The Copywriter Online

Product creators love features - consumers buy benefits!

How many times have you heard or read an ad that was a list of features? Heaps of times probably, especially in the car industry. You know the stuff... ABS, dual airbags, leading edge technology, multiplex electrics and the like.

So why are benefits better selling points that features?

Benefits tell the potential customer the answer to the question that all consumers want answered - "What's in it for me?". So instead of listing features a better advertisement would translate those features into benefits. For example: ... comes with the protection of dual air bags and an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) that improves road holding and steering by regulating the braking pressure to avoid wheel lock.

How to turn a feature into a benefit

The clue was in the last paragraph. We need to answer the question "What's in it for me?". So next time you're trying to work out what benefits your product offers you can use the following formula - this feature means that... = benefit

I'll give you some examples:

• multiplex electrics means that there are fewer wires and connections so it's easier to service and maintain
• leading edge technology means the best, most up-to-date, most efficient technology
• 6 bedroom house means this is a family home with plenty of room for all the kids and then some
• dual processor means it will process information faster allowing you to work more efficiently

So next time you hire an ad writer, or write one yourself, make sure talk about benefits not features.

This article was written by Munaiba Khan of The Copywriter Online. Munaiba has more than 20 years experience in advertising, PR and marketing.