Chapter 10
Sell Emotional Benefits, Not Features
This is Marketing 101: Sell benefits, not features! The very first thing we ever learn in marketing is that people only buy benefits. They are not motivated to purchase an item or service because of features or attractions; they only do so because these features somehow give them an advantage.
I can hear all of you respond—yes, we all know that, we don't have to be told again. Well, pick up almost any brochure, turn to any display page in the Yellow Pages or a magazine, look at almost all newspaper advertisements or pick practically any direct mail piece. Guess what? They are absolutely full of features, usually about the product. And it only takes one glance to determine why they don't work.
On the way to your office one morning, pay particular attention to the advertisements on the radio.
On average, less than 20 percent of the ads you will hear will provide a benefit to the listener.
Yet, only those featuring benefits catch people's attention. The others just become the audio version of wallpaper.
To Cut Through the Clutter, You Must Get into the Preconscious Mind
As I have emphasized time and again, it is absolutely vital to differentiate yourself from your competition in this highly competitive and increasingly global and accessible marketplace, to the extent that when anyone thinks of your product or service category, they think of you first. If they don't, then your likelihood of attracting their business is significantly ...
