In the last two weeks, I have focused on the importance of selling to inactive customers based on the sales principle ‘Buying = Trusting the seller’. Your inactive customers will buy from you again, because having done business with you in the past, they already trust you.

To recap the the top strategies so far:

Strategy #1: Sell them more of the products and services that they bought in the past.

Strategy #2: Sell them products and services that they have not bought from you in the past.

This week let’s look at:

Strategy #3: Sell them products and services that they have not bought from you in the past and you do not offer today.

Simply put, expand your range of products and services.

Here are a number of examples from well known brands:

Snap Printing launched Snap Level 2, a new concept focussed on offering digital marketing services such as Websites, e-books, e-marketing and video streaming in addition to their existing strong base of graphic design and printing services.

Kodak faced the prospect of reducing sales in imaging and photographic materials and introduced digital cameras and digital photo frames, which are now rapidly growing product lines.

McDonald’s introduced a new menu range with an industry-first nutrional labelling. This included Salads Plus in 2004, Deli Choices in 2005, McCafe, Pasta Zoo Happy Meal and Happy Meal Choices in 2007. Offering a menu with healthier options, the company has reinvented itself and is selling a range of new products to its loyal customer and growing customer base.

Apple introduced the iPhone in 2007 combining three products - a phone, an iPod and and an internet communications device. Since introduction, they have sold 21.7 million units to date. Ranging from $100 to $599, when initially launched, this has generated billions of dollars for Apple.

Nintendo launched the Wii Fit in 2008 and this cleverly turned a gaming console into a new reinvented item presented to the health-conscious. Little over one year after its release, Wii Fit became the third bestselling videogame in history (among games not packaged with a console) with 21.82 million copies sold as of June 30, 2009.

Like many others, I did not hesitate to try something new at McDonald’s, especially when it was easier on my conscience. Nor did I hesitate to buy the new iPhone after I enjoyed having an iPod Nano before it and the iPod mini before the Nano. Like I said earlier, ‘Buying = Trusting the seller’. All of the companies above understand this principle and are capitalising on it by expanding their product and services range. These new offerings, are most often first embraced by their existing customers!

So, what opportunities do you see with your inactive customers?

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