Features v. Benefits

Both are Necessary, but Benefits Sell 

I reviewed a company’s sales collateral last week, and I was struck by the emphasis placed on features.  While features are an important part to market a product or service, they must translate into a benefit for the intended audience.  Benefits sell. 

A feature is an aspect of the product or service that distinguishes it from others.  A benefit is a payoff for the purchaser.  Benefits answer the question, “What’s in it for me?” 

For example, let’s say we were selling an automobile emergency kit.  To say the kit is “compact” is neither a feature nor a benefit.  It’s a description that’s too vague to really mean anything.  When that expression is changed to “a compact 10″ x 6″ case,” it becomes a feature, because the description is specific enough for the audience to understand the size. 

We can change the copy to relate a benefit by saying, “The compact 10″ x 6″ case leaves plenty of room for luggage, groceries and other essentials in your trunk.”  The preceding sentence has a payoff that could be very important to people who have small trunk areas. 

The worst sales collateral has meaningless words or phrases that defy any understanding.  Phrases like “service oriented” are very nice, but what do they mean?  More importantly, how does your orientation translate into something I want?  These two questions must be answered for the prospect to choose your product or service.  Such a phrase could potentially mean your product is unreliable or that it lacks any value without your intervention. 

I recently read the lead claim on an office furniture website that said they “bring common sense back to office furniture.”  Have they discovered a way to imbue a conference table with consciousness, and if so, why would I want that?  Sounds pretty creepy to me.  This vague, nonsensical type of sales copy should be avoided at all costs, because it does nothing to promote the company and does a lot to undermine credibility. 

There’s only one chance to make an impression with your customers.  Use it well by making the most out of both features and benefits.  Your customers are human beings who have needs, and companies throwing out catch phrases that sound good but mean nothing will not fair well.