Many businesses make the simple mistake of promoting Features when they would profit far more from promoting the Benefits of their product or service.

One of the hardest tasks is writing words that encourage people to buy from you. It isn’t enough to say that you sell the “best product ever” or have the “largest selection of widgets anywhere.” You have to credibly explain to people why they need your product and why they should buy it from you. Sell the benefits, not the features.

It is important to really understand the difference and to be able to express the benefits of your offer in terms that your customers understand.

Feature
noun 1 a distinctive attribute or aspect. 2 a part of the face, such as the mouth, making a significant contribution to its overall appearance. 3 a newspaper or magazine article or a broadcast programme devoted to a particular topic. 4 (also feature film) a full-length film intended as the main item in a cinema programme.
verb 1 have as a feature. 2 have as an important actor or participant. 3 be a feature of; take an important part in.
Benefit
noun 1 advantage or profit. 2 a payment made by the state or an insurance scheme to someone entitled to receive it, e.g. an unemployed person. 3 a public performance to raise money for a charity.
verb (benefited or benefitted, benefiting or benefitting) 1 receive an advantage; profit. 2 bring advantage to.
Source: www.askoxford.com

For example:

Feature
This vacuum cleaner has a 10m power lead

Benefit
Vacuum an entire floor of the house in one go

What Next
Next time you review the content on your web-site or your literature, think things through, along the following lines:

• If I was reading this as a prospective customer, would I understand “What’s in it for me?” on the first reading.
• Imagine yourself in the position of somebody buying your products and services for the first time. What problems are they trying to solve. How can our product and services features combine to provide benefits that make a difference. How can I describe these benefits succinctly.

One important tip: If you really struggle with this, be brave and get some help.

This was a guest post by Paul Fileman of SPS who are a national team of proven senior management professionals, passionate about working to help businesses achieve their next level of development and performance. Whether they are facing market changes, financial problems, people/skills issues, or are preparing a major project, they offer dedicated support from a multi-disciplined team of experts.

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