Client Upselling Techniques: 5 Ways to Increase Project Value Without Pushback

Have you been convinced to buy fries with your burger when you walked into the store with just burger desire? That is called upselling and in most of the cases it works. But it’s less likely to work that easy in the freelance world. 

This is not about forcing people to spend on the services they actually don’t need. It’s letting them know about your extra skills and reminding them what might actually be beneficial for their business that they didn’t even think about it. 

Freelancers who get familiar with Sniff usually are aiming to find quality clients and build long-term professional relationships. But here is the thing: landing the first project is just the beginning of a successful career. Career which includes long-term business relationships through carefully implemented upselling.

Don’t worry, whether you are a new or experienced freelancer who knows their industry but not selling here we are for first aid!

What is upselling in freelancing?

Upselling in freelancing means offering clients extra services or upgrades that add more value to their project. For example, a writer might offer SEO optimization along with the article.

Upselling in this context is actually for clients getting most of their investment. By offering upselling to their clients, freelancers are aiming to deliver additional value and comprehensive services with their skills. 

If it’s implemented in the right way, it’s actually solving extra problems that might occur throughout the project. 

We all love referrals. Doesn’t matter if it's a job hiring process or buying a bag from the familiar seller, referrals guarantee credibility.  This has been proven with research by HubSpot, reporting that existing customers are 50% more likely to try new products and spend 31% more compared to new customers [HubSpot]. So, upselling is not just delivering value but also growing a professional career.

Upselling vs. Cross-selling: Key Differences

These terms have always been confusing, showing almost the same meanings but they both have different meanings. Let’s see what are the differences between them:

• Upselling means offering a more premium version of their purchase. Would you like to have a bigger size? Example for that would be having a basic website or website with advanced features and functionality.

• Cross-selling is recommending additional services that boost their current purchase. Those shoes would look great with this jacket. Example for that would be adding SEO services to a web design project.

Both can increase the revenue but must be implemented considering the client’s business and relation to their goals and interests.

The Psychology Behind Successful Upselling

Selling is more of a psychological matter than technique. We all can confess that. It actually works by impacting our psychology. So, do upselling.  But what factors are behind this psychological technique?

• Fear of losing. If a person hears what might they get by accepting the upgraded services they wouldn’t miss out on it. Especially if they are working with people with high credibility.

• Estimated value: When the product or service is desired by a client it becomes more important than price. Present your additional services around results, not features. 

Trust-based decisions: If you want to earn more,  build trust first. Then you will make great sales. According to Nielsen, 89% of people most trust recommendations from someone they know, underscoring customers worldwide trust recommendations from existing clients and businesses they already have client relationships with [DM]. Influencers are also evidence for that. They first become a trusted persona, then they can sell everything they want. Even expensive stuff!

How to Increase Project Value to Upsell Your Clients?

#1 Build Trust Before Upselling

Choosing the Right Clients for Upselling Opportunities

Upselling isn’t for every client's business. Choose them carefully by considering their interests and future plans.

You can do upselling to clients:

• Who just started their businesses

• Who has bigger future plans 

• Who is more focused on quality than quantity

• Who shows sign of expansion

By using Sniff's AI-powered platform you can find those high potential quality clients through personalized lead suggestions. This also saves you from doing upselling by pushing clients with limited budgets. 

Creating Premium Client Experiences from Day One

Day one impression is the most crucial one. Making them feel honored during onboarding processes with Standard Operating Procedures is the best thing you can do at the start. Then following sharing resources showing your experience, setting up clear communication, and being transparent about expectations creates high quality premium client relationships.

Establishing Trust Through Consistent Overdelivery

The best upselling is the one feeling natural. So, being strategically prepared for it will make a winning point.

• Make them satisfied with your main services before ever suggesting extra ones

• Give them dot hints what could they expect more from you

• Keep every successful point documented not forgetting about future upselling opportunities

#2 Strategic Timing: Know When to Upsell

The critical thing is to catch the right moment for upselling. Otherwise, you are left empty handed. So, here the timelines for successful upselling: 

1. During First Pitch Meetings

• Package full of options for every choice can make the decision process easier and realistic. So, have good-better-best packages for every occasion.

