Features & Benefits: Which is Which and Why Do I Need to Know the Difference? - Get Articles by Linda Elizabeth Alexander |  |
> Get Articles > Copywriting > Features & Benefits: Which is Which and Why Do I Need to Know the Difference? Features & Benefits: Which is Which and Why Do I Need to Know the Difference? Download as PDFLinda Elizabeth Alexander lalexanderwrite2thepointcom.com Write to the Point Communications http://www.write2thepointcom.com This article may be freely published in your print or online newsletter or on your website provided 1. You include the byline and the resource box; 2. You print the article in its entirety, unchanged; and 3. You notify the author when and where it's printed with a courtesy copy or a link. Subject: Business, Marketing Number of Words: 430 Website: <a href="http://www.write2thepointcom.com">http://www.write2thepointcom.com</a> Features and Benefits: Which is Which, and Why Do I Need to Know the Difference? -- (c)2002 By Linda Elizabeth Alexander How do you guarantee that your ads, sales letters, web copy and other marketing materials as hard-hitting as possible? You've heard that when writing promotional copy, you should promote benefits rather than features. Benefits show the genuine value of your products to your customers. They go beyond the specs of your product to tell customers about all they will lose if they don't buy from you now. How do you distinguish between features and benefits? And once you do, how do you communicate those benefits? 1. Write down features and benefits before you start. People don't buy products -- they buy what products do for them. Before you begin, make two columns for a list: One for features (your point of view) and another for benefits (from your customers' points of view). Are they buying telephone service, or connection with their loved ones? Are they buying a portable heater, or in-home comfort and protection from the elements? Are they buying college courses, or the lucrative career that will ensure their financial security? 2. Write the way you speak. Use your company's voice and personality in your copy. Make it sound like a written conversation between your company's personality and your customer. Every company will have its own style and tone, depending on what the you sell. 3. Write in second person point of view. Remember to write that conversation as if it were you and one customer speaking. Be sure to use "you" and "me" a lot - companies don't sell products, people do. Here are a few examples to keep you on track: "You will feel ... " "You'll learn hat ..." "...brings you ... " "As you know,... " 4. Provide a call to action. No, you're not ordering customers around when you tell them what to do -- but without spelling out specific actions to take, you'll risk losing their response. Tell them exactly what you want them to do, and be specific. If you don't ask for the sale, you may not get it. For example: "Please fill out the form and mail it to ..." "Enter by December 13 for your chance to win ..." "Call toll-free today 1-800-..." "Click the blue box to read more ..." Follow these tips when communicating features and benefits and be sure your customers are hearing the message you want them to hear. That way, they will also respond to your call to action the way you want them to, and you make the sale! ***** Linda Elizabeth Alexander writes marketing copy for nonprofits and other businesses. Contact her today to get your free consultation! <a href="http://www.write2thepointcom.com">http://www.write2thepointcom.com</a> <a href="mailto:lalexanderwrite2thepointcom.com">mailto:lalexanderwrite2thepointcom.com</a> 9 other people are willing to help build your e-zine list,for free! Click now.<a href="http://www.subscriptionrocket.com/cgi-bin/r.cgi?r=1618">http://www.subscriptionrocket.com/cgi-bin/r.cgi?r=1618</a> How useful did you find this article? This article can be downloaded freely from http://www.get-articles.com and used on your website or in your ezine so long as the author is credited and their resource box left intact. You should not change any links in the article, and where the article is used on a website it's links should be clickable. Please see our terms and conditions page for more information: http://www.get-articles.com/authors-publishers-terms.php |
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