Episode Transcript
[00:00:06] Hi there, and welcome back to the Confessions in the Home Office podcast. I'm Wendy Hill, and today we're talking about one of my favorite places to learn about marketing. T.J. maxx.
[00:00:17] Yes, I said T.J. maxx.
[00:00:20] So you know that feeling when you walk in just to look around? You have a few minutes before you need to be somewhere and you're like, oh, I'll just duck in, T.J. maxx.
[00:00:27] But you tell yourself you're being responsible. You're just going to browse for 5, 10 minutes max, and then you'll be back in the car.
[00:00:34] Then 45 minutes to an hour later, you're standing in the checkout line with a cart full of great finds that somehow feel like you really need them.
[00:00:44] So this time, when I went into TJ Maxx, I went in for absolutely nothing and came out with, you guessed it, a new serving dish, because apparently I needed another one.
[00:00:57] But as I stood there in that winding checkout line, which was backed up, I had plenty of time. And I realized something. TJ Maxx isn't just a store.
[00:01:11] It's kind of a marketing masterclass. Every shelf, every item, every turn in that checkout lane is designed with strategy in mind.
[00:01:20] And as I stood there holding that one serving dish, I thought, this is exactly how smart businesses grow.
[00:01:27] Not by shouting louder and louder or adding more chaos to things, but by meeting customers where they already are and showing them what they didn't know that they really needed.
[00:01:38] So today, I want to share how that trip to TJ Maxx turned into one of the best marketing lessons I've heard in years about upsells, add ons, and the power of small offers that can really drive real revenue.
[00:01:52] So here's how it happened. I was having one of those days where I had a meeting in about an hour. I had some time to kill between two meetings.
[00:02:01] And I thought, you know what? I'm just going to swing by TJ Maxx in between these two and just I have a few minutes.
[00:02:07] So I wandered through the aisles. I was looking at throw pillows that I didn't need because I know the dogs will tear them up. I sniffed a few candles I knew I wasn't going to buy because I already have plenty of candles.
[00:02:18] And somehow I ended up in the kitchen section, which is kind of funny because I rarely cook. But there it was. It was a serving dish, and be great the next time that we have people over to watch a football game. It was white, was simple, it was beautiful.
[00:02:34] And did I need it? Absolutely not. But I picked it up because why not? And my husband loves to cook and he loves to prepare food, and he will love it. That's why I'm going to get it.
[00:02:45] So then I got in line and it was backed up as usual. And if you've been to TJ Maxx, you know what happens. That winding kind of that serpentine checkout line filled with all those irresistible items like journals, which I love, a good notebook, mugs, chocolate covered almonds, which would make a great gift for somebody. Phone chargers, because mine's been kind of on the blitz recently.
[00:03:08] Some little succulents, dog toys. We always need more dog toys and things you didn't know you wanted until that exact mom.
[00:03:16] So by the time I'd reached the register, I had that serving dish that was beautiful for the next time. We had people over and I had a new spatula, and I had a new notebook, and I had a new ball for Lola, and I had a bag of snack mix I justified as kind of work fuel for my husband when he drives to teach.
[00:03:33] And as I stood there, I realized TJ Maxx has mastered something that most business owners miss. That checkout lane is not random clutter. It's intentional. They've turned waiting, which is the least exciting part of shopping, into a profit center. They've learned how to keep customers engaged after the decision to buy. So you're already in the checkout lane.
[00:03:54] Buy a little more. And that right there, that's the secret sauce. Because in business, most of us stop at the sale. TJ Maxx does not.
[00:04:03] What TJ Maxx does in that line is a blend of upselling and cross selling.
[00:04:08] So upselling is offering a higher end version of what your customer already wants. And then cross selling is offering something complementary, something enhances the main purchase. And they do this brilliant, brilliantly. You came in for one thing or maybe nothing at all. But as you wait, they show you what else might make some make your purchase or make your life even better.
[00:04:29] It's the same reason that when you go to a coffee shop, they would say, do you want a muffin with that? Do you want a scone? Or your, your hair, your hair. Your hairstylist says, do you want a deep conditioning?
[00:04:41] Or hey, did you like the way that shampoo smelled? I have some over there on the shelf. It's $45.
