The Difference Between Features And Benefits
A common mistake made by many inexperienced copywriters is to focus too much on a product’s features and not enough on the benefits it provides.
While features are important and should be mentioned, if you want consumers to take out their wallets and hand over their hard-earned money you need to convince them of the benefits your product offers.
What’s the difference?
- A feature is simply a characteristic of a product.
- A benefit explains what the customer has to gain by using the product.
- Anyone can make a list of a product’s features. But it takes a bit of work to convert each of those features into benefits.
- A handy trick you can use is to add the phrase “which means…” to the end of each feature.
- A feature of a razor blade for women could be that it has 3 blades. That in itself is unlikely to win many sales because it means nothing to most people. But add the phrase “which means you’ll have smooth and sexy legs” and women will know exactly what they will gain when they buy it.
Let’s look at a few more examples of benefits vs features:
A Car
- Feature – All wheel drive
.
- Benefit – You are less likely to get stuck in the snow.
- Feature – Gets more miles per gallon than competitors.
- Benefit – You’ll save money on gas.
- Feature – Side-impact airbags.
- Benefit – Your family will be safe in an accident.
A DVD Recorder
- Feature – Time shift recording lets you pause live TV.
- Benefit – You will never miss a second of your favorite show.
A Pair of Boots
- Feature – Waterproof.
- Benefit – Your feet stay warm and dry.
Not long ago I was stopped at a red light, and as I looked at the van in front of me I saw the perfect example of focusing on benefits over features. The van belonged to a small handyman business that does small jobs in several neighboring towns.
On the back of the van was a simple drawing of a man carrying a small child on his shoulders. Underneath it read, “We’ll take care of the little problems, so you have time for more important things.”
As a parent who struggles to find every minute I can with my family, that simple bit of copy struck a nerve.
Rather than listing the various types of projects they specialize in (which I would never bother reading), they tapped into a common problem (finding time for the family) and offered a solution.
Sure, I could power wash my house, clean my yard, and paint my garage myself. But if I hire these guys to do it I can spend more time with my kids.
Brilliant!
Remember, always focus on benefits. Show customers how your product solves their problems or makes their lives better and they’ll line up to buy from you.
Tags: website optimization, affiliate marketing, niche marketing, article marketing, internet marketing tips
Leave Out The Jargon
It is very easy to get caught up using technical jargon as soon as you are familiar enough with something to be able to use the jargon. In some ways, it can almost make you feel somewhat elite to try and talk like everyone else does about a product.
There is something that you must remember about sales though – see, your customers don’t talk like that. They won’t understand what you are saying. When writing sales copy or even when talking to people, it is very important to be able to communicate your ideas to them – in a way that they can understand. Remember that when talking to a prospect, it is for their benefit, not yours. You are trying to explain to them what something does or how it works.
Leave out the technical jargon and try to explain how/why something works in plain English. Sales is about communication. You need to be able to clearly communicate to your customer – and that means they need to be able to understand what you are saying.
Tags: article marketing, internet marketing, internet marketing tips, Jonathan Hook, niche marketing
Is Your USP Relevant?
Your USP is your Unique Selling Proposition.
This is the identity that you create that sets you apart from your competitors in your marketplace. This is the answer to the question in your customer’s minds “why should I do business here?”.
One thing that you have to remember though, as you develop your USP, is that you need to make sure that your USP addresses a concern that actually exists in your marketplace.
If your USP boasts something about your business that you think is important to you but none of your customers find important, then you have missed the mark. If you have a Pizza shop and you are bragging about how fast you can deliver the pizzas but most of your customers are walk-in customers and they actually come there because of the taste of your pizza, then you have missed the mark. You are promoting a feature of your business that is not relevant to your customers.
As you set up your USP, make sure that you not only identify and address important features or benefits, make sure that they are the features and benefits that your marketplace is actually looking for.
A Confused Mind Can’t Decide
When we design a website, we need to keep something in mind… “a confused mind won’t buy”. Quite simply put, make sure your website is focused. When a visitor comes to a website, he should be presented with as few options as possible. Ideally, each step of the site should only offer a yes/no answer.
You start out by first determining the actual purpose of your website. Is it to provide information, grow an email contact list (lead generation), or sell a product or service directly? You need to have a clear picture of what you want your website to do so that you can guide the visitor and make it easy for them to follow the steps.
If you are building a website with the intent of building a list of leads, then just focus on that.
If someone comes to a website that is designed to sell them something then by the time they get to the bottom of the page, they should only have a choice to buy or leave the page. Don’t offer too many things at once or the customer won’t know what to do.
If you don’t know what you want your website to do, how will your visitor know what to do when he gets there?
Jonathan Hook teaches businesses how to consistently and predictably increase profits through implementation of a proven marketing system at TheMarketersMind.com
Why The Old Advice Of “Find A Need And Fill It” Is Dead Wrong!
Every entrepreneur who is looking for a new business idea has heard the advice: "find a need and fill it." I’m here to tell you to forget it. That advice could doom your business to fail even before you start.
Think about your last trip to the mall.
Be honest now. How many of those shiny, new packages you brought home contained something you really needed? I mean for your basic survival?
More than likely the items you bought filled a "want," not a need.
Consider the Mercedes buyer. Does he buy a Mercedes because he needs its great gas mileage? Or does he "want" the impression of status it conveys for his image? Does he need the car’s safe handling for his family? Or does he "want" the younger, sexier feeling driving a Mercedes provides?
The fact is, people make purchases based on emotional reasons. Then, they use logic to justify their desires.
Many a product that satisfied a need has failed because it was impossible to get people excited about it.
When you’re looking for your next business venture choose one that fills a "want." People will always pay more for a "want" than a "need." And your odds for success will multiply.
Tags: article marketing, internet marketing, niche marketing, internet marketing tips, affiliate marketing
Where To Get Testimonials You Didn’t Even Know You Had!
You have, no doubt, heard the advice from marketing experts to get testimonials from your satisfied customers. And, like a good student of marketing, you know you should use these testimonials in your ads and sales letters to increase consumer confidence in your company.
But what about when you’re just starting out? What if your product hasn’t been sold yet? How do you get customer testimonials before you even get customers?
Sure you could give people your product to sample in exchange for their endorsement. But I’ve got another idea you might like to try.
Find books, articles and news stories that have been written about your industry. Then quote what industry leaders and experts are saying in your marketing materials.
For example, let’s say you’ve invented a new child’s toy. Your toy is special because it is educational as well as fun. Now find a passage you can quote from, let’s say the National Toy Council that says educational toys are better for children. Find as many quotes as you possibly can that seem to support your product.
When you use these quotes from experts in your field, you get the added benefit of their implied endorsement. Be careful, however, not to suggest that these experts have actually tried and recommend your product. That could quickly get you slapped with a big, fat lawsuit.
When I wrote my manual "How To Start Your Own Home-Based Coupon Book Business," I quoted The Entrepreneur’s Ultimate Start-Up Directory. In that book, author James Stephenson stated "Community coupon books are hot, and starting a business that designs and produces coupon books is a sensational new business endeavor to set in motion."
I also found other marketing experts like Dan Kennedy and Kevin Nunley who indicated that coupon advertising is highly effective and profitable. I used their quotes in my sales letters and still do.
Of course, once your business takes off you WILL solicit testimonials from your satisfied customers.
But until you’ve hit the big time, use the quotes of industry experts to make it appear like you have.
Tags: internet marketing tips, affiliate marketing, Jonathan Hook, niche marketing, article marketing