Tweet

Sales Training - How To Sell Features & Benefits … The Power of Targeted Communication!

Written by: Greg Bacon

Article Overview: Sales Training - How To Sell Features & Benefits - The Power of Targeted Communication! This article shows how to create more sales impact each time you present, and the communication secrets to creating higher value within your product and service.

Sales Training - How To Sell Features & Benefits … The Power of Targeted Communication!

This past week a client of ours asked, “How do I tell a feature from a benefit, and how can I promote it so it will have sales presentation impact?” Good question. To answer, let’s begin with a reasonable definition.

A ‘feature’ is any part of your product or service that can be physically seen or touched. By this I mean it is ‘what the product or service IS.’ Nothing more. It contains each physical feature in regards to a hard goods-type product, and is the information contained on a brochure or any describing information regarding a service-type product.

A ‘benefit’ on the other hand, is ‘what a product or service DOES SPECIFICALLY for that particular prospect or customer.’ Now, this is where my definition varies a bit from others in the training field. I have purposely added the phrase ‘specifically for that particular prospect or customer’ because the impact of how you extend and present your product benefits, can and will be different for each new presentation. Here is an example.

For instance, let’s say your company produced unique marble countertops. As you point out all the intricate carving and craftsmanship on how your countertops were created you are covering only ‘features.’ The prospect can see these features without explanation and the presentation impact is only so-so.

However, if this couple happens to live in the executive corporate world and finds they entertain top brass from other companies, now as you extend the benefits of your product and speak ‘specifically’ to the needs of your prospect, your presentation is really gaining in its strength and acceptablility.

On the other hand, let’s say that the next folks into your display area are of a mundane nature, not out to impress anyone, but desire your marble countertops for the intrinsic value they will bring into their new home. So you, being the consummate salesperson, found that the extension of ‘benefits’ to the executive couple worked so wonderfully, that you decided to follow the same course of communication with the down-home folks. Result - NO SALE!

Why? Because your presentation of product features and their extension into product benefits was not a targeted communication channel to the needs of this specific audience … the down-home folks. Therefore, your presentation impact was zero. It was not what they wanted to hear, nor did it make an emotional connection.

Do you now understand why your extension of benefits must be specifically engineered to each new customer? Remember, a product ‘feature’ is what the product IS, nothing more. A ‘benefit’ is what the product can do to solve a problem, add value, and what it DOES SPECIFICALLY for that particular prospect or customer.

Now that you understand the definition of features and benefits and how these definitions are applied, let’s create even more sales communication impact by moving to the next level of presentation.

When we create communication impact, we do it through separation of information. In other words, instead of grouping a number of features together and offering their benefits in total, it is better to stair-step the process. By taking each product feature and making sure to extend only that feature’s benefits to the customer before moving to the next feature-benefit combination, you are creating higher value for your product or service. The higher the value created in the consumer’s mind, the less the price objections.

Let’s look at another example for showing how this works.

Many years ago, I went to a car dealership to purchase a new car. During the negotiation with a young salesperson, he was quick to see I was hesitating in making a buying decision. So, in his panic to sell us, he began throwing in all kinds of ‘extras’ for enhancing the value. They just kept coming without explanation, but each represented a radical attempt to close the deal. I listened, kept asking for more and getting it, and when all was said and done, paid no more for the car. There was no stair stepping of features and benefits to build value.

To do this correctly, this salesperson should have produced one additional feature, only one, then promoted the benefits of that particular feature as to how it would be a positive benefit to our lives. By asking us ‘if’ he would make this extra concession, then would we be willing to purchase the vehicle at the specified price? Right here, he would have been getting a closing commitment through the use of feature and benefit selling. If he continued building value one feature and one extended benefit at a time, he soon would have built so much value into the product that we would have overcome our hesitation with price, and we would have instantly purchased. Surprisingly, if done correctly, not only purchased, but happily been willing to pay a higher price!

The bottom line is this. The next time you present your product’s features, make sure you extend the benefits ‘specifically’ to that particular customer’s needs. When you do, you’ll find your sales communication impact will take a dramatic turn to the better.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Greg O. Bacon is the founder of MXMRQ® Corporation and Results Now!™ Business Growth Advisory Service helping business owners with annual sales from $0 - $50 million, and real estate homeowners, to grow and increase their profit potential to its fullest. Information, examples, and consulting fees for your business and real estate can be found at: www.mxmrq.com. Permission is granted by MXMRQ® Corporation to reprint this article if full author credit and website reference is kept intact.

Related Articles
  Making your new product launch a success
  How to Turn Your No-Sales into Cash by Turning Your "Features" into "Benefits."
  Selling Benefits
  Product Training is Not Enough!
  Selling The Sizzle Not The Steak

Article Tags:



Related Forum Posts
7 words or less for Structogram - Some "7 words or less" (more or less) for Structogram for your comments: Training to get your message across(6) Secrets to get your message across (6) Training so people will listen to you (7) Helping you get your message across (6) Training to learn to get your message across (8) Communications training for yourself and your team (7)
Online Sales and Marketing vs Traditional - Hi Evan, I am noticing that many of the posts in the Sales/Marketing section deal with online marketing, SEM and and SEO and Affiliates. I was wondering if it might be a good idea to separate that section into two; 1) Online Sales and Marketing; 2) Traditional Sales and Marketing
Re: A litte help!! - triple34, Here is some feedback: 1. Font too small. i had to strain to read it. I'm on a WinXP PC running resolution 1024x768. 2. Background is distracting - mainly causes the text to be more unreadable. 3. From a Sales point of view: -- Should offer education - possibly something to download. You need a hook to capture prospects so that you can followup with them. I'm not sure what that hook will be but I would ask firefighters and chiefs or more importantly the decision makers that would buy your software. -- Demo Video's are good but it should prep the listener prior to it starting as what will be covered -- I would break down the video's into smaller chunks to demonstrate different aspects of it's capability. This serves to do two things - 1. highlights Features and gives you the opportunity to state benefits. 2. makes it more manageable for the listener to watch a particular part that is most interesting to themselves.
Women Entrepreneur Tips - Thank you LeoOliveros, I found #4 particularly true in my case: 4. The Enterprise Must Include the Power of Power Networks. As a conductor of your own enterprise, you can not see yourself as a one-woman-show. You must choose to utilize the power people in your life, by asking for help when you need it, and effectively delegating in order to capitalize on your strengths and that of your power network. When certain experts are not represented in your power network, you must actively seek advisors or mentors and develop a team of specialists, so the benefits are received by everyone involved in the power network - the true Power of Power Networks.
Re: Online Sales and Marketing vs Traditional - [quote="ltrahan":31w9r2iz]Hi Evan, I am noticing that many of the posts in the Sales/Marketing section deal with online marketing, SEM and and SEO and Affiliates. I was wondering if it might be a good idea to separate that section into two; 1) Online Sales and Marketing; 2) Traditional Sales and Marketing[/quote:31w9r2iz] I second the request...


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Tweet

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

Anger Solutions at Work: Why Customers Get Angry

LISTENING SKILLS IN COACHING

Executive Blind Spots

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.