How To Turn Your "features" Into "benefits."

[BusinessBurrito]

In my 25 years in advertising and marketing, I've found that one of the most common mistakes small businesses (and many large businesses as well!) make in crafting their advertising and marketing messages is focusing on the "features" of their product or service instead of its "benefits."

So I thought you all might benefit from some of the lessons learned on my part. Because I've found that if a business will get behind the "benefits," they can turn missed opportunities into sales.

The difference between "features" vs. "benefits" is a little confusing. Heck, even the most seasoned copywriters sometimes get the two mixed up - but there's really nothing hard about it. The simple difference between the two is that "features" focus on the facts and hard truths about the product/service (like specifications), while "benefits" focus on how the product/service can make the customer feel.

For example, let's say you were selling orthodontic and cosmetic dentistry services. Your features list might look something like this:

- Over 30 years in business
- Offers a broad range of orthodontic and cosmetic services
- Provides excellent customer service

To translate these features into benefits, you need to put yourself in your customer's shoes. Think about why those features would be important to the customer; how those features would make their lives better, richer, easier, longer; what emotions those features would make them feel. Then we'd turn the above features into benefits that would read something like this:

- You can trust us to take good care of your teeth
- We can make you feel great about your smile and yourself
- We care deeply about our patients and treat you with the utmost respect

Why is concentrating on "features" bad, and concentrating on "benefits" good? Well, take another look at the features...lots of companies can make those very same claims (i.e. experience, selection, customer service). They do nothing to set you apart.

But look at the "benefits" section: These get to the core of what your customer needs to hear in order to buy your product/service. "Benefits" appeal to them on an emotional level...the level where most people make their buying decisions.

But before you start developing your sales message, here's one watch out....

Be sure to focus on one or two benefits. If you try to cram as much into your message as you can, your customer will be confused, overwhelmed, and won't get what you're trying to say anyway. Remember and repeat after me...the simpler the message the better. Find your core message and sell the heck out of it, but don't muddy up the waters with too much information.

Perhaps most importantly, focusing on the "benefits" makes your advertising more about your customer, and your customer's desires.

And that's one powerful message.

[Logan]

It's an important 101 lesson for all to grasp when it comes to their communication with customers.

Be sure to focus on one or two benefits. If you try to cram as much into your message as you can, your customer will be confused, overwhelmed, and won't get what you're trying to say anyway. Remember and repeat after me...the simpler the message the better.

That is an important factor, don't go overboard. It can't be said enough. When I did some training in this area, we often described it as "feature puke". Your example is with benefits, but an even worse case scenario is when others do so with features.

Thanks Donna!

[ktaylor310]

Very good information. I really lack in advertising skills because I have historically relied on word-of-mouth recommendations... I find that I get much nicer clients that way! I am just beginning to look into other forms of advertising though, and really appreciate the advice. It is a subtle difference, but obviously a very important one as well.

[Karri]

Originally Posted by Logan

When I did some training in this area, we often described it as "feature puke". Your example is with benefits, but an even worse case scenario is when others do so with features.

LOL!! I think the toughest thing in copywriting is striking the right balance between just getting to the point for the sake of your visitors yet providing enough information, motivation and plain facts for them to make a decision (to spend, inquire, subscribe, whatever).

Karri

[Logan]

I think the balance with that is based on 'needs'. What are the needs that are being satisfied. List those out, prioritize them and stick with the top few needs.

The model I learned was "Needs, Benefits, Features" (NBF)

I haven't done this in awhile, so I'm going to keep it very generic and this will not be very polished ...

a) Start with the customer needs.

Restate their needs to them.

b) Move on to the benefits based on those needs.

Describe 1, 2 or 3 benefits to them.

c) Briefly mention those features provided based on the associated benefits.

So using one of the above examples ...

Need
I have a toothache

Benefit
You can trust us to take good care of your teeth

Feature
Over 30 years in business

So a script might go along the lines of the following format ...

Mrs Smith, I understand your tooth is hurting and you would like to relieve that pain asap. You can trust us to take good care of your teeth. We have over 30 years in business. May I book an appointment for you to see Dr Jasper this afternoon at 3pm?

[Yoshiko]

Hi all, Hope this little message here could be of help to some of you.

This post is not exactly about turning features to benefits but what you do after having done that, ie. how to successfully market your product or services.

1) Find the Unique Selling Point(s) of your product or service that accords the benefits.
2) Work on your USP's target segments (audience)
3) Craft a positioning statement to target your niche markets
4) use Integrated Marketing Communications to communicate the marketing or advertising message to your niche markets. (IMC essentially entails all your marketing mix and tactics used for this particular campaign and they must support the same USP theme.)
5) Implement with a timeline.

[pkeetch]

I look at this in a 3-pronged approach:

Features, Advantages & Benefits.

Features are the characteristics of your product or service.
Advantages are the result you get from the feature.
Benefits are how you feel after you have the result.

So if you were selling snow tires...

Feature = patented new poly-grip surface
Advantage = grips the road (even black ice) at all speeds
Benefits = your daughter will get home safe, even during the worst conditions

I like this model because it forces me to step through the process each time.

Each feature usually has 3 - 5 advantages and each advantage might lead to a different benefit.

Also, in the dentist example above, I'm not sure that "you can trust us" is the benefit (that is actually the advantage).

Feature = in business for 30 years
Advantage = you can trust us, we have lots of experience
Benefit = you can count on a safe, worry-free visit

Happy Marketing!

Paul