Tag: Opportunity

  • What are the upsell opportunities?

    What are the upsell opportunities?

    Upsell opportunities, also known as upsell, is a sales tactics used by companies to sell a higher version of a product or service than a potential customer originally intended to buy. Upselling can increase revenue and allow customers to use a product or service with more features and functionality.

    Here are the articles to explain, What are the upsell opportunities? How does it work? Basic Steps

    Most businesses offer different tiers of a single product or service with features or functionality significantly higher than the standard version. Identifying a customer’s needs and launching a better version of a product or service is known as upselling, or identifying upselling opportunities.

    For example, when a customer decides to buy a standard version of an office suite, but a salesperson thinks a premium version can better address their pain points, they will try to upsell the product. If a customer chooses the premium version instead of the standard version, it will provide them and the company with better value as the sale will generate more revenue.

    While salespeople are responsible for identifying upsell opportunities in smaller companies, in larger businesses teams such as marketing or marketing operations are responsible for the same work.

    Upsell opportunities exist for any business that offers a multi-level product or service sales strategy. These companies often use customer success software to learn more about customers, their satisfaction levels, how they use a product or service and determine if they need more from their current solutions.

    Here are some examples of using upsell opportunities:

    • phone plan
    • software solution
    • hotel
    • streaming service
    • Computers and Mobile Devices
    • insurance plan

    Basic Steps in Identifying Upsell Opportunities

    Spotting upsell opportunities isn’t difficult. Sales and marketing teams encounter many situations every day. A few steps to easily identify upsell opportunities are as follows:

    • Journey-based: Monitoring customer journeys helps to understand their preferences, interests, behaviors, and what they hope to achieve with the product. Understanding these factors can help teams upsell solutions to customers.
    • Single View: Customers can interact with a product or service through multiple touchpoints. It can be difficult to keep track of all touchpoints daily. Tracking customer touchpoints is easier with a unified view of the customer.
    • Segmentation: Mining behavioral data to track customer information such as purchase history, app usage, product issues, etc. can help sales and marketing teams understand them better. In turn, this helps them better upsell solutions to customers.

    How does upsell work?

    Once a potential customer signs the dotted line and becomes a paying customer, they have access to the product or service. However, over time, they may require more functionality or features to be usable. Identifying this upsell opportunity is up to a salesperson (in smaller companies) or a dedicated team such as marketing or marketing operations (in larger companies), who can then show the customer what an extended version of the product looks like, how it works, and its benefits.

    Application of Upsell Opportunities

    Upsell opportunities should provide customers with a better value proposition. Companies often upsell with an attractive offer if the customer chooses it sooner rather than later. Waiting to buy an enhanced version of a product or service can be more expensive.

    The following industries use upsells and upsell opportunities:

    1. SaaS Solutions: The software-as-a-service (SaaS) industry uses upsell opportunities to sell higher versions of software plans. Most SaaS solutions have different tiers with higher plans that offer more user access, additional features, and even priority customer support.
    2. Insurance: Insurance plans almost always have multiple options. Agencies identify and offer add-ons to ensure better coverage for their clients.
    3. Streaming Services: Most streaming services have different plans. These plans offer additional benefits such as better resolution, allowing more users to watch simultaneously, and ad-free programming.
    4. Computers and Mobile Devices: The basic versions of modern computers and mobile devices don’t offer a lot of extra value. Upgraded versions of these devices offer higher performance, greater storage capacity, or enhanced camera quality.
    5. Hotels: Hotel managers aim to upsell guests upgraded rooms with more space and amenities for a better experience.

    Advantages of Upselling

    Identifying and implementing upsell opportunities has multiple advantages. Here are some of the most common advantages:

    1. pay increment. Upselling helps increase revenue from existing customers rather than acquiring new ones.
    2. Save the opportunity. Companies that offer multiple products or services can upsell them to customers who are already using a particular product. This gives them more opportunities to retain customers.
    3. The best of both worlds. Upselling higher resolutions is good for salespeople as it helps them bring in more sales. On the other hand, customers can also benefit from upgrading to a better solution version.

