Teasing out features and benefits

““What’s in it for me?”

That’s what most visitors are thinking after hearing your value proposition.

But here’s the thing.

Most people have a tendency to emphasise features over benefits.

But it should be the other way around.”

• How to close the deal with your copy, Quicksprout

Most people sell with features, yet people buy for benefits.

So what’s the difference?

Imagine a cold glass of water on a really hot day. You’ve been mowing the lawn or weeding the garden, and move inside into your kitchen.

The glass of water sits on your bench with some condensation on the frosted glass, and clear, nurturing liquid peering out to you from within.

You clasp the cool cup, and pour the soothing nourishment down your dry and parched throat.

I laid it on pretty thick didn’t I?

Let’s break down why.

What’s the product?

A glass of water

What are the features?

• A cool glass
• Inside your kitchen
• Under cover from the sun
• Ready for you right now
• No cost
• Unencumbered access from outside into your kitchen
• Water is chilled to just the right temperature

Features are the elements that go into making it a great product. It can be the specifications, the varying deliverables, and what the product can and can’t do. It’s where a lot of marketers stop.

Benefits are what the feature can lead to. They connect the product and its features to an outcome the customer is after.

What are the benefits of this glass of water?

• Respects your time by being close to where you are
• Feel rewarding after hard work in the sun
• It understands what you’re craving right in this very moment

Again laying it on thick aren’t I?

But it works.

Understanding benefits requires you to stretch your mind and empathise more in your customers shoes.

Creating benefits transforms sales words into marketing torpedoes.