How to Market with Benefits Instead of Features

Add This Step To Your Marketing Process and See An Immediate Increase in Results

In my last two blog posts on this topic, I talked about Marketing Features vs. Benefits for Small Business and Whether Your Marketing Should Get an F Grade.

Today I’m going to show you the exercise I use to quickly get past the features of your offer, and get right to the benefits and results.

For each product, service, or program we offer at Bourn Creative, I first make a list outlining all of the features for the item. I then give each feature a main benefit.

After I have the features and benefits written out, I add the result the client or customer will feel or experience after using the product or working with us.

Here are a couple examples for our
Strategic Online Marketing Plan:

• Feature: A crystal clear plan outlining what to do to market your business
• Benefit: You know exactly what to do to market your business and when
• Result: No more frustration and struggling to figure out what you should be doing to market your business effectively. No more trying a different marketing method each week and hoping one works

• Feature: Step-by-step instructions showing you what actions to take
• Benefit: Take the guess work out of your marketing and know exactly what to do and how to do it with easy to follow instructions
• Result: No more feeling dumb because you aren’t sure how to implement your marketing strategies. Clear, easy to follow instructions, save you time, accelerate your marketing results, and make you look better and smarter than your competitors

As you can see, first I list the basic feature. Then I list the assumed, perceived, or obvious benefit. And finally, I list the result(s) the feature and benefit create. Using the process for me helps me get right to the What’s In It For Me factor.

Now, when I write my marketing copy for the Strategic Online Marketing Plan, I’ll use the lists I just created, but work backward. I’ll start with the results as the main selling points and then support those results statements with the features and benefits I outlined.

Next time you’re working on your marketing and sales content, add this step in before you get started and I guarantee you’ll see your results increase.