By Damien Parker | September 14, 2014
The very great majority of sales trainers bang on about features and benefits for good reason; they know that most business people don’t know the difference…so let me clear that up immediately.
Features are what your product does – benefits are the beneficial results of those features.
The best way to distinguish them is the simple link expression of which means that as in:
FEATURE which means that BENEFIT
Example:
This shirt is double stitched (Feature) which means that it will last twice as long (benefit)
Our jetski has additional fins (feature) which means that its ride will be more stable & safe (benefit)
Now, what most sales trainers don’t do is truly relate to what customers actually want…which is a positive result or outcome. In fact, I’ll go so far as to say that all a customer wants to hear is “what results I can expect?” – so drop the word benefits and substitute results. This way you’ll be speaking their language.
Related to the headline to this article…. “Don’t tell me the gory birth details” (the features)…yes, I am interested in the benefits of a successful birthing process…but please, show me the result…boom, boom…beautiful baby!
Businessperson…here’s an important issue…and one worthy of your immediate attention:
Do you have a features/benefits/results statement for each and every one of your products or services? If no, shame! You know what you’ve got to do.
If yes, are they up to date?
Does each and every one of your staff understand the difference between features and benefits/results?
Can they clearly converse with prospective customers by relating features to benefits/results on each and every product/service in your company?
At the very least, should they properly understand that simple link between the two? You know, which means that!
Here’s to more sales, profits and cash from your business,
Damien Parker
Business Improvement Specialist
www.salesprofitscash.com
Follow my Tweets: @salesprofitcash
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