So what? How to turn product features into benefits
Do you like what you do? It is so? You love to share your knowledge, and your enthusiasm is contagious. So say friends and customers. But knowledge and enthusiasm is not enough to sell products and services. We have translated an Enchanting marketing article on how to talk about products and services.
Imagine you haven’t rode a bike for many years
You are poorly versed in bicycles. But you want to get in shape, and great seems like a good idea. Go to the nearest store and tell a smart consultant that you are looking for a bike for long, leisurely walks.
An enthusiastic consultant advises a hybrid and shows several popular models. It has 24 speeds and cantilever brakes. This one has disc brakes and a Shimano transmission. Pay attention to this model with an aluminum frame and hydraulic disc brakes.
A?
You have no idea what the guy is talking about. But it makes you feel like an idiot. The only desire: to run away home and forget about training for the next couple of years.
Sounds weird?
This happens all the time in online stores.
The sites are full of service information and technical details. But nothing is said about what this gives the buyer.
What does your site look like? Full of function descriptions? Or are you telling the reader what all this means?
Use the question "So what?" To make the site better
A list of features and services are facts about your product or service. And the benefit is why the reader needs the product.
Imagine that you are selling a kitchen stove. And one of the main functions is a quick warm-up. A quick warm-up system is a fact about the oven - what it can do.
To understand the benefits, ask yourself: “So what?”.
The stove heats up quickly.
So what?
Turn it on, and she is instantly ready to cook lasagna.
So what?
You can eat faster.
So what?
Life will be easier. No need to stagger around the kitchen while the oven is warming up. No need to worry that you forgot to enable it in advance.
"So what?" works in any industry:
- Our doors have strong hinges. So what? They will not bend after the door is slammed 1000 times.
- We are monitoring servers. So what? You will not fall in the middle of the day - you can work calmly.
- We write sales texts. So what? More website visitors will become customers.
Browse your site and for each fact ask a question: “So what?”. Keep asking until you get the real benefits.
The benefits are directly related to the desires of people: to save time, make more money, become happier, better relax or work better.
Imagine you are creating a kitchen design. You can answer the question "So what?" different ways:
- You will have a kitchen where you can relax and feel truly at home.
- Cooking will become more convenient and enjoyable.
- You can impress your guests with cool kitchen gadgets.
You can sell well only if you know what the audience wants and what they secretly dream of.
Functionality is boring
Back to the bike shop.
A fit guy now talks not only about the features, but also about the benefits. These brakes are good, because even in the rain they work smoothly. The bike has 24 speeds, so regardless of whether you are going uphill, from a mountain or on a flat road, you will enjoy the ride. The ergonomic seat means that even after several hours of driving you will feel comfortable.
Now you understand what the consultant is talking about. Each word sounds more convincing than when he poured terms. In the meantime, they tell you how this product is multifunctional and what a favorable guarantee it has - you think about anything, but not about what you choose a bike.
A lot of positive information sounds monotonous and sleepy. To capture and hold the reader’s attention, enter the problem.
People avoid difficulties and discomfort.
Replace positive with a problem from time to time, and instantly attract the attention of your audience. Almost every function of a product or service helps to avoid difficulties.
- Disc brakes prevent wheels from slipping in the mud.
- With 24 speeds, you don’t have to think about how to climb a mountain - you can go at the lowest speed.
- The saddle is comfortable, so you can drive 70 kilometers and not worry about your ass.
It is up to the reader to talk about simple benefits or how to avoid the problem. What interests him more: to get additional benefits or to avoid hassle. If you don’t know what to choose, do a test.
How to talk about the merits and advantages of the product on the site
- The reader is always in a hurry: he needs to write a blog, watch the news and cook dinner.
- You should quickly grab his attention while the cursor hovers over the back button.
- Highlight the main benefit or problem in the headline or subheading.
- Use bulleted lists because they are easy to scan with a glance; put the main thing in the beginning.
- Avoid technical terms that the reader may not understand.
How to seduce a visitor
- Your main quality as a businessman is empathy.
- Penetrate your client’s brain.
- Understand what he secretly dreams of, how you can fulfill his dream and get rid of problems and anxieties.
Transfer: www.enchantingmarketing.com/features-and-benefits