Get More Sales by Using This One Word

March 27th, 2008 by Jerry Hocutt · 131 views · No Comments Print This Post

I’m confused. But not alone. As sales and marketing people we too often fail to clearly distinguish the difference between feature and benefit when presenting to customers.

An advertising headline in Sunday’s paper says, “ Maybelline – Foundation, Pressed Powder, Blush, Eye Shadow or Eye Liner”. Another, for a feature-heavy mobile phone reads, “Introducing Unlimited Navigation, Messaging, Video, Email”. Still another, “ Sony VAIO Intel Centrino Duo Mobile Technology Intel Core 2 Duo PROCESSOR T7300”. Wake me when it’s over.

They beg the question: SO WHAT?

Who wrote these ads? How many thousands of dollars are they soaking their clients for as they put buyers to sleep? Are they getting paid for the number of words they use and not the number of sales? Isn’t this illegal?

Compare those ads with these. “Tired of Lousy Service?”

Here’s one (found in the sports section of course): “Divorce for Men”.

One more. “I lost 130 lbs. with hypnosis.”

See the difference? The first three are features. The last three are benefits. In the last three, you know what you’re getting. We have reliable service. A divorce attorney sympathetic to men. Lose an entire body.

Can the first three ads be saved? What could the copywriters have done to show the benefit, keep the readers’ reading, and perhaps make the sale? What is one word they should have used to get the headline right?

Get

Get?

Get. If you’re going to state a feature, finish it off with get. Anything that follows that word has to be the benefit. And people buy…?

“Maybelline – gets every man to say ‘Wow!” when you enter the room!”

“The phone that gets you where you’re going no matter how lost you are.”

“Sony VAIO Intel Centrino Duo Mobile Technology Intel Core 2 Duo PROCESSOR T7300”. Sorry, can’t help you on this one. Well, maybe. How about, “Sony’s so fast you’ll never be late for your tee time.”

You get the idea. The next time you’re on the phone answering questions about your service or product, record your call and play it back. Write down every feature you state and see if you follow-up with a direct benefit. If not, rest assured that your customer is silently thinking, “So what?” as she dials your competitor.

Even the title of this article tells you what you’re getting. Get it?