    Features of Upsell

    Upselling involves a few features that help make it more effective. Here are some of them:

    1. Promise: Upsells don’t stop when customers sign the dotted line. Companies need to make sure they deliver the promised value during an upsell.
    2. Communication: Communication is the key to upselling. Salespeople must let customers understand the value and benefits that higher plans will bring.
    3. Relationships: Building customer relationships and nurturing existing ones is a critical part of upselling efforts.
    4. Trust: Customers need to trust a product or service before buying, especially when they are asked to spend more to upgrade an existing solution. Companies should allow free trials or money-back guarantees so customers can try out a product or service before purchasing. In most cases, customers are likely to convert when they build this trust.

    Best Practices of Upsell opportunities

    Upselling is a simple process that is easy to understand and implement. However, companies need to keep the following best practices in mind:

    • Relevance: A company should not launch a solution that does not provide value to customers. For example, if a customer wants to buy a motorcycle, it doesn’t make sense to sell them a car. Instead, dealers should analyze the variety of motorcycles available and upsell motorcycles with more features.
    • Value: Most customers won’t immediately agree to an upsell. Companies need to train them in the right way so that customers fully appreciate the value and benefits of upgrading their products.
    • Discounts: Companies can offer discounts to customers to upgrade their products or services. This provides more incentive for customers to purchase additional features and functionality at a lower price.
    • Needs: It’s important to research and understand a customer’s needs before upselling. For example, if a customer is currently using a standard version of a customer relationship management (CRM) solution, but requires more automation capabilities that are not available in the current plan, the responsible team needs to identify this and reach out proactively.
    • Relationship: Upselling is successful when mutual trust exists between the company and the customer. When salespeople come up with higher-value solutions, they can’t take a hard-line approach. Building relationships with customers is a great upsell technique. For example, if an existing SaaS customer requires a solution with higher functionality, the salesperson will be aware of this. Salespeople can then continue to slowly nurture customers and build strong relationships before upselling the next version of their product.

    Difference between Upsell vs. Cross-sell

    Upselling opportunities are often mistaken for cross-selling, which is a whole different concept. While upselling means that the company encourages existing customers to upgrade to the same product or service, cross-selling means that customers can buy an entirely different product or service at the time of purchase. For example, if a customer bought a smartphone, a salesperson might try to cross-sell cases or phone insurance.

    What are the upsell opportunities Image
    What are the upsell opportunities? Image by 3D Animation Production Company from Pixabay.
  • Essay on Opportunity Cost in Managerial Economics

    Essay on Opportunity Cost in Managerial Economics

    What is Opportunity Cost? Opportunity cost analysis is an important part of a company’s decision-making processes; but, does not treat as an actual cost in any financial statement. Opportunity cost is The profit lost when one alternative selecting over another. The concept is useful simply as a reminder to examine all reasonable alternatives before making a decision. So, what discusses is – Understand the Essay on Opportunity Cost in Managerial Economics.

    The Concept of Opportunity Cost is to explain the Meaning, Definition, Principles, Advantages, and Disadvantages.

    While the term opportunity cost has its roots in economics, it’s also a very important concept in the investment world. It’s a model that can apply to our everyday decisions, as we face choosing between the many options we encounter each day. For example, you have $1,000,000 and choose to invest it in a product line that will generate a return of 5%. If you could have spent the money on a different investment that would have to generate a return of 7%, then the 2% difference between the two alternatives is the foregone opportunity cost of this decision.

    Meaning of Opportunity Cost:

    Opportunity cost cannot always fully quantify at the time when a decision-maker. Instead, the person making the decision can only roughly estimate the outcomes of various alternatives; which means imperfect knowledge can lead to an opportunity cost that will only become obvious in retrospect. This is a particular concern when there is a high variability of return. The concept of opportunity cost does not always work since it can be too difficult to make a quantitative comparison of two alternatives. It works best when there is a common unit of measure, such as money spent or time used. Opportunity cost is not an accounting concept; and so does not appear in the financial records of an entity.

    It is strictly a financial analysis concept [Hindi]. Opportunity costs represent the benefits an individual, investor, or business misses out on when choosing one alternative over another. While financial reports do not show opportunity cost; business owners can use it to make educated decisions when they have multiple options before them. Because of they unsee by definition, opportunity costs can overlook if one is not careful. By understanding the potential missed opportunities one forgoes by choosing one investment over another, better decisions can make.

