Transforming Features Into Benefits

In a recent full-page ad in The Wall Street Journal, an automobile manufacturer listed 75 reasons why we should buy one of its cars.
This list got me thinking about an old but very effective selling skill — the use of Features, Advantages and Benefits in sales presentations.

Many veteran salespeople probably are familiar with this skill, but it may be good to review. For some of the newer members of our profession, this will be a technique to study, master and use in sales presentations for your entire sales career.

Let’s review: A product Feature describes something about the product you are selling. For example, “This machine has a 40-foot cord.”

A product Advantage describes a performance characteristic. Example: “You can work a full 80 feet away from the outlet.”

A product Benefit describes what the product feature and advantage will do for a buyer. In other words, what does it mean to the customer? Example: “You will not have to stop as often to plug in and unplug your machine, which will allow you to get your job done quicker and easier.”
There are a few manufacturers that list their product’s features, advantages and benefits on their literature. More of them should do this; we would be able to sell their products much more effectively.

In the Wall Street Journal ad, this manufacturer showed a picture of a little girl and just put the numeral “1” beside the picture. Enough said. Then the manufacturer went on to list 74 more features such as “raised chassis for higher ground clearance; the founder’s philosophy that cars are ‘driven by people’; all-aluminum alloy engine block and cylinder head and outside air temperature gauge, among others.

It was an excellent list of features, but somewhere in the process someone should have turned these features into benefits in order to actually sell the car.

Some of the features listed, such as outside air temperature gauge, were self-explanatory. Others, such as “fully automatic viscous coupling all-wheel drive system” really didn’t mean much to me.

When using the feature/advantage/benefit technique you must be sure that you do not assume that your prospect knows what the benefit does for them. It has to be explained and demonstrated. When making a presentation, if your buyer can ask the question, “So what?” or “What’s in it for me?” you have not fully explained the benefit.

The feature/advantage/benefit system requires some practice, role-playing and rehearsal, preferably with your sales manager or another salesperson.

When making a live presentation and using the technique it is very important that you know which of the numerous features are important to your buyer (some products may have many more than 75). How do you do this? By asking questions and doing your homework before your presentation.

This idea may help. Before talking about each feature use the words “because of.” Example: “Because of the 40-foot cord.” Before starting the product advantage use the words “you can.” “You can cover the area 80 feet from the outlet.” Before the customer benefit, put the words “which means.” Example: “Which means you won’t have to stop to plug and unplug your equipment and therefore you’ll get the job done quicker and easier.”

Here’s an exercise to try: write an ad for your own company. List all the reasons why a customer should buy from your company rather than from one of your competitors. (Low price doesn’t count.) I have done this numerous times while conducting selling skills seminars and we always generate a great list. I’m sure you listed things such as quality products, good service, many years of experience, complete line of products, locally owned, large inventory, etc. Now convert each feature into a benefit. What do the features you listed really do for your customer?

Just to recap, remember that there are many, many features in a given product. You must determine by asking questions and doing your homework which of these features should be converted into benefits that are important to your buyer. This exercise can be used not only for equipment, but for cleaners, floor finishes, carpet products, restroom products, dispensers, dispensing systems, paper towel dispensers, etc.

Talk to your vendors and ask them if they can help you with this on their particular products. Study the literature in your files to see if in fact some of these vendors already have done some homework for you. And then practice, practice, practice.

And remember this: features belong on a spec sheet, but benefits have to be demonstrated. We have a form that we’ve used to help salespeople work on this project. It’s one sheet of paper that you can use to list the features, advantages and benefits of any number of the products that you sell. If you would like a copy, contact Sanitary Maintenance and we’ll see that you get one.

To share your selling ideas, fax: (414) 228-1134, contact Mr. Dixon at (877) 379-3566 or e-mail questions or comments regarding this article.

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