When considering a purchase, buyers want to know how a product or service is going to benefit them. Marketers have been selling benefits on websites for years. However, your pitch decks and other PowerPoint presentations can mirror these concepts of benefit selling.
Before you try benefit selling, take time to understand the difference between a feature vs. benefit to be able to differentiate them in your communications, and effectively captivate your audience. In this article, we will identify the differences between features and benefits and provide 3 actionable steps to make sure your slides are showcasing benefits.
Features vs. Benefits
Let’s explore the difference between features and benefits:
What is a feature?
Features are generic elements that anyone can gain from a product/service. It is something that your product has or is, and eventually, are the details that attract prospects.
What is a benefit?
A benefit is a personalized perk of using a product/service, usually applying to a subset of customers. They are the results that users will experience, and ultimately, persuade people to buy.
Examples of features vs. benefits
Let’s walk through a few website examples of benefits and features that translate to slides as well.
How to describe the features and benefits of a service
Example 1
Zoom, a video conferencing and communications company, highlights a benefit that their customers highly value – security.
The features:
The benefit:
Example 2
An online app and website blocker, Freedom, highlights the benefit of being in a distraction-free environment to increase your productivity.
The features:
The benefit:
How to describe the features and benefits of a product:
Example 1
Beautycounter, a safer beauty brand, emphasizes that their sunscreen will not only protect your skin but is also created with safer ingredients.
The features:
The benefit:
Example 2
Apple’s AirPods market the benefits of how you’ll look and sound without having to worry about battery life.
The features:
The benefit:
3 actionable steps to make sure your slides are effectively showcasing benefits
1. Focus on the customer
The potential customer does not care about your product, only how the product will benefit them. By keeping your slides focused on the client’s needs and desires, you can effectively capture their attention.
2.Convert features to benefits by asking, “so what?”
Verify that you’ve presented benefits by asking yourself, “so what” or “what’s in it for them?”. Be sure to leave out benefits that aren’t relevant to your buyer. By creating quality benefits, you can then use features as “proof” of the claims. You can even turn features into quality benefits by simply asking yourself, “Which means?”.
3. Cut your adjectives and adverbs in half
Keep your slides simple and uncluttered by cutting your adjectives in half. Most of the time, adjectives and adverbs don’t contribute valuable information. Instead, they take up space and can clutter your message. By communicating only essential components of your product/service, you get your point across directly.
