in any number of industries, but is especially common in sales environments where there are a limited number of products, such as grocery stores, gas stations, and fast food restaurants. The goal of cross-selling is to increase sales by encouraging customers to buy additional products that they may not have considered purchasing if they weren't pitched by the salesperson. Cross-selling differs from upselling in that it doesn’t involve asking the customer to spend more money on a single item—it’s about getting them to spend more money overall by buying additional products.

How McDonald’s uses cross-selling

McDonald's has been using cross-selling since it opened its doors back in 1940. The company's menu has remained relatively unchanged throughout the years, and that's a good thing. There's something to be said for keeping things simple, and McDonald's has figured out the best way to cross-sell its core menu items. For example, when you order a Big Mac at McDonald's, you'll be given the option to add fries and a drink to your order for a discounted price. And if you happen to be craving a coke, but aren't feeling the Big Mac, McDonald's can cross-sell you on a chicken sandwich or a hamburger. The restaurant has expertly crafted a menu that allows for easy cross-selling. This is no accident. It has been carefully planned and strategically executed over several decades.

Benefits of cross-selling

Cross-selling provides additional value for customers - Cross-selling doesn’t just increase your sales numbers—it also provides customers with additional value. For example, when a customer walks into a store and buys a new computer, they may need a new monitor or keyboard as well. However, they might not necessarily think to purchase these items on their own. By cross-selling additional items, you can provide customers with additional value. Cross-selling can increase basket size - By increasing the number of items a customer buys, you can also increase the size of their basket. For example, if you cross-sell a customer on a new laptop, they might decide to buy a new wireless mouse and USB drive while they’re there. If a customer is already buying something, they may be more likely to add other products to their basket.

Examples of cross-selling strategies

- You buy shoes - You buy socks. - You buy a suit - You buy a shirt. - You buy a car - You buy insurance. - You buy an ice cream cone - You buy sprinkles. - You buy a computer - You buy an ergonomic mouse. - You buy movie tickets - You buy popcorn.

Creating a cross-selling strategy

Once you’ve determined that cross-selling is the best strategy for growing your sales, you’ll need to sit down and create a strategy for making it happen. You don’t want to just randomly start cross-selling to your customers—you want to do it in a way that’s strategic and effective. Here are a few tips to help you get started. - Determine your target customers - Who are the people who shop at your store? What are their needs and wants? What products are they looking for? Once you know who your customers are, make a list of products that cross-sell each of them. - Find the best products to cross-sell - Good cross-sell items should complement your core products and address your customers’ needs. For example, if you sell running shoes, a pair of socks is a great cross-sell item.

Tips for successful cross-selling

- Make it easy for customers to buy - Cross-selling items should be quick and easy for customers. If customers feel like they have to go through a complicated or time-consuming process to cross-sell, they’ll probably walk away. Make cross-selling easy for customers so they can get in and out of your store as quickly as possible. - Offer discounts for bulk purchases - If you’re cross-selling items that are meant to be used with a core product, offer a discount for bulk purchases. For example, if you sell running shoes, you might offer a discount on socks if customers purchase two pairs of shoes. - Use signage to promote cross-selling - Post signs in your store to let customers know which products can be cross-sold with others. For example, if you sell running shoes, you might want to post a sign next to them that says, “Buy two pairs and get a pair of socks free.”

The importance of customer value

When it comes to cross-selling, it’s important that you only offer items to your customers that are of value to them. For example, if you sell running shoes, you might try to cross-sell a foot massage. While a foot massage may seem like a great cross-sell item, you’ll want to think twice before offering it. A foot massage is a luxury item that only a small portion of your customers will be willing to buy. Offering items that appeal to a large percentage of your customers will help you maximize your sales.

Cross-selling tools and resources

- Customer data - Customer data can be a great way to identify which products to cross-sell. If you know that a certain percentage of your customers buy certain items, you can easily identify products to cross-sell. For example, if you know that 20% of your customers buy running shoes, you can cross-sell items like socks and water bottles. - CRM software - CRM software can help you become more efficient when it comes to cross-selling. You can use this software to track which items are most commonly bought together and then use that information to cross-sell those items to your customers. - Visual merchandising - Visual merchandising is a great way to cross-sell items. This is especially true if you own a brick-and-mortar store. You can strategically place items to cross-sell other items in your store.

Conclusion

Cross-selling is a sales technique that can help you increase your revenue. By selling customers additional products that go along with their original purchase, you can increase your sales by getting customers to buy more. When you cross-sell, you're offering customers more value by giving them additional products that they might need. By studying how McDonald's uses cross-selling, you can learn how to effectively sell additional products to your customers.