Selling Features AND Benefits

October 24, 2013

A good sales person knows the features of their product or service like the back of their hand. They can paint a picture of their company for the customer that makes them sound as grand as the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. But does the customer want to buy the features of a company? No. They want to know what’s in it for them.

A great sales person knows that what a customer really wants are the benefits they will receive from buying into a company’s features. They know that they can paint the picture with their features but, without expressing how the customer will benefit from those features, the customer will not buy the painting. The value for the customer is how the features will benefit them.

Features should be supporting foundations to the benefits that help the seller close the deal. Features are great for giving some insight into the company. They allow the customer to size up a product or service against its competition.  However, features alone do not express why the product or service is important to the customer.

Benefits show why the feature is important and how the product and service solves the customer’s problems. They add value to the features and help the customer see the value in buying.

The benefits to features will be different to each customer. The best way to figure out the benefits of a product or service is first know who the customer is. Know what the customer finds important or any problems they have. Then list the features. With the customer in mind, think of why each feature is important. Think of what problem the feature will solve for the customer. Why is that feature important to the customer?

Focusing on the benefits of the product or service will allow the customer to see the value of buying. And that value is the best way to close the deal.

-Alex George, Production Coordinator

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