Pickle in a Bag

So here I am in line at the book store, waiting to check out.  Oh sure most books I buy these days go right onto my tablet so I can read them anywhere, but once in a while there is a book I just want to own, to have in my personal library and today was one of those days.

So what do you do when standing in line at the book store because someone out front cannot seem to find her discount card?  You look left and you look right.  To the left is the Pickle in a Bag.  Think on this a second... a pickle in a bag.  One day someone was standing in line at a checkout and said "you know what people need when they are standing in line?  They need a Pickle in a Bag... for $1.49".  I am sure that person now lives in some grand estate somewhere where the weather never turns cold.  But here is was and right below it, "The Hot Pickle In a Bag".

I was also greeted by book marks, pocket flashlights, tiny "Dummies" books, NanoBots and a host of other items designed to liberate me from a few more dollars.  None of them appealed.  That is until I tendered my card for my book purchase, and right there...right below the card reader sat a box of Snickers Bars... with almonds....  JUMBO size.

After I reached the car and enjoyed my JUMBO Snickers bar with almonds, which indicated on the wrapper is was FOUR servings, I though about the buying opportunities presented me at the checkout.  I actually went back to the store and looked over the merchandise presented for my view while I was in line at the checkout.  I then counted everything that was within reach.  Fifty Five items.  Think about that a second.  Fifty Five items presented to me to make one more buying decision before I left the store.

I wonder how many times any of us in sales make one more buying opportunity while we have the buyers attention.  Maybe a sheet of paper with up-sale opportunities handed to them while we are filling out an order.  Maybe a leave behind, or something with the bill or thank you note.  But how many of us  have ever offered fifty five separate buying opportunities just when they are ready to make a purchase?  How much money have we all left on the table buy not exploring other opportunities to help their business?

Asking for a few more dollars can make a big difference in both the effectiveness of the campaign and your income.  It really is a win win.  Look back at the last 20 or 30 weeks and ask what would have happened to your income if you had just increased each order by $25.  It becomes significant quickly.

I am not saying that asking for an extra few bucks is a silver bullet in sales.  But it could be a Picke in a Bag!