    Definition of Opportunity Cost:

    Opportunity Cost refers to the expecting returns from the second-best alternative use of resources that are foregone due to the scarcity of resources such as land, labor, capital, etc. In other words, the opportunity cost is the opportunity lost due to limited resources. It is a very powerful concept when someone has to decide to select a particular product or making a choice.

    In simple words, opportunity cost means choosing or making the best decision from a different option. When one has to decide between various actions to select only one particular work at a time calls opportunity cost.

    When faced with a decision, the opportunity cost the value assigned to the next best choice. The value or opportunity not chosen by the decision-maker could take many forms, including assets (as a car or home), resources (as land), or even benefits. When companies make decisions to purchase one asset over another; they’re passing up the opportunity cost offered by the asset not chosen.

    The Principles of Opportunity Cost:

    The opportunity cost of a decision means the sacrifice of alternatives required by that decision. The concept of opportunity cost can best understand with the help of a few illustrations, which are as follows:

    • The funds employed in one’s own business is equal to the interest that could earn on those funds if the employee in other ventures.
    • The time as an entrepreneur devotes to his own business is equal to the salary he could earn by seeking employment.
    • Using a machine to produce one product is equal to the earnings forgone which would have been possible from other products.
    • Using a machine that is useless for any other purpose is zero since its use requires no sacrifice of other opportunities.
    • If a machine can produce either X or Y; the opportunity cost of producing a given quantity of X is equal to the quantity of Y; which it would have to produce. If that machine can produce 10 units of X or 20 units of Y; the opportunity cost of 1 X is equal to 2 Y.
    • The opportunity cost of if no information provides about quantities produced; except about their prices then the opportunity cost can compute in terms of the ratio of their respective prices, say Px/Py.
    • Holding 100 Dollars as cash in hand for one year is equal to the 10% rate of interest; which would have been earning had the money been keeping as the fixed deposit in a bank. Thus, it is clear that opportunity costs require the ascertaining of sacrifices. If a decision involves no sacrifice; its opportunity cost is nil.

    For decision-making,

    Opportunity costs are the only relevant costs. The opportunity cost principle may state as under: “The cost involved in any decision consists of the sacrifices of alternatives required by that decision. If there are no sacrifices, there is no cost.” Thus in the macro sense, the opportunity cost of more guns in an economy is less butter. That is the expenditure on the national fund for buying armor has cost the nation of losing an opportunity of buying more butter. Similarly, a continued diversion of funds towards defense spending amounts to a heavy tax on alternative spending required for growth and development.

    Advantages of Opportunity Cost:

    The main advantages of opportunity cost are:

    Awareness of Lost Opportunity:

    The main benefit of opportunity costs is that it causes you to consider the reality that when selecting among options; you give up something in the option not selected. If you go to a grocery store looking for meat and cheese; but only have enough money for one, you have to consider the opportunity cost of the item you decide not to buy. Recognizing this helps you make more informed and economically sensible decisions that maximize your resources.

    Relative Price:

    Another important benefit of considering your opportunity cost is it allows you to compare relative prices and the benefits of each alternative. Compare the total value of each option and decide which one offers the best value for your money. For instance, a business with an equipment budget of $100,000 may buy 10 pieces of Equipment A at $10,000 or 20 pieces of Equipment B at $5,000. You could buy some of A and some of B; but relative pricing would mean comparing the value to you of 10 pieces of A versus 20 pieces of B. Assuming you choose 20 pieces of B, you effectively decide this is more valuable to you than 10 pieces of A.

    Disadvantages of Opportunity Cost:

    The disadvantages of opportunity cost are:

    Time:

    Opportunity costs take time to calculate and consider. You can make a more informed decision by considering opportunity costs; but, managers sometimes have limited time to compare options and make a business decision. In the same way, consumers going to the grocery store with a list and analyzing the potential opportunity costs of every item is exhaustive. Sometimes, you have to make an instinctive decision and evaluate its results later.

    Lack of Accounting:

    Though useful in decision making, the biggest drawback of opportunity cost is that it not account for my company accounts. Opportunity costs often relate to future events, which makes it very hard to quantify. This is especially true when the opportunity cost is of non-monetary benefit. Companies should consider evaluating projected results for forgone opportunities against actual results for selected options. This is not to generate bad feelings, but to learn how to choose a better opportunity the next time.

