That's where benefits come in...
A benefit answers the question "What's in it for me?", meaning the feature provides the customer with something of value to them.
For example:
| Feature | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Self-setting clock | The benefit of a self-setting clock is convenience and guaranteed accuracy. |
| 50-number speed dial | The benefit of a 50-number speed dial is fewer keystrokes to dial a number. |
| Custom programs | The benefit of custom programs is that they're designed just for you! |
| Open 24 hours | The benefit of a 24-hour store is that you can shop whenever you want. |
| Batteries included | The benefit of having batteried included with is that the product is ready to use out of the box and no further purchase cost is required. |
While these may seem like true benefits, they're really just elaborations on the features. So what is truly a benefit?
The best way to understand the true benefit of your product or service — or to answer the "What's in it for me?" question — is to focus instead on results.
A customer's perception of each feature's results is what attracts him or her to a particular product or service. When someone chooses a VCR with a self-setting clock, the assumption is that the benefit is convenience, but the actual results are that they don't have to read the instructions, watch a blinking 12:00, and, most important, feel stupid. Those results are the true benefits.
When you try to sell the features of your product or service, you're making the customer do all the work to figure out why they want the feature. It's in a seller's best interest to draw the connection for them. But to do that, you have to know the results yourself.
| Feature | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Self-setting clock | I won't feel dumb! |
| 50-number speed dial | I can keep in touch with my best customers without effort and I won't get frustrated misdialling. |
| Custom programs | It will eccomplish exactly what I need it to and I won't have to worry about paying for things I don't want or need. |
| Open 24 hours | When my pregant wife craves pickles and icecream at 4am, I won't have to disappoint her. |
| Batteries included | I'll never have to see the crushed look on my child's face when their toy won't work on Christmas Day because I forgot to buy batteries. |
By this time, you should be mentally going over every sales pitch or marketing message you've been using with great trepidation and rightly so. If you look carefully and honestly, you'll most likely find that your benefits are really just more features.
So reassess the feature and ‘real’ benefits of what you are selling. Put yourself in the seat of the customer, and think about what they really want. Research their industry, their business and market as this information will assist you.
Thanks for reading!
Jon Newton
