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Selling benefits not features

by Andy Fletcher
4 replies
Hi all,

I'm a software engineer and a geek at heart which means I'm anal retentive. As a result I can write "good" English but my ability to write good copy, especially good sales copy is very limited.

As an exercise I've been trying to rewrite feature sells into benefit sells and I'd like some input on what everyone thinks of my approach.

Please note, I suck at this so if your opinion is "that's rubbish" I'd like to hear it but I'd also like to hear why.

Let's take a benefit from a recent project of mine as an example. The software lets you put video on top of someone else's sales page that you are affiliate selling. There's absolute no link to this software from this post or my sig etc so I hope no one minds me using a real example that's IM based.

Where I started -

- Place video on top of the sales page you affiliate marketed.

This is a good feature. Someone looking to be able to do this is probably now sold but it doesn't really sell the benefit. So I tried again -

- Tell people how good the product is by putting video on top of the sales page you affiliate marketed.

Better but it still seemed like a feature more than a benefit.

- Increase your conversion rate by putting videos on top of the sales page you affiliate marketed.

Better but a bit dry so ... with a bit more jazz.

- Explode your affiliate sales by putting your own video on other people's sales page. Literally tell your customer why they should buy!

All thoughts greatly appreciated.

Cheers,

Andy
#benefits #features #selling
  • Profile picture of the author John_S
    The software lets you put video on top of someone else's sales page that you are affiliate selling.
    It's hard to give advice as it's unclear -- sounds like all this does is insert the code for a video file into the HTML page code.

    It's not really a problem of some copywriting gimmick, it's a world view: Benefit Driven Design.

    I'm not sure what the software actually does, but inserting a video does not in any way, shape, or form automagically boost conversions. In other words, your improved bullet point is writing checks the software product can't cash. ...Sending the reader's skepticism meter into the red zone.

    It's typical to view engineering as separate from copy and sales. Not true. You write the copy first, then use that as your engineering blueprint ...product, software, service ...whatever you're selling.

    If your product includes a set of proven script templates for boosting conversions ...then okay.

    If you've researched every aspect of why so many online video efforts fail, and your software has a wizard which steps the user through every aspect of high conversion video content production, then yes it's a valid bullet.

    Merely plopping the video into the code and the user is responsible for making the content work -- that's highly misleading. And it comes off as such to even a casual reader.

    Video on the web is very often lousy. That's not going to boost response. Benefit directed design forces you to look at the real issue, the real problem, and solve that. ...And not sidestep the critical factors for the ones you'd rather solve with pure technology.

    Benefits require the developer take on certain responsibilities for user success they'd rather avoid. Inserting video isn't the problem holding back conversions -- content quality is. If you're not going to address the problem don't pretend you've got the solution.

    Simply making the unfounded claim to "boost conversions" by inserting any video whatsoever it incredible, as in not credible. And benefit copywriting is not about making claims without fully accounting for all the factors which result in increased conversions: Namely Content Quality.

    Does studying dozens of highly converting video efforts to find the crucial factors making them work seem like hard work? Little hint: That's the benefit your readers want and that's what they're paying you for. Does applying that information to the design of software seem like an impossible task? Little Hint: Then don't offer it.
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    • Profile picture of the author Andy Fletcher
      Thank you for the excellent reply John.

      First I'd like to clarify something. The script I'm designing will do a lot more than just allow you to put videos on someone else's sales page I was just using it as a single example rather than going through a whole sales page.

      Other than I think you slightly misunderstood what I was after I agree 100% with everything you've said. Thank you I'm off to read your link
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    • Profile picture of the author Andy Fletcher
      That was an excellent read. Thank you.
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      • Profile picture of the author John_S
        One of the reasons advice is off on forum post is the large number of unknowns. One being not really knowing all of what the product does.

        Responders are realying on the poster as the sole source of information. Often benefits which hadn't occured to the developer present themselves with an in-depth user test where you may even see uses you hadn't intended.
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