How to Use Add-Ons to Sell More Handmade

It was 8 am in the morning and my husband and I were headed out to our cabin for the weekend. We hadn’t eaten breakfast yet but decided we’d make something once we got there.

But we couldn’t wait that long for coffee.

We pulled into the drive-through and had our two caffeinated drinks decided upon, but then the lady on the other side of the speaker threw us a curveball…..

“Would you like a chocolate chip cookie with your order?”

My husband looked at me, I shrugged, and he answered, “Sure!”.

I didn’t really think anything of it until we were waiting to pull up to the window and I thought: It’s 8 am, why are they even offering a chocolate chip cookie and why did we agree to buy one?

My mind is always in business mode, so I started breaking down how she got us to buy an extra item we had no intention of buying. 

This article explains why the barista’s sales technique (that increased the value of our order) worked so well, and how to implement it at a craft show.

 

Step 1 – Offer appropriate add-on items

Add-ons are products a business can offer that allow a committed customer (someone with an item in their cart) to add to their order.

Once a shopper has made a decision and chosen an item to purchase, the key is to offer a smaller, easy-to-say-yes-to item. This means something that is low commitment, doesn’t take a lot of pondering and doesn’t cost a lot of money.

An add-on item will increase your items per transaction; instead of selling one item to each customer, you sell two or more. Selling more items per person means less work for you but increased profits.

It also gives options for different budgets. Someone can buy the lower priced add-on item if they’re not ready to buy a main item. It’s also important to have ways to appeal to bigger budgets. 

For example, if someone wants to spend $50 on a gift but the pair of mittens they’re purchasing are only $40, if the mitten vendor also offers $5 hand warmers, the customer can add those to their order instead of shopping with other vendors to spend ten more dollars).

An add-on item should:

• Be a low price point – in most cases, the add-on item should be less than your main sellers. At craft shows that under $10 range is ideal. However, if you’re selling higer-end items and attract consumers willing to pay more, a higher-priced add-on would be fine.
• Compliment, complete, or care for a main seller – it’s important your add-on is related to the main products you sell. It makes the sell much easier. If the barista had asked us if we wanted to add a stuffed plushie to our coffee order, it wouldn’t have made sense. Coffee and a cookie go hand in hand. 

Some more generic add-ons that could work for a variety of items are:

• Cleaners
• Protectors
• Carrying case
• Storage case
• Travel size
• Gift bags/tag/wrapping
• Etc.

Another option for add-ons is to create bundles at a discounted price. 

For example, if someone is ready to buy soap and lotion, they may be interested in a bundle that includes the soap, lotion, and toner, at a discounted price. 

 

Step 2 – Keep it simple

One of the reasons the chocolate chip cross-selling worked is because the barista limited our options. 

If the barista had asked “do you want a cookie?”, we would have had to first figure out what kind of cookies they offered then decide between all the options. 

That’s too many decisions to make (especially with a lineup of people behind us), and the easiest option is to say “no”.

Because we were presented with a simple question and option (Would you like a chocolate chip cookie?), it was a quick and easy decision to make, on the spot.

Don’t offer too many add-on options. Keep it simple so the customer’s decision is easy.

 

Step 3 – Merchandise your add-ons

In a retail store, most add-on items are merchandised close to the cash desk. Your craft show table should follow a similar approach and showcase the add-on items near the end of the shopper experience.

Although you may only have a 6-foot-long table, you can still set up zones. Here’s how:

>> Craft Show Table Layout Tips

Zone 1 is what draws shoppers in, zone 2 is where they engage more, and zone 3 is where they checkout.

Zone 3 is where you should merchandise your add-on items in a craft show display.

It gives shoppers items to browse while they’re waiting for you to wrap their order and is an easy place for you to grab an add-on item to show them and hopefully add to their purchase.

It’s also a great place to keep smaller items because it makes it harder for them to be stolen (here are 10 tips to prevent theft at a craft show)

It’s a similar sales technique grocery stores use at their checkouts. Although your grocery list likely doesn’t include: “gum”, “candy bar” or “gossip magazine”, you’re more likely to pick them up because they’re right there, they’re easy to grab, and they’re only a couple dollars.

 

Step 4 – Cross-sell

Although craft show shoppers may discover your add-on products on their own, you’ll notice a bigger bump in sales if you actually promote those add-on items.

Cross-selling is the sales technique of suggesting your add-on products to customers to add to, complete, compliment, or care for the item they’re planning to buy.

Remember, keep it simple. 

The chocolate chip add-on was an easy sell because the salesperson gave us a “yes” or “no” decision to make. 

Examples of this at a craft show might be:

• With the sale of a wreath: Would you like to add a wreath hanger to your purchase?
• With the sale of a necklace: Would you like to buy the matching ring? (instead of having dozens of rings to choose from)
• With the sale of a bag: Would you like the matching key ring too?

 

For more ideas on products you can offer to add-on (and these ideas don’t even require you to make new products), check out:

• • How to Make Less but Sell More at your Next Craft Show

 

When you’re not even able to get to the add-on stage because you’re having a hard time getting a shopper to commit to buying one item, down-selling may come in handy. Check out:

• How & Why a Craft Business Should Down-Sell

Have you ever had a similar sales technique used on you? Did you say yes? 😉 How would you ask customers if they’d like to add an add-on item? Share in the comments!