• Labelling features like "optional" might keep them in their minds for later. In most of the cases already-heard offers win at the end.

• Spending 20% and earning 40%? Who wouldn’t go for that? This is called the contrast principle. Show them what value would they gain with premium offers

2. Mid-Project Upselling Windows

• After showing some of your expertise value

• When you occasionally hear new goals during meetings

• When you spot not mentioned needs that could make huge impact

3. Post-Delivery Expansion Opportunities

The project wrap-up is a border to slay or to stay.

• Share concrete data what might be still achieved along with achieved ones

• Offer your packages of your services that can save and boost their investment

• Create irresistible service that extend impact of already completed work

4. Following Up After Some Time Has Passed

• Show them regular genuine interest

• Share industry updates they might get ahead

• Stay connected through platforms like LinkedIn

💡 You might also like to read: How to find high-quality clients on LinkedIn

#3 Show Your Value First

Personalize Recommendations Based on Client Needs

Want to make successful upselling? Listen more.

Almost every business has pain points. Digging the surface level needs might expose them, helping you to offer solutions to those needs. Every service needs to connect to a specific outcome that the client might be interested in. And they shouldn’t feel like extras but framed valuable recommendations.

If you just offer SEO (Search Engine Optimization) services this won’t make a huge impact on decisions. By explaining how SEO will drive qualified traffic to that beautiful website you are working on is the turning point.

"Would you like to add social media management for $1,500/month?"sounds pushy and unattractive. But "To maximize visibility for your new website, our social media package ensures consistent traffic growth—many clients see ROI within the first 60 days." is already extra growh for the business.

Showcase Case Studies and Success Stories

Nothing is better than clear proof. Sharing your other clients’ ROI by choosing upgraded packages is the best success story. And don’t forget about numbers. They always make an impact. "We increased conversion rates by 32% after implementing these exact features" sounds way more convincing. 

Success stories without visuals? Nope! Use video testimonials on platforms like YouTube from clients who were happy about your premium services, use them till today and what they achieve.

Create Irresistible Service Bundles

Complicated offers might confuse, resulting in sliding away. Some packages don’t need extra effort. A slight discount would make them attractive. Memberships and retainer packages would create loyalty for both sides. Another option might be VIP packages exclusively available to premium offer users.

#4 Improve Communication Skills

Use Educational Content to Support Your Proposals

Supporting your proposals with custom resources explaining the value of premium services, showing simple comparison charts, sharing relevant industry reports can help to hear “yes”

Handle Objections with Confidence

Extra purchases are not always convincing. Clients might be hesitant or rejecting the offers in some of the cases. This can be because of budget concerns, timing issues, and unsure ROI results. But always remember that you can always offer flexible payment plans, show them the optimal period of implementing your services and provide exact metrics to track the results.

#5 Maintain Long-Term Relationships

Create Feedback Loops to Identify New Opportunities

Make opportunity identification systematic, not accidental:

• Schedule quarterly performance reviews with clients

• Design client surveys that reveal needs and pain points

• Use a CRM system to track client milestones

Scaling Your Services Without Compromising Quality

As you increase sales through upselling, quality can't take a backseat:

• Develop detailed guidelines for all premium services to ensure consistent delivery

• Build strategic partnerships with specialists for components outside your core expertise

• Invest in tools and team training to deliver higher-value services efficiently

Avoid Common Client Retention Pitfalls

Earned relationships are more important than upselling an extra service. We mean giving promises carefully, not offering something unless you are exceptionally well on it, not relying on short-term tactics destroying earned trust, not getting so excited about new services that leads to failing main ones and engaging in consistent communications. 

💡 You might also like to read: 22 Questions to Ask Your Clients Before Saying Yes

Finding quality leads using Sniff’s AI platform is the huge advantage at the start. With successful upselling tactics mentioned above you can achieve business growth and high profits. This is why we are here, aren’t we?