“Browser” once meant a person who looks casually through merchandise for sale–at a brick-and-mortar retail store.
It was not associated with web browsers such as Chrome, Firefox, or DuckDuckGo.
During the Jurassic era, when dinosaurs roamed the earth and there was no such thing as online, I worked as a part-time commissioned salesman for a high-end men’s clothing store in college.
I had to be smarter than my department store competitors when a ‘browser’ said, “I’m just looking.”
Browser-to-Buyer process:
To convert a browser into a buyer, I needed to perform three steps:
- Engage–the prospect in a conversation.
- Diagnose like a Doctor
- Convert their requirements into solutions.
Let’s look at all three steps of the browser-to-buyer process:
Step 1: Engage with a Chat Starter.
An engagement tool I used was a ‘Chat Starter.’ It would be a piece of merchandise I’d show a looker to start a chat.
My favorite was the convertible jacket-to-backpack. (Look up online. You will find many).
Here is how I’d use a Chat Starter:
“I realize that you are just looking. However, I wanted to make sure you see the convertible jacket-to-backpack. Let me show you how it works.”
I’d then demonstrate the jacket to backpack and backpack to jacket.
I was not trying to sell them anything.
A conversation was always started.
It didn’t matter if they liked the item or not. Most of the time, it broke the ice. We are no longer strangers, and we’re ready for Step 2.
Step 2: Diagnose like a Doctor.
Last year, in the middle of the Pandemic, I had double hip replacement surgery. I recommend the surgery if you have bad hips. I don’t recommend surgery during a global health crisis.
My surgeon was Dr. Tait. A brilliant Harvard-educated man with one flaw–he misspells Tate!
He has a magnificent process–he diagnoses before he prescribes! In other words, he interviewed me and asked many questions. He must have asked me hundreds of questions over several weeks.
The result: I have returned to my athletic life of tennis, mountain biking, and dragon boating. I wish I had done it years sooner!
Back to the retail store. Once the browser starts talking, I can diagnose and help them find what they want. Working together, we can brainstorm solutions. Now we are ready for Step 3.
STEP 3: Convert a browser into a buyer.
Ask the browser to buy. This is the easiest of the three steps. If you have done Steps 1 and 2, Step 3 is a natural extension.
You need a browser-to-buyer process.
Online you have browsers. People browse your websites, social media, and stores daily.
Your Browser-to-Buyer Process:
- Use creativity over your competitors to engage your browsers.
- Diagnose like a Doctor.
- Convert a Browser into a Buyer.
What are your engagement tools?
How do you diagnose their needs?
How do you convert a Browser into a Buyer?
