Features vs. Benefits: Why you need BOTH in your Marketing

We've been talking a lot recently about selling the benefits of your product or service rather than the features alone. While WHAT you actually offer (features) is important, it’s also crucial to focus your marketing on the OUTCOMES (benefits)of working with you. Then take a look at how this plays into your website, social media, and other ways you’re marketing yourself.

But how can you be sure you're on the right path with your marketing? This blog will show you how to couple great features with great benefits for effective communication.

The key is to balance the two.

Know Your Features 

FEATURES DEFINED:
Your features are WHAT you do for people, or what’s included in working with you.  

Here’s an example:

For a dog grooming company, the features might look something like this:

• Nail trimming

• Brushing

• Buffing

• Bathing

• Cut and Style

As you can see, the features are the technicals or specific services being offered. Effective branding that will grow your business relies on clearly defined features. If you don’t know what you’re offering, no one else will either. We’ve all seen those websites where we’re not quite sure what the company or individual actually does. Murky communication is not going to cut it when it comes to your features.

Know Your Benefits 

BENEFITS DEFINED
Benefits are what your customers get from working with you - the feeling, or the transformation.

Benefits are what really matters to the customers. This is why your customers should actually care about your features in the first place. Remember, your offerings aren’t about you, they’re about your customers and what they gain in working with you or purchasing your product.

To identify your benefits, list out your features and then step into your client’s shoes and consider what they gain when experiencing these features.

Why would YOU hire you?

Continuing with the example above, the benefits of working with a dog grooming company would be:

• I have a fresh smelling, beautiful pet.

• My dog can see now that his/her hair is trimmed.

• My dog is happy and excited to go to the groomers.

• I know my dog is being pampered and that makes me happy!

Bringing the Two Together 

To have great brand chemistry, you need to pay attention to both these features and their benefits.

Features + Benefits = Effective Communication 

We see companies leading with features in their marketing all the time. It's good to get that information out there, but don't forget to address the benefits they'll be getting by working with you!

In your marketing materials and on your website, you want to describe what people gain from your products or services so they feel as though you’re speaking right to them.

Your clients want to feel something. 

Otherwise, they are simply comparing you to your competition and basing their decisions on price, convenience, or who they saw first. Clear communication about your features AND benefits helps you to set yourself apart.

Here are three ways to know you might be selling your features over your benefits and missing out on an opportunity for clear communication.

1) You Say “I” / “We” More Than “YOU”

Perform an audit of your website and social media and count how many times you say, “I” or “We” vs. “YOU”. “You” should outweigh “I” or “we” at least three to one!

It’s a subtle shift but it frames it to focus on what they are receiving (benefits) rather than simply what you're giving (features). Rather than “I provide you with xyz…” flip it to, “You will receive xyz…”

2) You’re Losing Business Due to Price

When you’re selling your features, you’re selling a commodity.

Your future clients are likely going to just compare price point to price point, convenience to convenience with you and your competitors. Your goal is to shift this to focus on the experience and what’s in it for them. How do you package what you do in a unique way? Highlight this in how you share your benefits.

This is the most effective way for your clients to hire you because you are the only choice for them (no matter the price).

3) Your List of Services Looks Like a Shopping List

One simple way to focus on features instead of benefits is to remove the laundry list of services and instead focus on your process or program.

At Lab Creative, there are only a couple of ways to work with us. People can’t handpick what products and services they want like they would tomatoes at the grocery store.

When you’re not selling individual services, you can make the shift into showing the transformation through your benefits. Create a process and client journey that provides your clients with the best results. You can read my blog post about creating a signature process here.

. . .

There you have it! Go forth and highlight BOTH your features and your benefits in order to communicate clearly and to attract the right clients.

But before you go, tell us what products and services you offer? Have you taken time to list them out as features as well as the benefits your clients and customers will receive?

We’d love to hear from you in the comments! And, if you’re stuck and not quite sure, consider joining us for our next round of Brand Camp in July! Learn more here.