Do you think about features and benefits as you would mugs and coffee cups? Essentially the same thing? They’re not, and if you treat them this way, your marketing will suffer. Concentrate on features vs. benefits – and benefits always win.
I have to start with Samuel Hulick’s explanation of how to “never mix up features with benefits ever again.” It makes me laugh every time.
How to tell a feature from a benefit
First, make a list of your customer’s goals (the “awesome person who can do rad shit” they’ll become). We’ll use sailing foul weather gear as an example. I’ll assume you’re talking to clients to know their exact goals (you’re not? Start there first), but here’s a quick brainstorm:
- Have dry clothes at the end of the day (aka avoid a soggy behind)
- Be able to concentrate on their race rather than being distracted by how wet they are
- Maintain a comfortable temperature
- Have freedom of movement despite numerous layers
From here, let’s make the list of what you’re calling “features and benefits.” Maybe:
- Taped and reinforced seams
- Proprietary fabric that’s waterproof, breathable and flexible
- HydroPHOBIC 2.0 MaxDry fabric (catchy…should I trademark that?)
- Adjustable neoprene cuffs and waistband
- Watertight neck seal
- Tested in extreme sailing environments
Next, put your two lists side by side. Match what you’re calling the benefit to the client’s goal. If you can’t directly match it, it’s probably a feature, not a benefit.
Taped and reinforced seams → hmm. These seams are a contributing factor to having dry clothes, but you can’t claim they’re the reason clothes stay dry. They don’t have anything to do with maintaining a comfortable temperature or having freedom of movement. This is a feature, not a benefit.
If you can add a “so you’ll” to the feature to directly link it to a goal, that new sentence is a benefit. Watertight neck seal so you’ll be able to concentrate on the race rather than being distracted by water dripping down your back. (Instead of sticking with “how wet they/you are,” I changed the wording to take advantage of negative memories of cold water leaking past the neck seal.)
How to turn a feature into a benefit
After that features vs. benefits exercise, you might be left with a list of features and no benefits. Now what?
Ask “so what?”
By asking “so what?” as many times as it takes, you’ll figure out what benefit the feature has.
“Our foul weather gear is made of HydroPHOBIC 2.0 MaxDry fabric.” So what?
“HydroPHOBIC 2.0 MaxDry fabric repels water.” So what?
“Fabric that repels water doesn’t let any water in.” So what?
“Because it doesn’t let any water in, the sailor who’s wearing it stays dry.” Aha!
Benefit sentence: “You’ll stay totally dry thanks to our HydroPHOBIC 2.0 MaxDry fabric.”
Highlighting features shows empathy for your customers
Going through the “so what?” exercise shows empathy for your customers. You’ve done the work for them already. Take thy HydroPHOBIC 2.0 MaxDry fabric example. They don’t have to think about why the fabric matters to them because you’ve laid it out: they’ll stay totally dry.
The more complicated your offering is, the more you need to focus on benefits, not features. You live and breathe your offering every day, so you see a list of features and automatically understand the benefit. Your customer doesn’t have that luxury. Take the guesswork out by leading with the list of benefits, not features. Let them see themselves as the “awesome person who can do rad shit.”
Make your customer the hero in your marketing. Then you’ll both get the benefit.
