Title: 
So What's In It For ME?

Word Count:
513

Summary:
Make sure that the words you use on your Web site are
benefit-oriented rather than feature-oriented. Instead
of telling your potential customers what your product
can do (features), tell them what it can do for them
(benefits). In other words, describe the product in terms
of the result it offers rather than the product itself.


Keywords:
benefits, internet marketing, e-commerce, marketing


Article Body:
Make sure that the words you use on your Web site are
benefit-oriented rather than feature-oriented. Instead
of telling your potential customers what your product
can do (features), tell them what it can do for them
(benefits). In other words, describe the product in terms
of the result it offers rather than the product itself.

<p>Here's a simple way of writing benefits, which I've used
very effectively for myself and for clients.

<p>Whenever you write a benefit, you can test whether it's a
real benefit by imagining your reader asking the question,
"So what?"  If it's a feature or a weak benefit,
answering that question can give you a stronger benefit.

<p>Here's an example ... Suppose you're selling a digital
camera that has a resolution of 24 megapixels.
That's obviously a feature, not a benefit, but you'd
be surprised how many camera Web sites advertise their
products that way.

<p>Imagine a conversation between you and a customer who has
only ever used non-digital cameras in the past:

<p>YOU:  This camera has a resolution of 24 megapixels.

<p>CUSTOMER:  So what?

<p>YOU:  Well, that's the highest resolution of any digital
camera available today.

<p>CUSTOMER:  Yeah, but so what?

<p>YOU:  It means your pictures have very little
loss of quality.

<p>CUSTOMER:  But what does that mean?

<p>YOU:  Your photos will be as bright and clear as if you
were using ordinary film.

<p>CUSTOMER:  Ah, now I understand!

<p>Can you see how that process of asking the "So what?"
question leads to strong benefits?  What we started with
("24 megapixels") is vastly different from the result
("as bright and clear as ordinary film").

<p>Note that I framed the example in a particular way.
You were talking to a customer who had a history of using
traditional cameras, so the benefit was relevant to them.
If your customer was, say, a professional photographer,
then you might end up with a different benefit - e.g.
"This is the only camera resolution that is accepted
by National Geographic".

<p>Here's a quick way to get the "So what?" answers ...

<p>Start by listing all the features of your product
or service.  Yes, that's right - start with the FEATURES,
which should be easy for you to do.

<p>Then take each feature in turn, ask the "So what?"
question, find an appropriate answer, and add it to the end
of the feature with the words "... so that".

<p>An example will help ...

<p>In the example above, the feature:

<p>* It has a resolution of 24 megapixels

<p>becomes:

<p>* It has a resolution of 24 megapixels ... so that your
photos are as clear and bright as with your old camera.

<p>OK, now it's your turn ...

<p>Look at the products and services you're advertising
on your Web site.  Are you talking about benefits,
or only features?

<p>Go through the process I've just described to (a)
list all your features, and (b) convert these
features into benefits.