Whats In It For Me?

Sometimes, one of the most difficult things to teach beginning sales professionals is the difference between features and benefits. All too frequently, sales people list their product or service features, without articulating how those features will ultimately benefit that prospect or customer. Unfortunately, your prospects or customers are not always able to make that leap for themselves. And when they do not see the benefit, they do not buy. So-what is the difference between features and benefits? How do you articulate that difference?

Product or service features are facts-they are just there. There is no real value or judgement attached to them. They simply exist. For example, the product is blue, it's a certain size or shape. Another example: the store is open 24 hours.

The most important thing you want to remember about features is:

Nobody cares!

Your customers are buying benefits. They are saying to themselves, "What's in it for me?" "What will this do for me?" "What will this do for my company?" "How will this affect my bottom line?" "How will this affect my employees?" "How will this affect customer relations?"

People buy for their own reasons, not for yours. And people buy because they believe that the product or service will get them what they want. And what they really want is a Big Benefit. Big Benefits are things like financial stability, love, recognition, independence? There are many-because they are basic human desires.

Customers and clients want what they want; not what you think they may want or should want. They have their own reasons for buying. You may have to help them identify those reasons, but they will be theirs, not yours.

To illustrate the difference between features and benefits-a personal story:

In my living room, I have two beige chaise lounges. I have had these beige chaise lounges for a while-so, they were no longer quite so beige, and I decided it was time to have them cleaned.

I called a cleaning service that said they would send over a "cleaning expert" to "evaluate" my two beige chaise lounges and give me "cleaning options." I said-"Send him over!" I was very excited!

On the appointed day, the "cleaning expert" arrived, laden with his cleaning equipment. He looked at my two beige chaise lounges and told me he could clean them with Solution A. This would cost $100.

Not being a "cleaning expert," I was confused. I had never heard of Solution A. And besides, I wanted options!

I expressed my confusion, whereupon the "cleaning expert" explained that Solution A was "chemicals." He said another option would be Solution B; that would cost $200.

I asked, "What is Solution B?"

The "cleaning expert" told me, "Solution B is more chemicals." He added another option: Solution C. That would cost $300.

Guess what was in Solution C?

Even more chemicals!

Chemicals, more chemicals and even more chemicals are all features. And I didn't care! I wanted clean, beige chaise lounges!

$100, $200 and $300 are also all features. I cared a little more about those-but I still wanted clean beige chaise lounges!

The "cleaning expert" was selling features: chemicals and price. He should have been selling Big Benefits, i.e.-"You're going to have a beautiful home."

Here is an easy way to identify benefits: Make a list of all of the facts/features of your product or service. Don't think about it, evaluate it or judge it. Just list them. Once you have that list, go through the list item by item, putting yourself in your prospect's shoes. Say to yourself (as your prospect), "What's in it for me?" Then, write down the answer. Once you have done that, you should have a compelling list of customer-centered benefits. Once you have that list of benefits, it will be easy to make your prospects and customers understand what's in it for them.

Wendy Weiss, "The Queen of Cold Calling & Selling Success," is a sales trainer, author and sales coach. Her recently released program, Cold Calling College, and/or her book, Cold Calling for Women, can be ordered by visiting http://www.wendyweiss.com. Contact her at wendy@wendyweiss.com. Get Wendy's free e-zine at http://www.wendyweiss.com.

© 2004 Wendy Weiss

---

How to Take Your Law Firm to the Next Level

How to Take Your Law Firm to the Next Level... Read More

The Anatomy of Hype

On a copywriting board I frequent, someone expressed bafflement that... Read More

Coupons that Work

Turn a coupon into a business card (or vice versa).Coupons... Read More

Marketing Mimics Life

Clichés. We've all heard them...and hear some of them so... Read More

Are Your Prospects Walking Out on You?

After 11 years in sales, I've put together and delivered... Read More

A Complaint? It?s a Compliment! - 7 Tips for Dealing with Complaints at Trade Shows

A Complaint? It's a Compliment!What made you mad last week?In... Read More

Do You Know Where Your Email Address is Today?

Having people go to your website is not always easy:... Read More

Standing Above The Crowd

In today's highly competitive business environment it is critical to... Read More

Ten Breakthrough Marketing Ideas

Ten Breakthrough Marketing Ideas1. Create a directory of web sites... Read More

Two Methods of Marketing Using Joint Ventures

Whether you're a contractor a local merchant with 150 employees,... Read More

Whats In It For Me?

Sometimes, one of the most difficult things to teach beginning... Read More

Ready, Fire, Aim!

You probably read my headline and thought, wait a minute,... Read More

Marketing with Special Reports. 5 Ways to Develop Content Your Prospects Cant Wait to Read

So you've decided to start publishing an e-newsletter, or you'd... Read More

What Are Focus Groups & How Do They Work?

Businesses and other organizations use focus groups to research consumer... Read More

How to Discover your Primary Market and Where to Find Them

Whether you market online or offline, you already know the... Read More

Top Ten Blunders Exhibitors Make in Expos/Tradeshows

Triple your response from expos by avoiding the top ten... Read More

8 Instant Ways to Create Consistently Successful Marketing Campaigns

It's almost a given that when I speak to a... Read More

Write Effective Fundraising Letters By Being Conversational (Includes Examples & Samples)

I am doing what you do, sitting at my computer,... Read More

Customer Lifetime Value - The Key To Maximizing Your Profits!

The greatest asset to your business is your Customer, specifically,... Read More

Ten Effective Ways to Capture Market

1.Evaluation of Existing Products / Therapies2.Assessment of New Products3.Market assessment... Read More

Direct Mail Still Works!

Direct Mail CampaignsDespite the proliferation of communication facilitators--mobile phones, faxes,... Read More

The Top 10 The Top Ten Signs That Your Marketing Message Needs a Facelift

Is your marketing plan dull, flat, and downright boring? Is... Read More

Marketing to Women -- Can I Buy You A Clue?

A while back a small business owner paid me a... Read More

Effective List Management Can Save You Big

Let's talk about how to keep your postage costs down.So... Read More

How Testimonials Can Put You in the Spotlight

If you need evidence that a testimonial or referral can... Read More