Telling The Features –
But Selling The Benefits
People may rationalize their decisions based on facts, but they make those decisions
based on emotions. Not the warm, fuzzy stuff of greeting cards, but emotions that
allow people to see themselves experiencing the rewards of having taken action.
Studies have demonstrated that lacking this emotional connection, people literally
cannot decide!
How do you communicate this essential emotional dimension to your customers? You
begin by translating features (facts) into benefits (emotional connections). The
benefit is not always obvious, so I use the "so what?" exchange to help my clients
zero in on the essential benefit to the customer.
Do this simple exercise:
Draw a line down the middle of a sheet of paper and in the left column list what's
most important about your product. You'll want to list at least three features, but
don't list more than six. Focus on what's most important to your prospects rather
than just listing specifications.
Now for each item listed on the left, use the right-hand column to write down what
you'd say if a skeptical user asked: "So what?" Don't think about it too long - just
give a snap answer and write it down. Doing it this way, I've found that I knew
things I didn't even know I knew, because it seems to bypass that ultra-logical
internal censor most of us have peering over our shoulders.
If you do have to make an entry on the right because the entry on the left didn't
already answer the "So what," you're on the right track to finding the message your
prospects need to hear for you to successfully market. It may take a few passes,
with feedback from prospects if you can get it, but it's worth all the time and effort. I
use this technique all the time. I've found that the left-hand list tells you what a
product is, but the right-hand column tells you what it's for.
And that's what prospects are looking to buy. Here are some samples:
Peter Spellman is Director of Career Development at Berklee College of Music, Boston. This article is from his book, Indie Marketing Power (2006, MBS Business Media).
