Sales managers routinely tell me that 70% of their salespeople don't understand the importance or difference between features and benefits.
On the other hand, one complaint I normally hear from salespeople is that their bosses send them out as clones, to repeat made phrases and trivial arguments like "This is going to save you time and money, reduce risk, make you feel more comfortable, etc. »
Sellers' objection is the same objection that potential customers could make:
"If all the products you want to sell me really save me money, save time, and reduce my risks, then I would have to be a real idiot for making such bad decisions in the last 10 years !!"
When a benefit is "recited" before a need has been determined, the impact will be very poor, or even negative.
If you are a professional seller you surely know that customers do not buy features. Customers only buy benefits.
In our sales techniques courses we teach sales presentation methods using the features and benefits of the product. Although the characteristics differentiate the products and make them special, what the customer is looking for is the benefit.
These are concepts that with a little training that you have in sales you should already handle fluently, but it is interesting to add two other elements:
On the one hand, between the CHARACTERISTICS and the BENEFITS, we add an ADVANTAGE. The advantage is a bridge between the characteristic and the benefit, in order to explain why a certain characteristic benefits the client.
On the other hand, we add a VALIDATION.
Validation is merely a reformulation of the benefit in the form of a question aimed at getting customers to confirm that the proven product will really benefit them.
The complete sequence is then:
FEATURE - ADVANTAGE - BENEFIT - VALIDATION
FEATURES
Constituent elements of a product or service, inherent to its construction or design. They can be a visible part or feature: what it is made of, where it was manufactured, its color, the materials and processes used, etc.
| CHARACTERISTIC | |||
| machinery matt metallic gray color | |||
| rubber soled shoe |
Whether they say it or not, what your potential customers think about the characteristics of your product or service is "What does it matter to me ?!"
ADVANTAGE
The advantage is directly related to the characteristic. It could be said that it is the profit that one will obtain for having that characteristic instead of not having it.
Examples:
| CHARACTERISTIC |
ADVANTAGE |
||
| machinery matt metallic gray color | does not reflect sunlight, preventing dazzling | ||
| rubber soled shoe | thermal insulation / cushioning |
It is important to note that the same feature can have several associated advantages. How to decide which of the advantages you will use? Thermal insulation or cushioning? or both?. You will have answers to these questions only by asking and listening to your customer.
BENEFIT
The benefit is related to the advantage, not the characteristic. The benefit is: "What use will the customer benefit? Why should you buy it? What will it do for you? It is what the advantage will do for your client or your company.
| CHARACTERISTIC |
ADVANTAGE |
BENEFIT |
|
| machinery matt metallic gray color | does not reflect sunlight, preventing dazzling |
will reduce personnel accidents |
|
| rubber soled shoe | thermal insulation / cushioning |
warm and relaxed feet at the end of the day |
As with the most appropriate features and benefits, there can be several different benefits for each benefit. Again you will have to select them by asking and paying attention to your customer.
VALIDATION
When you have successfully implemented a feature / benefit / benefit sequence tailored to your customer, you need to find out if the customer really believes the product offered will benefit them.
Validation involves reformulating the benefits in the form of a question aimed at obtaining a positive answer.
| CHARACTERISTIC |
ADVANTAGE |
BENEFIT |
VALIDATION |
| machinery matt metallic gray color | does not reflect sunlight, preventing dazzling |
will reduce personnel accidents |
reducing staff accidents is what you were looking for, right? |
| rubber soled shoe | thermal insulation / cushioning |
warm and relaxed feet at the end of the day |
Because what is important to you is a comfortable shoe that takes care of your feet throughout the day, isn't it? |
LET'S CONCENTRATE NOW ON THE BENEFITS
The benefits are never implicit
Take for example the phrase: "Our customers who are already using these new trucks confirm that they are having a performance of more than 17 KM per liter of fuel" must be clearly completed in order to ensure that the benefit is understood by the customer, for example: «What this means for your company is a reduction in consumption that will cut your current fuel costs in half»
The benefits are never left alone
You must confirm that the benefit is really important to your client.
Continuing with the example: "If this reduction in fuel consumption can make your company save so much money, you mentioned that you would be interested, is that correct?"
Benefits are related to needs and wants
Without a need or a desire, a benefit is IRRELEVANT and EMPTY.
The needs and wants must be determined by you during your conversation with the client, so that you can choose only those suitable benefits that are derived from the appropriate characteristics.
The benefits are related to customer purchase motivations
These motivations include, for example, moving away from fear / pain, or closer to desire / ambition.
If during your survey of the client's needs, desires, and motivations you determine that the primary motivation is desire / ambition, the sequence of thought to convey to the client would be something like:
- good transportation at half cost satisfying your requirements and saving money that you can use for other things you want or need
Whenever possible, benefits should be specific in order to be measured or compared
For example: «Regarding your current fuel cost per week, it should be approximately $ 300, correct? Well, then, what we are talking about is savings of more than $ 7,500 a year. From what we were talking about, I think this is important to you, isn't it? (wait for the answer)
Use benefits to determine real needs
If your potential customer "itches" or is especially "hooked" on any of your benefits, you've just found a real need, and probably the motivation to buy.
These three areas: NEEDS, MOTIVATION, and KEY BENEFIT, are the ways for you to achieve your sales objective.
Profits should be used fluently and form the bulk of the emphasis in your sales presentation. They should not be left to their own devices or presented in a disjointed way. The phrases with which you convey the benefits should be natural, carried out in a context of trust, and based on your prior determination of needs.
The benefits must be related to the purchase motivation of your potential client.
Let's see some examples:
1) «Mr. Márquez, you could save money by buying your paper supplies in bulk, instead of making numerous small purchases as you have been doing. Other clients I serve have already reduced paper consumption by up to 9% per year. Would you be interested in an agreement with our firm for the purchase of paper in quantity?
This first example is not bad, but can be improved. Let's look at the second example:
2) «Mr. Márquez, I had the opportunity to learn about how you buy the paper you use, and what you consider important in terms of quality, your need for immediate disposal, and keeping costs under control. Would it make sense for you to get more paper stock to get an additional 9% discount? ”(Wait for the answer).
Well, if we were to reach an annual agreement for bulk paper deliveries, our service offers you automatic inventory control. This will save you from having to assign your own staff to this task, and will ensure an always available supply, guaranteed by our company. This agreement also ensures you a 9% discount which is our highest level of bonus. At your current level of consumption, you will be saving more than $ 3,200 annually by purchasing the paper at the same price as a distributor. Does a savings of this magnitude seem interesting to you? »
In the first example, the seller simply assumes that the benefit would have to be significant to the customer.
In the second example, the seller verifies the motivation, in addition to informing the customer that they have made sure they know their needs and priorities. Then discuss a couple of features with their benefits, and head back to the discount - the key benefit - to slowly approach the close.
Find out where your customer is itchy and then scratch him where he is itchy.
