O
n the first day of copywriting school, we're taught how, "Features tell, but benefits sell." The top marketers know "Benefits" tap into emotions and ultimately motivate people into action.
I use "benefit bullets" instead of writing out long, drawn out sales copy. As a result, my conversion rates hover around 76%. See how I wrapped these same benefit bullet around the optin area on this page about the Great American Dream.
"Features" are unemotional facts about what you do (or what you offer). "Benefits" tell your prospect what's in it for them.
Most advertisers mistake features as benefits. We confirm this because most pay per click ads are filled with descriptions rather than emotional words... conveying what's in it for us to inspire a click to their landing page.
Using "Features" instead of "Benefits" within your ads is sort of like stepping over dollars to pick up pennies. In plain English, adding some "zaz" to your ads is a surefire way to boost response.
Using "Features" instead of "Benefits" within your ads is sort of like stepping over dollars to pick up pennies. In plain English, adding some "zaz" to your ads is a surefire way to boost response.
Now it's easy to think of "zaz" as hype. Please don't. Unless you're prospecting for MLMers or the biz-opp crowd, hype is a surefire way to depress response... even when the "gurus" tell you otherwise...
... At best, benefits get your prospects to buy your product, download a free trial, or even subscribe to a free newsletter.
At worst, benefits give you a second chance to inspire an action because benefits encourage your prospects to keep reading (or watching) your ad copy.
Once we have a list of oneliners, I find it's worth investing a few moments converting 'em into benefits.
It's helpful to think of oneliners made up as three distinct parts:
• Features
• Advantages
• Benefits
Features are merely descriptions of what you do or what you offer.
For example, a feature is a diamond-tipped 3/8" drill bit...
... But the benefit is "make holes in seconds."
A feature might be "in-dash GPS", but the benefit is "never ask for directions again."
The benefit of sheets woven with "600 thread count 100% Cotton Satten" is "sleep in the softest sheets ever made -- and never feel those sheet bumps again."
Let's take another example of a feature and walk through the exact steps to convert 'em into a benefit...
... I'm guessing you're familiar with ClickBank.com -- they're a "digital products retailer." A "digital products retailer" describes ClickBank.com... and that's a "Feature."
When we describe what a "Feature" does... how it functions... we call it an "Advantage." "Advantages", like "Features" are often confused with "Benefits."
Think of "Advantages" as a word bridge between a "Feature" and its "Benefit."
For example, one advantage of ClickBank is it allows ebook publishers to instantly tap into a network of over 100,000 affiliates for less than $50.
A "Benefit" eliminates all of the guesswork. A "Benefit" states the, "What's in it for me" inspired by your "Advantage." And in this example, the "Benefit" of ClickBank.com's "Advantage" is it let's you rapidly test an affiliate program cheaper than paying an expensive programmer to create your own from scratch.
So let's review:
Clickbank.com is a "digital products retailer." That's a "Feature" of their service.
Their "Advantage" is instant access to over 100,000 affiliates for less than $50.
And the "Benefit" of this "Advantage" is ebook publishers vendors get access to a fast and easy solution to launch an affiliate program without having to pay an expensive programmer to create one from scratch.
By the way, notice how my "zaz" didn't serve up hyped-up promises or clever cliches we're so sick of hearing or seeing...
... But most important, investing the time to craft "Benefits", rather than descriptions makes it easier for your prospect to "get it". The last thing you want is to either confuse your prospect or rely on them to figure out the "Benefit" on their own.
I use a few different formulas to help me convert features into more powerful benefits. For example, I might ask myself:
• What's in it for my prospect?
• This [product or service] helps my prospect [Benefit goes here]
• What this means to my prospect is [Benefit goes here]
• [Feature] so that [Benefit]
For example, this knife set is razor sharp... so that I can paper slice even squishy tomatos..."
Asking these simple questions help us brainstorm powerful benefits in a jiffy.
Now here's the challenge... Google currently allows us just 25 characters for the ad title, two description lines at 35 characters each, and 35 characters for our display URL. The bottom line is we're limited to just 130 characters to both attract the attention of our prospect and inspire him or her to click our ad to visit our landing page.
Since we're extremely limited on space, we need to significantly shorten up our benefits. We call these "Motives."
Think of a motive as the Cliff's Note's version of a "Benefit." It answers the question, "What's in it for my prospect?" -- only in far fewer words. Using the example above, the benefit of rapidly testing an affiliate program cheaper than paying an expensive programmer to create your own from scratch really says, "ClickBank reduces the risk of creating an affiliate program." And in order to keep within the 35-character limit imposed by Google, we further compact the motive with something like, "Instant no-risk affiliate program"
I find even experienced marketers miss the real motives of their prospects - but it doesn't have to be this way - click here to read more...