One of the simplest ways you can improve your sales is to use the simple construct of features and benefits when you’re selling.
People don’t buy the features of your product – they buy the advantage or benefit for themself.
I have always had a soft spot for James Dyson and his vacuum cleaner products, because he came from nowhere to own over 50% of the vacuum cleaner market. He took on the big brands and won. That’s a small business hero!
Demonstration of Features and Benefits from Dyson…
Check out this advert from Dyson to see how he shows off just one important feature and ties it immediately to a benefit…
[mc src=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=341s3lqGeCc” type=”youtube”]Dyson Handheld Advert[/mc]
Notice what gets said in the voiceover as they explain why this is a better handheld vacuum…
Feature – the Dyson handheld uses a special digital motor with Neodymium magnets
Advantage – the motor spins up to 5 times faster than a Formula 1 engine (I presume they chose this to make it sound sporty and fast).
Benefit – “It’s why Dyson handhelds can deliver up to twice the suction of others in use”. Along with the footage of picking up crumbs from a car seat, it’s a great advert because it explains why the product is better.
When you sell your products and services, do you take the time to explain the features, advantages and benefits?
If you don’t, this is a great way to improve your sales performance and it’s so very simple to put into practice.
The unspoken message is that it’s better than the competition, or the one you already have.
To use this in your own business, start with the feature or fact about your service, then explain how that’s better than the competition and finally tell the customer how it delivers something that they need.
The Benefit Is Crucial – Focus on Your Customer…
So many sales people talk endlessly about how wonderful their service is without taking the time to explain why it’s great to their customer.
It makes the customer feel left out because you’re talking about yourself.
Switch to benefits and immediately you are relating to the customer’s situation – they’ll love you for it.
When you use features and benefits, it will make your presentation a thousand times stronger than your competition and help you clinch the sale.