[00:04:47] And these small, relevant offers, they don't really feel pushy, they just kind of feel helpful. They're a logical extension of the original purchase.
[00:04:56] So I want you to think about that in your own business. So if you're a designer, maybe adding a social media graphics package after a branding project would make sense.
[00:05:06] If you're a law firm, it might be a checklist of next steps after creating a will. And some of those steps can include coming back to the lawyer for more help.
[00:05:16] If you're a marketing consultant like me, maybe it's offering an automation setup after an initial strategy session.
[00:05:24] These are not salesy moves. They're service based opportunities that make your client's life easier and they add revenue and they don't really add a lot of pressure.
[00:05:34] And that's what TJ Maxx is teaching us. In that checkout line, they're not begging you to buy, they're just showing you what makes sense. Next.
[00:05:42] So let's talk about why this works and why it's not by accident. When someone's already in buying mode, They've put something in the cart, they have something in their hands, their brain is relaxed. We know that shopping is therapeutic. The hardest decision, whether to buy or not, has already been made.
[00:06:00] Every yes after that takes less mental energy.
[00:06:03] And that's why the TJ Maxx line is so effective.
[00:06:07] They're not introducing new ideas, they're simply building on the decision you've already made.
[00:06:12] And it's why so many businesses miss opportunities. We pour energy into attracting new customers, but once someone says yes, we stop.
[00:06:22] So here's a mindset shift.
[00:06:24] Every client who says yes once is just statistically more likely to say yes again if you show them what makes sense next.
[00:06:32] The trick is to make those offers relevant, small, and easy to say yes to.
[00:06:38] So when I started adding small add ons like a strategy call or a plug and play text setup, most clients will say yes. Not because I suddenly became better at selling, but because the timing was right and the offer made their life easier.
[00:06:55] And so that's really like the checkout lane moment at TJ Maxx.
[00:06:59] So how do you create your own TJ Maxx moment?
[00:07:02] Here's kind of a four step framework you can use.
[00:07:06] Number one, I want you to identify your main product.
[00:07:10] So what's your serving dish? What's the thing that most people come to you first? That's where your line starts. And then I want you to think about the next logical step, what complements it? What's the thing that they'll need next, even if they don't realize it yet? For example, think about it. If someone hires you to build a website, your next step might be to do SEO setup or Google Analytics. Setup. If they buy a course from you, maybe it's a private coaching session to review and revise the strategy together.
[00:07:41] Or let's say they order signage.
[00:07:43] Maybe it's branded window decals or business cards.
[00:07:48] Step three is make it easy to say yes. Keep your checkout lane offer simple. It shouldn't take up much time for you or your customer.
[00:07:56] And number four, I want you to offer it at the right moment. TJ Maxx doesn't show you the impulse aisle when you walk in. They wait until you're standing in line, credit card in hand and it's hot. You're ready to go. You can do the same thing by offering upgrades when you're onboarding someone right after delivery or in your follow up emails. And here's the beautiful thing about it. You don't have to invent something new. You just have to connect what you already offer in a way that makes sense for your customer.
[00:08:25] So here's your takeaway.
[00:08:28] Don't underestimate the power of the checkout line. Your next big growth opportunity might not be about adding a new service or launching something massive.
[00:08:37] It might just be about offering one more thing. Something small, useful, and perfectly timed to the people who already trust you.
[00:08:47] So this week I challenge you to look at your business and ask where? What's your version of the TJ Maxx checkout lane?
[00:08:53] And what small, thoughtful add on could you offer right now when your client is already saying yes?
[00:09:00] Because sometimes the smartest way to grow isn't by chasing new customers, it's by serving your existing ones better. We've talked about that on other episodes.
[00:09:08] And if you want help figuring out what those offers look like and how to build the systems that make them easy to deliver, that's exactly what we do in my Accelerate program.
[00:09:18] We build the strategy, the systems, and the offers that help you grow sustainably without adding chaos.
[00:09:25] So that's it for this week.
[00:09:27] Thanks for listening to Confessions in the Home Office. And remember, success isn't about doing more. It's by doing the right things at the right time. Just like that checkout line at TJ Maxx. So I will see you next.