    The concept of Opportunity Cost:

    The concept of opportunity cost occupies a very important place in modern economic analysis. The opportunity costs or alternative costs are the return from the second-best use of the firm’s resources which the firm forgoes to avail itself of the return from the best use of the resources. To take an example, a farmer who is producing wheat can also produce potatoes with the same factors. Therefore, the opportunity cost of a quintal of wheat is the amount of the output of potatoes gives up.

    Thus we find that the opportunity cost of anything is the next best alternative that could produce instead of the same factors or by an equivalent group of factors, costing the same amount of money. Two points must note in this definition. Firstly, the opportunity cost of anything is only the next best alternative foregone. Secondly, in the above definition is the addition of the qualification or by an equivalent group of factors costing the same amount of money.

    The alternative or opportunity cost of a good can give a monetary value. To produce a good, the producer has to employ various factors of production and have to pay them sufficient prices to get their services. These factors have alternative uses. The factor must pay at least the price they can obtain in the alternative uses.

    Examples of Opportunity Cost:

    Examples are better to understand Opportunity Cost:

    Suppose a businessman can buy either a washing machine or a press machine with his limited resources; and, suppose that he can earn annually $ 40,000 and 60,000 respectively from the two alternatives. A rational businessman will certainly buy a press machine that gives him a higher return. But, in the process of earning $ 60,000 he has foregone the opportunity to earn $ 40,000 annually from the washing machine. Thus, $ 40,000 is his opportunity cost or alternative cost. The difference between actual and opportunity costs call economic rent or economic profit. For example, the economic profit from the press machine in the above case is $ 60,000 –$ 4000 = $ 20,000. So long as economic profit is above zero, it is rational to invest resources in the press machine.

    A company has $2 million to spend on a project. The company can decide to invest the money for advertising purposes of the particular product at the time of launch in the market. If they decide to invest the money in production and to buy machinery; and, all then the opportunity cost gets lost for advertisement purposes. And if they decide to spend the money on advertisement purposes; then the opportunity cost will be the organization’s ability to produce the commodity more efficiently.

    Another example of,

    A business organization is that an organization owns a building in which it operates its function; and so, it does not have to pay any rent for the office room space and all. But from the economist point of view, the business owner might have kept the office space for current use itself or the office space might have given for rent for money. So, that the owner could have earned from the rent but if the owner will not consider or provide the office space for rent then there is a loss in business expenses according to economist viewpoint. But in real life accountant of a business organization cannot provide any loss expenses due to opportunity cost in any accounts.

    Even though the opportunity cost not consider by the accountants in case of financial accounts and all. But it is very much important for a manager of the business organization to consider opportunity costs about business strategies. A business manager must consider opportunity costs in calculating the opportunity expenses in the organization for analyzing the profitable deals available in the market. It also helps in utilizing limited resources efficiently.

    Essay on Opportunity Cost in Managerial Economics
    Essay on Opportunity Cost in Managerial Economics. Image credit from #Pixabay.

  • Practice Does Not Make Perfect

    Practice Does Not Make Perfect

    Several years ago at the National Spelling Bee, one of the young ladies really excelled among the others in the competition. With a bright smile, she confidently spelled each word without hesitation. After she had won the contest, she was being interviewed by the television network and was asked how she became just an outstanding speller. She looked directly into the camera and stated, “My success is due to two things, God and Practice!”

    I spent the first sixteen and one-half years of my working life as an educator. Two particular coaches really stand out in my mind. One fellow would practice his football team hour upon hour, day upon day, week upon week. He would practice his team on weekends and holidays. His practice time ran for hours with disgruntled parents waiting in the parking lot to pick up their kids. He was known far and near as being a tough and demanding coach, a reputation which he treasured. His players seemed to always suffer from burnout and bad attitudes. This coach was known throughout the state as being a tough coach. The problem was he could never produce a championship team. In fact, he often struggled just to have a winning season! Then there was coach number two.

    Coach number two had a whole different philosophy. His practice times were short but compact. The attitudes among his players were great. Every drill had a purpose. His practice time was filled with fun things that developed skills and motivated his athletes. The parents of his athletes loved him; the school board loved him; the Booster Club loved him; and his players loved him. He was always in demand as a public speaker at civic clubs and coaching clinics. Guess what? He also always produced the best teams, winning seasons, and led the conference in athletic scholarships for his players.

