Switching Sales: How to get prospects to switch to your product or service

Published: February 2025

The following article is from our in-house playbook, which contains techniques and strategies we often use to grow our clients’ businesses—in many cases, with increases of over 50%, 100%, or more.

Does your sales process require customers to switch to your product from something else?

If so, you are making what we call a “Switching Sale.” Simple examples include changing ISPs, shifting project management software, or moving from Apple Music to Spotify.

An operating theatre with a transplant patient on the table. — Changing products or services shouldn’t feel like open-heart surgery, but sometimes it does.

Switching sales can often feel like a heart transplant to the customer. They don’t just have to believe that your product or service is better than what they have; they have to believe that their life or business will “survive” the procedure (downtime, disruption, and so on).

Even when people know their current solution isn’t perfect, the idea of change triggers fears: “What if it doesn’t work? What if it’s a hassle? What if I regret it?”

The key to winning switching sales is eliminating the fear and friction for your prospects. This article outlines three strategies we’ve used to help our clients make their products or services feel like an easier choice.

Strategy 1: Turn it into a complementary sale

A peanut butter and jelly sandwich. — If the incumbent product is peanut butter, position yourself as the jelly.

Switching doesn’t always have to mean abandoning the old for the new. By positioning your product as a complement to existing solutions, you can remove the pressure of an all-or-nothing decision.

Take our client, KISSmetrics, as an example. Early prospects saw it as a replacement for Google Analytics, which led to doubt and hesitation. We suggested that KISSmetrics reframe their messaging, making it clear that their service could work alongside Google Analytics, offering unique insights that complemented the existing tool. This small but powerful shift led to a significant increase in conversions, as prospects no longer felt they had to abandon a familiar tool.

Takeaways:

Audit your messaging: Are you unintentionally positioning your product as a replacement? Adjust your language to highlight how it seamlessly complements existing solutions.
Use examples to show how other customers have integrated your product without disruption.

Strategy 2: Make the switch gradual and low‑risk

A toddler climbing steps. — Present the transition as a gradual series of steps (rather than a cliff).

Potential customers often balk at the idea of jumping into the deep end. Reduce their risk by letting them dip their toes in the (superior) water of your product. The more gradual you can make the transition, the more likely they are to take the first step… and the next, and then swim.

Companies like Trello reduce customer risk by offering a free-forever version of their service—making it easy to run a pilot project on the new platform.

Trello’s pricing page. — Trello helps customers take that first critical step by offering a “Free forever” account.

Other ways to make the switch gradual and low-risk:

Start small: Suggest that one team member or a small group try your solution before rolling it out company-wide. (E.g. When you join Hubspot—a sales and marketing platform—you can choose what services you enable first.)
Run in parallel: Enable customers to use your solution and their existing product simultaneously until they’re ready to make the full switch. (For example, Google Docs will open and export Microsoft Office documents, easing the transition between the platforms.)
Leverage natural breaks: Encourage customers to transition during logical moments, such as the end of a contract, the start of a new project, or when upgrading hardware.
Make it easy to change your mind: In addition to the “Free-forever” account, Basecamp offers self-service cancellation and the ability to export your data—a practical risk-reduction strategy.

These phased approaches reassure customers and let them experience your product’s value firsthand, reducing resistance over time.

Takeaways:

Provide an easy, step‑by‑step plan to help customers reduce risk and visualize a gradual switchover.
Use testimonials or case studies from customers who successfully transitioned in stages.

Strategy 3: Take responsibility for the heavy lifting

Nothing builds trust like stepping up and taking responsibility for making your customer’s switch a success. If your product requires migration, provide the tools, services, or support to make the transition as smooth as possible.

Companies like Kit (an email marketing platform) excel at this. They include dedicated resources that offer well-thought-out migration flows and step‑by‑step instructions.

A list of articles about migrating to Kit.

In addition to the articles above, Kit also offers a white-glove service that handles the migration process for their customers.

You will find similar migration services offered by banks, cell phone providers, and many other industries. Some large companies like HubSpot and Salesforce even connect switching prospects to trusted third parties, building an ecosystem that serves their long-term goals.

However it’s delivered, this kind of support reduces the mental and logistical barriers that often hold potential customers back.

Takeaways:

Create dedicated migration pages on your website to showcase how easy and supported the switching process is.
Provide migration support, either through in-house teams or trusted partners. (Then highlight these services prominently in your marketing material, and use the promise of support as a key differentiator in your sales conversations.)
Guarantee success. For example, over 50 UK banks and building societies have signed up for the Current Account Switch Guarantee scheme, removing both perceived and actual risk for customers looking to move their money.

Become a switch hitter

Ultimately, a switching sale is won by building trust. By reducing the perceived risk, offering a gradual path, or taking responsibility for the transition, you make the decision easier for your prospects.

Want more strategies for growing your business? Book a FREE strategy session with one of our experts today. We’ll help you turn your biggest sales challenges into your biggest wins.

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