My last product messaging post discussed how a product marketer introduces his/her product to the prospective buyer. In that post, I discussed the role of product features in the product messaging.
In doing so, I avoided an important discussion: the distinction between a product feature and a product benefit. It is critical that product marketers understand this distinction because it affects the effectiveness of their messaging.
Let's start by defining some terms in the context of product messaging.
- A product feature is a "prominent part or characteristic" of a product (taken from Webster's dictionary).
A product capability is a "facility or potential for an indicated use or deployment" of a product (taken from Webster's dictionary).
A product benefit is an advantage or value a buyer will realize for a product.
Product features describe intentions or capabilities of the product. For example,
- The jacket is brown, hooded, and water repellent.
- The car comes with leather seats, a moon roof, alloyed wheels, and GPS.
- The easy-to-install software enables you to read and edit Microsoft documents on your handheld device.
Here the features are: brown and hooded. The capability is water repellent. (The feature for water repellency might be the specification of a coating or fiber weave that enables this capability).
Here the features are: leather seats, moon roof, alloyed wheels, and GPS. If we described GPS as a navigation system, this term would better identify the system's capability.
Here the features are: for your handheld device. The capabilities are easy-to-install, and read and edit Microsoft documents.
Because they are product-oriented, features tend to be written in the jargon of the company. To be more effective, they should be written in the language of the buyer.
Product benefits, on the other hand, present the value and advantage the product (and its features) offer to the buyer or user. They should always be written from the buyer or user's point of view. They are never written from the company's (which makes the product) point of view.
When a buyer or user looks at the product benefits, they should immediately understand how the product can enhance their life. Let's relate the benefits to our products from above.
- Our jacket provides a higher degree of protection from poor weather conditions.
- The car surrounds you in style while practically helping you get to where you need to go.
- The software allows you to remain productive when your personal computer is not immediately accessible.
The higher degree of protection is the benefit from the hood and the water repellency.
Here the first benefit is "surrounded in style" based on the features: leather seats, moon roof and allowed wheels. The second benefit is "practically helping you get to where you need to go" based on the features: it is a car and it has GPS.
The productivity benefit comes from being able to work with Microsoft documents from your handheld device.
Now that we understand the difference between features and benefits, let me ask you a question. As a buyer, which of the two is going to connect with you first?
For the vast majority of buyers, it is the benefit. Why? Because the benefit speaks your language. The benefit is about you and your experience with the product. The benefit directly relates to your motivations for purchase. Features can only do this indirectly.
That doesn't mean that features have no role in our messaging. To the contrary, they are also essential. As I mentioned in my last post, features provide supporting proof points. They make the benefits believable. In addition, later in the buying process, features become an important factor in selection. They help the buyer find the closest fit for their problem.
Let's summarize.
- Know the difference between features and benefits.
- Support the benefits with features that enable them.
- Lead with benefits for buyers early in the buying process.
- Follow-up with feature details to support buyer selection later in the buying process.
Comments