We’ve all been there, standing in a line at a fast food restaurant contemplating a quick burger. We get to the counter and place the order and the smiling face behind the counter looks up and asks, “Do you want fries with that?” Or, maybe they ask if you want the meal option that includes a drink and a sweet treat. It’s amazing marketing because you are hungry and it is so easy to say yes.

The strategy originated with McDonald’s and, love them or hate them, you can’t fault the plan. Fifty years ago, they analyzed their sales and found that many of their customers came in, just grabbed a burger, and left. In a pilot project, they had the order takers listen to the order and then come back with “Do you want fries with that?” The results were startling. More than half of customers said yes. One simple question resulted in millions of dollars in incremental sales.

You can use the same strategy! Remember, there are three basic ways to grow your business: