The Upsell

Much like taking the bus, eating out provides a feast of stories to blog about. This is particularly true if I sit contemplatively while drinking some coke on a sunny afternoon, reliving the recent events.

Not to disappoint, a dinner out last night provided one of the better upsells I had seen in long time:

“Excuse me waiter, which of the pasta dishes you recommend?” queried one dinner guest. She had been perusing the menu for quite some time, unable to make a decision.

Rubbing his hands together, as if he was savoring the meal itself within his palms, he offered up his recommendation. “I would suggest the Seafood Lasagna. It is chalk full of marinated fish, prawns and steamed clams. An excellent choice.” It was also the most expensive item on the pasta menu. Good choice waiter!

“Hmm, I don't really feel like seafood this evening,” she slowly replied with an air of uncertainty.

Seeing this uncertainty as a weakness he opted for the second high price menu item, this time downplaying it was actually seafood. “Well then I would try the Fettuccine with Seared Scallops. Lovely pasta, and the sauce is wonderful.”

“Sounds tempting. I’ll have the fettuccine then please.”

“Wonderful!” he beamed. Another upsell through the magic of the waiter.

That made me think – the upsell – it really is all about presentation. For example, I successfully use the upsell method with our kids all the time. Broccoli for dessert is actually a treat in our house some days, it’s just in the lead up and presentation where we can get them excited enough to want to eat it, then ask for more.

As for this blog, I don’t really have an upsell in mind when I craft each post. It’s not that I don’t have something to sell – I do – this blog itself, these posts, these stories, all culminating to selling the Logical Philosopher brand. Regardless if your currency of exchange is shown in the form of comments, silently loyal readership, or helping me bump my traffic through some viral marketing program, I appreciate it all. But a tangible upsell? Maybe I should. If after reading you get the urge to buy me something tangible, or pass my posts to all your friends, family or other social networking sites, then my logical philosopher upsell has covertly been successful.

And with that note I have put the Del.icio.us and Digg hotlinks on my posts.
Apart from the storm of social networking you may want to enter into, let me know if you need my address for shipping more tangible goods.