Will You Add? - Features are not Benefits

Perhaps you’re rolling your eyes as you read this because this is such an obvious point. You didn’t get to where you are today by not knowing the difference between your products’ features and benefits.

Of course you didn’t, but a funny thing happens when a person is put in charge of their company’s advertising. They often tend to forget that features are not benefits. They forget that nobody cares about their product’s features except the product designers and some salespeople.

Now maybe you’re different than most people. Maybe your company’s ads are all about the benefits of your products. Go ahead and give yourself a pat on the back. You’ve achieved the goal of this step and may move on to the next.

But, if your ad is filled with bullet points describing all the wonderful features of your products, take a moment and read on.

Say you own a company that manufactures hammers. You could show a big picture of your lovely hammer below a headline that reads, “Introducing the best hammer for all your hammering needs.”

Beside the picture, you could list the many reasons your hammer is the best: solid steel head, unbreakable fiberglass handle, super comfortable rubber grip, etc.

Wow. Makes you want to buy that hammer, huh? What a waste of money. This would be funny if it didn’t happen so often for so many products and services in so many industries.

Now, you could improve that hammer ad immensely by discussing a benefit in the headline and backing it up with other benefits to illustrate why the consumer would be nuts not to buy your hammer. It’s that easy.

But we’re almost through half of our twelve steps now. We can go even further. Let’s be courageous and think a bit more. Use your imagination and put yourself in the mind of your consumer.

Take your laundry list of benefits and think bigger. Is there a single overarching, perhaps intangible, benefit your consumer can enjoy based on the myriad of real benefits your product offers?

Aw! You’re on to something now. Just keep reading these articles, my friend. It only gets better.

This article introduced the fifth of twelve steps. Challenge yourself, your staff and your advertising agency to revolutionize your ad program. If you missed a previous step, contact the author for a complimentary copy. And, remember, every revolution begins with just one step.

Jeff Berney is a freelance idealist, brand evangelist and writer. He can be reached at Advertising Balloon Blimps for Your Business
Have you ever seen an advertising balloon blimp? It is one of those elongated floating mammoth balloons that seem to get your attention whenever it passes by. It has become a very popular form of advertising medium.Advertising balloon blimps can generate a lot of immediate excitement about your business, trade show booth or event. Subenefits. They forget that nobody cares about their product’s features except the product designers and some salespeople.

Now maybe you’re different than most people. Maybe your company’s ads are all about the benefits of your products. Go ahead and give yourself a pat on the back. You’ve achieved the goal of this step and may move on to the next.

But, if your ad is filled with bullet points describing all the wonderful features of your products, take a moment and read on.

Say you own a company that manufactures hammers. You could show a big picture of your lovely hammer below a headline that reads, “Introducing the best hammer for all your hammering needs.”

Beside the picture, you could list the many reasons your hammer is the best: solid steel head, unbreakable fiberglass handle, super comfortable rubber grip, etc.

Wow. Makes you want to buy that hammer, huh? What a waste of money. This would be funny if it didn’t happen so often for so many products and services in so many industries.

Now, you could improve that hammer ad immensely by discussing a benefit in the headline and backing it up with other benefits to illustrate why the consumer would be nuts not to buy your hammer. It’s that easy.

But we’re almost through half of our twelve steps now. We can go even further. Let’s be courageous and think a bit more. Use your imagination and put yourself in the mind of your consumer.

Take your laundry list of benefits and think bigger. Is there a single overarching, perhaps intangible, benefit your consumer can enjoy based on the myriad of real benefits your product offers?

Aw! You’re on to something now. Just keep reading these articles, my friend. It only gets better.

This article introduced the fifth of twelve steps. Challenge yourself, your staff and your advertising agency to revolutionize your ad program. If you missed a previous step, contact the author for a complimentary copy. And, remember, every revolution begins with just one step.

Jeff Berney is a freelance idealist, brand evangelist and writer. He can be reached at Accelerate Team Collaboration: Communicate Instantly With An Extranet
An extranet is a web-based tool that provides a secure environment for the organization and exchange of documents and information among a defined group of users.Extranets are often used to support team collaboration in circumstances where the team members are geographically dispersed or are drawn from variety external organizations. ers. You could show a big picture of your lovely hammer below a headline that reads, “Introducing the best hammer for all your hammering needs.”

Beside the picture, you could list the many reasons your hammer is the best: solid steel head, unbreakable fiberglass handle, super comfortable rubber grip, etc.

Wow. Makes you want to buy that hammer, huh? What a waste of money. This would be funny if it didn’t happen so often for so many products and services in so many industries.

Now, you could improve that hammer ad immensely by discussing a benefit in the headline and backing it up with other benefits to illustrate why the consumer would be nuts not to buy your hammer. It’s that easy.

But we’re almost through half of our twelve steps now. We can go even further. Let’s be courageous and think a bit more. Use your imagination and put yourself in the mind of your consumer.

Take your laundry list of benefits and think bigger. Is there a single overarching, perhaps intangible, benefit your consumer can enjoy based on the myriad of real benefits your product offers?

Aw! You’re on to something now. Just keep reading these articles, my friend. It only gets better.

This article introduced the fifth of twelve steps. Challenge yourself, your staff and your advertising agency to revolutionize your ad program. If you missed a previous step, contact the author for a complimentary copy. And, remember, every revolution begins with just one step.

Jeff Berney is a freelance idealist, brand evangelist and writer. He can be reached at China Electronics Trading Potential
The opening of China to international trade resulted in myriad trading opportunities such as China electronics importation and trading. This fact has been proven several times by some enterprising individuals. If you are interested in starting your own electronics store in your neighborhood or online, you should seriously consider jumpiensely by discussing a benefit in the headline and backing it up with other benefits to illustrate why the consumer would be nuts not to buy your hammer. It’s that easy.

But we’re almost through half of our twelve steps now. We can go even further. Let’s be courageous and think a bit more. Use your imagination and put yourself in the mind of your consumer.

Take your laundry list of benefits and think bigger. Is there a single overarching, perhaps intangible, benefit your consumer can enjoy based on the myriad of real benefits your product offers?

Aw! You’re on to something now. Just keep reading these articles, my friend. It only gets better.

This article introduced the fifth of twelve steps. Challenge yourself, your staff and your advertising agency to revolutionize your ad program. If you missed a previous step, contact the author for a complimentary copy. And, remember, every revolution begins with just one step.

Jeff Berney is a freelance idealist, brand evangelist and writer. He can be reached at Internet Governance: A Disputed Domain
The world of internet is excruciatingly more complex than we can imagine. Net surfing, internet-aided messaging, and transactions appear very easy, but the rigors and complexities behind how the internet runs are hidden and unknown to most of us.In an attempt to systematize internet governance, former US President Bill Clinton estabits your product offers?

Aw! You’re on to something now. Just keep reading these articles, my friend. It only gets better.

This article introduced the fifth of twelve steps. Challenge yourself, your staff and your advertising agency to revolutionize your ad program. If you missed a previous step, contact the author for a complimentary copy. And, remember, every revolution begins with just one step.

Jeff Berney is a freelance idealist, brand evangelist and writer. He can be reached at www.jeff@jberney.com.

© 2006

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