If you’re looking to increase add-on sales at your bakery, one of the best ways you can do so is through cross-selling. We understand that many baking businesses are passion-driven. You set out with a distinct goal to spark joy in people’s lives with delectable treats, and you’ve done just that. Now what?
Well, you’ll need to come up with creative ways to continue to generate revenue. Staying ahead of the competition isn’t always about offering the tastiest treats in town; it’s also about learning how to make your customers experience positive and seamless. Luckily, BakeSmart is here to offer strategies that are sure to keep your bakery sales booming. Keep reading to learn more about how you can implement cross-selling in your bakery as a way to convenience customers and remain profitable.
What is Cross-Selling
Cross-selling is a marketing strategy that involves selling additional products to existing customers. This technique is such a fundamental part of running a successful business because it invites your customers to spend more without you having to implement any pushy sales tactics.
When related or complementary products are placed next to one another, it’s a great way to determine which of your products are capable of satisfying that additional consumer need. For example:
- If your bakery sells slices of custom cheesecake, why not try to facilitate a larger basket transaction by selling cake candles, cards, and other fun items at checkout. That way, your customer can get everything they need to celebrate under your bakeries’ roof.
- Say you sell a variety of pastries, bagels, cookies, and cakes – some of which are gluten-free. It will be in your best interest to place all gluten-free treats near each other rather than in their treat-types designated area. This lets buyers with gluten intolerances clearly see which treats they can safely eat. Your customers will appreciate that you took the time to consider them and make their experience effortless.
- Maybe you’ve found many of your customers have questions about dark chocolate as an alternative to other kinds of chocolate. This could be the perfect opportunity to draw attention to your dark chocolate offerings. You could create signage that highlights this nutrient-dense treat and its overall health benefits.
Generate Extra Profit Around the Holidays
While it’s obvious to implement different cross-selling types during the busy holiday season, don’t forget to take advantage of those more overlooked holidays! As a bakery, there are a ton of special days you can create cross-selling displays around. Here are some examples we encourage you to take advantage of and see first-hand how your profits increase:
- National Bakery Day on September 27th: If you have treats you’re extra proud of, make sure you promote this day along with your best in show baked good selection.
- National Cake Day on November 26th: This is a great day to create a display that offers the best cake experience. Whether you sell ingredients to bake cakes or you make your very own, take this day to celebrate such a celebratory treat.
- National Cookie Day on December 4th: Acknowledge this day by setting up a display that offers everything you could need to make this day a success. You can sell your own cookies and include other cookie-related things like a cookie decorating kit with icing and sprinkles.
- National Pastry Day on December 9th: Promote all your pastries with specific signage. You can offer unique, limited edition pastries for this day only and see how many customers decide they won’t want to miss out on the opportunity.
- National Bagel Day on January 15th: On this day, persuade every customer that they should start their day with a bagel. You could even sell the bagel seasonings you use so customers can create their own at home.
Make sure you take advantage of complimentary product grouping and fun holidays so you can implement cross-selling strategies year-round! These marketing tactics will do wonders when it comes to increasing revenue as well as customer loyalty.
