Many marketers have a difficult time discerning the difference between features and benefits, but there is difference. Features are characteristics that physically describe your product or service. Benefits describe how your product or service will actually help the customer solve his or her problem. In other words, what the customer will gain by using the product or service. Benefits further elaborate on the features and answers the question, "What's in it for me?" Because that's all your customer really cares about, "what's in it for him?" Following are a few example of features and benefits:
A feature is a built-in "GPS" system. A benefit is that a GPS system helps prevent you from getting lost and eliminates the need for maps. In addition, our innovative speech recognition feature allows you to safely contol the sytems interface with your voice — allowing you to keep both on the wheel - protecting both you and your family from an accident,
A feature is an LCD computer monitor. A benefit is an LCD computer monitor is considerably thinner than a CRT monitor saving you valuable desk space. LCD monitors are also lightweight and save energy. And unlike a CRT monitor, an LCD monitor uses its entire screen to project an image. So a 15-inch LCD will provide you with roughly the same viewable area as a 17-inch CRT.
A feature is "Lojack." A benefit is LoJack can find your car and return it to you, if it ever gets stolen. LoJack has a better than 90 percent recovery success rate and guarantees the recovery of your automobile within 24 hours or your money back. Lojack will also lower your insurance premium. In fact, some insurance companies offer up to 35 percent off the comprehensive portion of your insurance premium for equipping your vehicle with LoJack.
In the above examples, did you notice how I presented the features, and then explained the benefits in complete detail?
In closing, when trying to sell your product or service, do talk about the features, but for greater impact and more sales, ALWAYS fully explain the benefit of each feature.
Dale King
Features and Benefits: What's the Difference?