    What was the difference in these two coaches? Coach number two had learned the secret of success. Contrary to Ben Franklin or whoever gets credit for the old saying… practice does not make perfect. Only “good” practice makes perfect! If a person does the same thing over and ever and over, but does it the wrong way, it is still wrong. That person is wasting his time, spinning his wheels and reinforcing the negative. A person has to determine the things that work and concentrate on strengthening and improving the little things that will enhance their success ratio. Doing the same thing over and over will produce the same results. If something is not working, then evaluate it (Remember the principals of management?), and make adjustments so that the results will be different. In the world in which we live, the winners have learned to do this whether it is in one’s personal life, business life, hobbies or in coaching!

    A person can find true peace and self-actualization through accomplishment. On the other hand, continuous failure leads to a very sad and unfulfilling life. There are so many people who continue to live their lives in a rut that leads to nowhere. They work in jobs that they do not like, with people that they cannot tolerate and in positions that are unrewarding. This is so sad since life is full of opportunity, excitement and adventure. Why would anyone stay in a situation in which they merely exist instead of flourish? Life has too much to offer for one to waste away his precious years and trade each day of his life for a paycheck! That is why entrepreneurs are different from other people. There is something in their inner being that will not allow them to merely survive.

    Zig Ziglar has inspired thousands upon thousands with his books and public appearances. I had the opportunity to meet Mr. Ziglar several years ago and found him to be even more dynamic in person as he is in his books and on his tapes. Zig believes, as I do, that a good attitude is the most important personal asset that a person possesses. One’s outlook on life determines how far he will go. One’s attitude determines how one reacts to the inevitable failures that even the most successful people have to overcome. As Zig states, “It’s not what happens to you that is important, but rather how you react to what happens to you.” How true this statement is! When things don’t go right, do you fall apart? Do you lash out and blame others? Do you wallow in your failure or do you pick yourself up, dust yourself off and continue to plunge forward? We have all heard the stories of Thomas Edison and the number of times that he suffered defeat and setbacks in his endeavor to invent the light bulb and some of his other inventions. We have all heard the stories of Col. Harland Sanders and how he only found success with his Kentucky Fried Chicken idea after he retired from what he really did for a living. We have heard the story of Garth Brooks who was rejected time and time again by the major record labels in Nashville before a chance appearance at the Bluebird Café turned his life around. Garth went on to be the biggest single country act in history! These type stories go on and on. Zig states that, “One’s attitude, not his aptitude, will determine his altitude.” How true this statement is for the aspiring entrepreneur?

    Over the years, I have discovered that entrepreneurs have a different outlook on life. There is the story about the young clerk in the department store who was approached by a customer who asked him if he was the manager. The young man looked up at the customer and quickly replied, “No sir! Not yet!” What a great answer! Just imagine if the young man had hanged his head and replied, “Oh no sir. Not me. I’m just a clerk.” What a different image that would have projected. There is another story about the two men who were both working side by side digging a ditch that was to be the foundation for a huge new palace. A passerby stopped and asked the first man what he was doing. Belligerently, he replied, “Can’t you see that I’m digging a ditch?” The passerby continued over to the second man and stated, “Well, I see that you are digging a ditch also.” “No sir”, replied the second man. “I’m building a palace!” Attitude! Attitude! Attitude!

    Once, several years ago, I was watching one of the local television stations in my home town of Huntsville, Alabama. The local news had had a contest among the regional junior high school students and had selected one of the students to co-host the weather forecast. The young man that won the contest gave his weather report along with the station’s meteorologist. After the report, the meteorologist conducted a quick interview with the young man. He asked him about his education and future ambitions. The meteorologist concluded his interview by asking him if one day he wanted to be the weatherman at the station. The young man paused, and with a perplexed look on his face replied, “No sir! One day I want to own this station!” I could not help but get a lump in my throat when I heard his answer. That is the attitude that this country desperately needs! Why work at the station when you can own the station? That is the mindset of the entrepreneur.

