One of the things that beginning copywriters don't get is that a feature and a benefit is not the same thing. Not only are the different, but prospects react to them differently. In order to really understand this concept and how to apply it to your own copywriting, you really need to put yourself into the shoes of your prospect. This article is going to discuss features and benefits and how you should use one to lead into the other. This will make your copy a lot more effective.
The best way to really explain this concept is with an example. So let's say that you're selling a brand new computer and you want to write up some copy for it to get it out the door as quickly as possible. Most copywriters will immediately start listing all the features of the computer. What are the features? Things like, 120 gig hard drive, 4 gig ram, 2 gigahertz processor and so on. Those are features. Those are the things that make up the computer. And yes, if you're selling to a real tech head, these features alone "may" sell the unit. But what about your average Joe who doesn't know a gigahertz from a gigapet?
For those people, and they will make up the bulk of your audience, you have to speak in terms of benefits. What are those features going to do for them? What will that 2 gigahertz processor do? Well, you can tell them that it will make their work time go quicker so that they will have more time to do the things that they want to do. For example, are they trying to download a movie file from a web site? With a faster processor, they can download the file more quickly which means they can actually get to watching the movie more quickly. That's a benefit of having a faster processor. That's what your prospect cares about...not that it's 2 gigahertz or whatever. They want to know what it will do for them.
Like I said, this is something that way too many beginning copywriters get wrong. They think that by simply listing the features of something that this alone will get the prospect to buy. In most cases, it will not. People need to know what's in it for them. Why do they need this fast processor?
If you can convey the benefits of YOUR product or service to the prospect, you'll have a much better chance of actually converting them into a paying customer.
To YOUR Success,
Steven Wagenheim
Want to write copy just like the pros? Visit my
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