Did you know that your customer who spends $1000 a year with you, actually buys $10,000 a year of what you sell? He just buys the other $9,000 from other vendors. Are you aware that your customer would like some additional products that you sell, but is not even aware that you even sell them? Did you know your customer has other divisions that could use your products or services but you are not even aware of you? Are you so busy trying to get new business that you forget to look in your own house?

One of the things I always do when taking a new sales assignment is to really take a look at the existing customers and to define first what else can be done for them. How can business with them be increased or expanded. What else can we sell them. It is just amazing what can be found. On one assignment, we were able to expand sales 70% in 18 months just by increasing what we sold to our existing base.

Your existing customers already know you. They already love you (or should). They trust you. They buy from you. They would buy added product from you if they knew you supplied it. Don't take anything for granted. Go find out. Do not assume they know, in fact assume they don't. Start by putting your customers in order by the amount of sales you do with them. It is critical to start with the biggest customers first and work down. This will get you the biggest payback quickly.

The next step would be to start at the top of the list and for each customer find out how much of what you sell they buy both from you and from other vendors. This is really a great conversation piece and a way to meet with them. Set up a meeting and get some answers.

Hi Janice, thanks for seeing me today. We are working on our 2010 plan and I see that last year you purchased $1,200 worth of product from us. Thank you very much for your business. Were you happy with the product and service. Is there anyway we could do better for you? Do you purchase our product from any other vendors beside us? What would it take for us to get a shot at increasing what we do with you?

You can bet if your competition is good, they are asking. Yes, I know some customers like to spread it around but times are different right now and they might be open to listening to your ideas? Go for the business before your competitor does. You do not want to hear that your customer has decided to consolidate their purchases with another vendor.

The next area is to make sure your customer knows all the things you sell. Sometimes you have been with a customer a long time, things have changed and either you now sell new products or they now have a need for new products. But they do not know you sell them. If you sell auto insurance, do they now know you also sell life? If you sell network support, do they know you also sell Internet service? If you sell office supplies, do they know you also sell coffee service? Take some time and make sure you know what they use. If you sell it, then go after the business.

Finally one of the most overlooked areas is other divisions. Or in the case of entrepreneurs, other businesses they own. Or in the case of families, other businesses owned by other family members. Do you take time to ask. Do you have any other divisions or affiliates or partners that could use what we are selling you? Do you own any other operations?

Are any members of your family in business or buying for other business?

I can guarantee you that if you have a good base of customers, there is more business there. And these are only 3 things that we have looked at. There are even more. What about upselling to a high level product of what they have. They might not even know they need it, but you do? Get out there this week and start working your base. There is so much potential work there. If you are looking for ways to make money now - start working your base.