  • Identifying and Recognizing Opportunities for a Successful Business

    Identifying and Recognizing Opportunities for a Successful Business

    Identifying and Recognizing Opportunities; To be successful entrepreneurs, we need to be continually innovating and looking for opportunities to grow our startups. When you can recognize opportunity, you know how to identify promising changes unfolding around you, and you act to take advantage of them. But how do you find new opportunities to take your startup to new markets and growth levels? Essentially, entrepreneurs recognize an opportunity and turn it into a successful business.

    Here are explain; How to do Identifying and Recognizing Opportunities for a Successful Business?

    An opportunity is a favorable set of circumstances that creates a need for a new product, service, or business. Most entrepreneurial ventures start in one of two ways. Also, Some ventures externally stimulate. In this instance, an entrepreneur decides to launch a firm, searches for and recognizes an opportunity, and then starts a business, as Jeff Bezos did when he created Amazon.com. In 1994, Bezos quit his lucrative job at a New York City investment firm and headed for Seattle with a plan to find an attractive opportunity and launch an e-commerce company.

    Other firms are internally stimulated, like Bench Prep. An entrepreneur recognizes a problem or an opportunity gap and creates a business to fill it. Regardless of which of these two ways an entrepreneur starts a new business, opportunities are tough to spot.

    Identifying a product, service, or business opportunity that isn’t merely a different version of something already available is difficult. A common mistake entrepreneurs make in the opportunity recognition process is picking a currently available product or service that they like or are passionate about and then trying to build a business around a slightly better version of it. Although this approach seems sensible, such is usually not the case.

    How to do Identifying and Recognizing Opportunities for successful Business Startup
    Identifying and Recognizing Opportunities for a Successful Business, Startup Image from Pixabay.

    The key to opportunity recognition is to identify a product or service that people need and are willing to buy, not one that an entrepreneur wants to make and sell.

    What is An Opportunity?

    Opportunity Defined; An opportunity is a favorable set of circumstances that creates the need for a new product, service, or business idea.

    Difference between an opportunity and an idea; An idea, as we defined it, is “Something imagined or pictured in the mind”. Also, The difference is that an idea may or may not represent an opportunity.

    Most entrepreneurial firms start in one of two ways; Some firms internally stimulate. An entrepreneur decides to start a firm, searches for and recognizes an opportunity, then starts a business. Other firms externally stimulate. Also, An entrepreneur recognizes a problem or an opportunity gap and creates a business to fill it.

    An opportunity has four essential qualities:

    It is;

    1) attractive,

    2) durable,

    3) timely, and

    4) anchored in a product, service, or business that creates or adds value for its buyer or end-user.

    For an entrepreneur to capitalize on an opportunity, its window of opportunity must be open. Also, The term window of opportunity is a metaphor describing the period in which a firm can realistically enter a new market. You may understand identifying and recognizing opportunities, once the market for a new product establishes, its window of opportunity opens. As the market grows, firms enter and try to establish a profitable position. At some point, the market matures, and the window of opportunity closes.

    Three Ways to Identify an Opportunity;
    1. Observing Trends,
    2. Solving a Problem, and
    3. Finding Gaps in the Marketplace.

    This is the case with Internet search engines. Yahoo!, the first search engine, appeared in 1995, and the market grew quickly, with the addition of Lycos, Excite, AltaVista, and others. Google entered the market in 1998, sporting advanced search technology. Since then, the search engine market has matured, and the window of opportunity is less prominent. Today, it would be very difficult for a new start-up search engine firm to be successful unless it offered compelling advantages over already established competitors or targeted a niche market in an exemplary manner.

    Bing, Microsoft’s search engine, is enjoying success with approximately 27 percent market share (compared to 68 percent for Google), but only after Microsoft has exerted an enormous amount of effort in head-to-head competition with Google.

    It is important to understand that there is a difference between an opportunity and an idea. An idea is a thought, an impression, or a notion. Also, An idea may or may not meet the criteria of an opportunity. This is a critical point because many entrepreneurial ventures fail not because the entrepreneurs that launched them didn’t work hard, but rather because there was no real opportunity, to begin with. Before getting excited about a business idea, it is crucial to understand whether the idea fills a need and meets the criteria for an opportunity.

    Also, Now let’s look at the three approaches entrepreneurs can use to identify an opportunity. Once you understand the importance of each approach, you’ll be much more likely to look for opportunities and ideas that fit each profile.

    Learn here; If you need casinobonus2 , then the team of professionals from casinobonus2 is here to help you.