Oftentimes marketers pass up obvious opportunities to up-sell and cross-sell products and services. When someone buys your product you are handed a perfect way to introduce other products or other ways to get more from your products.

I’m always amazed when I open a shipment from someone and it doesn’t have a catalog or flyer in it. You’ve already put a stamp on the invoice, why not drop a little sales incentive in there too. What about those coupons you get on the pizza box delivery? Couldn’t you do something like that as well?

Here are two great examples:
1) Brown lures – Theses fishing lures are packed in a bag with a retail header card on top. When the customer opens the package, the header card becomes a postcard with an offer of free samples of new colors. They tell me they get an astonishing amount of these back and build a great database of buyers who purchase at retail.

2) SCOTTEVEST – This clothing line aimed at techies features tons of pockets for gear. Each pocket has a card suggesting uses for the pocket and vestimonials from happy customers. The card also makes subtle hints about gifting and has all the contact info. By the time you are done going through all the coat pockets you’ve got about 20 cards to give to admiring friends. (And yes, the shipment includes a catalog.)

BONUS Idea: Only sell one product? What about using this as a tool for your strategic partners to promote each other’s goods and services?